Toasted Coconut Tapioca Pudding with Tropical Fruit (AIP, Paleo, Vegan)

I developed & photographed this recipe last spring; however, I forgot about it until recently when I rediscovered the photos while reorganizing old files. I thought it was a great one to share, even a year later. :)

I’ve previously posted about tapioca pudding (and you can also find the recipe in my e-book AIP & Paleo Holiday Sweet Treats), but I love how this combination takes basic tapioca to the next level. Perhaps it’s just me, but over time as I’m regularly consuming more coconut products, I find myself losing the flavor of coconut. For example, just using coconut milk in a recipe no longer tastes very coconut-y to me. But adding toasted coconut to a recipe, like in this pudding, brings that roast-y, toast-y coconut-y flavor right back.

While the toasted coconut tapioca pudding is great all on it’s own; I topped mine with a tropical fruit mixture both to add extra fruit servings and to keep with the tropical theme of the toasted coconut pudding. I diced pineapple, mango & kiwi & added a spritz of lime juice & a tiny drizzle of honey, but you could use whatever tropical-isn fruits you prefer or can find. I think passion fruit could make an excellent addition, as could papaya and/or banana etc.

Tapioca pudding does take a little planning to make—tapioca pearls need to soften before cooking—but I still think the inactive prep time is worth it. And leftovers with additional coconut milk as a sort of porridge make an excellent treat breakfast (with some protein and perhaps vegetables too).

Toasted Coconut Tapioca Pudding with Tropical Fruit 
yield’s 3 to 4 small servings

44 g Small Tapioca Pearls
3/4 c Filtered Water (I use this water filter)
1-13.5 oz can Coconut Milk (I use this brand and weigh out 13.5 oz)
1 tsp Gluten Free Vanilla Extract 
2 Tbl Grade A Dark Amber Maple Syrup (or other AIP sweetener of choice)
40 g / 1/2 c Toasted Unsweetened Coconut, plus extra for garnish, if desired

1. Combine the tapioca pearls and water in a small sauce pan. Allow the pearls to soften for at least an hour. 
2. Meanwhile, toast the coconut in a 350 F oven on a parchment lined baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring a couple times. Do not burn. Alternately, the coconut can be toasted in a dry skillet over medium high heat, stirring constantly. 
3. Once the pearls have softened, add the coconut milk, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, stirring often. When the mixture reaches a simmer, add the toasted coconut, reduce the heat to medium low & continue cooking, still stirring, until the pudding thickens and the pearls begin turning translucent, approximately 15 minutes total. 
4. Cool slightly. Serve warm (my personal preference) or refrigerate until cold. Top with tropical fruits, & an extra dusting of toasted coconut, if desired. 

Tropical Fruit Salad 
Pineapple, diced
Mango, diced
Kiwi, diced
Lime juice
Honey (optional, depending on sweetness of the fruit; substitute maple syrup to keep vegan)

1. Mix together diced tropical fruits, such as pineapple, mango, and kiwi (or add other favorites, if desired). 
2. Squeeze a little fresh lime juice over the fruit & drizzle with a little honey, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. 
3. Spoon the fruit salad over the prepared tapioca pudding just before serving.

This post is included in the Paleo AIP Recipe Roundtable #115

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Berry Panna Cotta Pie (AIP & Paleo)

Last weekend, we celebrated Independence Day (aka the 4th of July) in the US. The holiday sort of sneaked up on me, after a busier-than-average June, so I did not have time to concoct a new AIP patriotic dessert this year. I planned to make the patriotic panna cotta I posted last year (actually, it’s one of my most favorite, easiest AIP desserts because you really can substitute almost any fruit you like). At the last minute, I had an epiphany to make the panna cotta into a pie by first making an AIP pie crust (I used a recipe from my friend Martine at The Paleo Partridge), then filling the baked/cooled shell with berries & adding the panna cotta custard liquid. 

The results were spectacular! The pie tasted very reminiscent of the fruit tarts I use to make in my pre-AIP/paleo days & are something that I really miss.  I remarked to my husband, as we sampled the pie, that it tasted so “normal.” Martine’s crust was almost like a short bread cookie, very similar to the pate sucree I use to make for all my tarts. The creamy coconut filling wasn’t overwhelmingly coconut-y & pared so well with ripe berries & the almost buttery crust. I had to pinch myself that the dessert was completely AIP!!

Though I hadn’t intended to do a blog post on this pie, the reactions to the image I posted on Instagram were so great that I thought a post would be nice to make the recipe easier to find (and let’s be honest, more pin-able, since I can’t keep track of recipes very well unless I can pin them to Pinterest). I believe this crust/fruit/panna cotta custard combination would work well with fruits other than berries (peaches, plums, nectarines, cherries, apples, pears, figs... etc) when berries are no longer in season. If you try another fruit variation, please post a picture on Instagram & tag me (@lauravein) in it!

Berry Panna Cotta Pie 

yields 8 servings, or one 9 inch pie  

1 recipe Sweet & Savory Pie Crust from Eat Heal Thrive 

250 g (approximately 2 cups) berries or other fruit of choice (I used strawberries, blueberries, blackberries & raspberries)

1 recipe of Panna Cotta custard 

1. Make the sweet & savory pie crust according to the directions on Martine’s web site. The only changes I made were to skip piercing the bottom of the crust before baking (I didn’t want the filling to run out later) & to bake it 5 minutes longer because I didn’t want to risk the crust getting soggy from the filling. 
2. While the pie shell is cooling, prepare the berries, cutting them if desired. Place the fruit into the bottom of the cooled shell. 
3. Make the panna cotta custard according to the directions--Omit the vanilla for elimination phase AIP. Set the berry-filled pie shell onto a sheet pan for easier transport, then carefully pour the custard over the fruit. 
4. Allow the pie to chill until the custard is set, approximately 2 hours. Let the pie sit at room temperature at least 10 minutes before serving. Refrigerate any leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator. The pie is best consumed within 24-36 hours, or else the crust begins to get soggy.

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Pumpkin Panna Cotta Tart with Gingersnap Macaroon Crust (AIP)

Pumpkin pie, specifically my great grandma’s recipe, is the most quintessential Thanksgiving food in my opinion. But creating an AIP version of her pumpkin pie has been a bigger challenge than I anticipated (and has involved multiple failed attempts). Once I combined Great Grandma’s pumpkin pie flavor profile with her gingersnap cookie flavor profile, I finally came close to something that tasted like the “normal” holidays.

This holiday season is my first time navigating major holidays while following the Autoimmune Protocol.  I’m very much into tradition, especially when it comes to holidays & holiday foods. Coming to terms with the realization that not every dish I try to recreate AIP-style will taste (or look) exactly like it’s original can be really a challenge.

Also, can I just say that grain free, dairy free, refined sugar free, egg free, nut free baking is really hard? I’m still very much learning how new-to-me ingredients act during the scientific processes involved in baking. My multiple attempts at a traditional pie crust  turned AIP were unsuccessful, but repurposing my AIP Coconut Macaroon recipe into a crust worked really well. And to make it taste a bit more holiday-esque, I substituted a bit of the honey for molasses & added some ground ginger. Trying to create a custard-like pudding without the aid of eggs steered me towards the panna cotta side of things. Both the crust and the filling could be made & enjoyed separately, but I really enjoy them together. It might not taste exactly like “normal” pumpkin pie, but it’s still a flavorful treat that won’t derail healing processes.

Speaking of the holiday season, a group of AIP bloggers have put together a free holiday guide full of AIP-friendly holiday recipes. And Phoenix Helix has a great podcast about surviving the holiday season. If you need some inspiration, check those out. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin Panna Cotta Tart with Gingersnap Macaroon Crust
Yields 8 servings

Gingersnap Macaroon Crust 
120 g (1 1/2 c) Shredded, Unsweetened Coconut
7 g (1 Tbl) Coconut Flour
1 tsp Ground Ginger
Pinch of Sea Salt
26 g (2 Tbl) Coconut Oil, melted
65 g (3 Tbl) Honey (local or organic is best)
21 g (1 Tbl) Unsulphured Molasses

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Pulse the shredded coconut, coconut flour, ground ginger and sea salt in a food processor until combined.
3. Add the oil, honey and molasses & pulse until well mixed.
4. Press the mixture into a 4" x 14" Rectangular Tart Pan
5. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Rotate the pan & bake for 10 additional minutes, or until the tart crust has turned a bit more golden, but is not scorched. 
6. Cool completely. Remove the tart pan & place the crust onto a baking sheet. Proceed with the panna cotta filling.

Pumpkin Panna Cotta Filling 

6.75 Fl Oz Organic Coconut Milk

4 g (approximately 1 tsp) Grassfed Gelatin

123 g (1/2 c) Organic Pumpkin

20 g (3 Tbl) Grade B Maple Syrup

2 tsp Vanilla Extract (optional for AIP)

1 tsp AIP Pumpkin Pie Spice

Coconut Whipped Cream, for serving 

1. Place the coconut milk into a small sauce pan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the coconut milk & mix gently--I usually use my fingers & break up any clumps that I can.  Set aside & allow the gelatin to bloom for 10 minutes. 
2. Add the remaining ingredients. Heat over medium heat for five minutes, whisking constantly. 
3. Pour into the prepared crust (note, you may not need all the filling; place any leftovers into a small ramekin-type vessel). Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving. The tart may be made a day in advance.
4. Cut the tart into diagonal slices. Serve with coconut whipped cream. 

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Tapioca Pudding Porridge with Roasted Apples (AIP & Vegan)

Hot cereal is one of my comfort foods. Stovetop oatmeal, baked oatmeal, cream of wheat/cream of rice, rice pudding--they’re all things I’d love to eat for breakfast in my pre-AIP days. Even though I’ve finally trained myself to eat savory things for breakfast, there still are some days when I want to revert to the comfort that comes from hot cereal for breakfast.

This tapioca pudding porridge can do double duty: it works both as a dessert AND as an occasional breakfast treat.  Of course, it’s totally AIP and paleo (but still delicious, for those non-AIP/paleo readers). And please banish any thoughts of ready-made tapioca pudding snackpacks (like the ones you perhaps had in childhood)--this pudding is not remotely similar :)

It takes a little planning to make--the tapioca pearls require soaking--so I prefer to make it in the evening (soaking the pearls while we’re eating dinner & simmering the pudding afterwards) & then sometimes I eat a little of the leftovers for a breakfast treat (along with some protein).

Since it’s fall right now, and apples are in season, I roasted some to serve on top of the pudding porridge.  Other fruit could be substituted, or the pudding can be consumed all on it’s own.

Tapioca Pudding Porridge 

yields 3 to 4 small servings 

44 g / 1/4 c Small Pearl Tapioca

6 fl oz (3/4 c) Filtered Water

1-13.5 oz can Organic Coconut Milk

1 tsp Vanilla Extract (make sure it’s AIP compliant!) 

20 g / 1 Tbl Real Maple Syrup 

1. Combine the tapioca pearls & filtered water in a small sauce pan. Allow the pearls to soften for at least an hour. 
2. Once the pearls have softened, add the coconut milk, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, stirring often. When the mixture simmers, reduce the heat to medium low & continue cooking, still stirring, until the pudding thickens & the pearls begin turning translucent, approximately 15 minutes total. 
3. Cool the slightly. Serve either warm (my preference) or refrigerate until cold. Top with roasted apples (recipe follows). 

Roasted Apples

1 large organic Apple, peeled & diced

1 tsp Organic Coconut Oil

1-2 tsp local Honey (not vegan) or Maple Syrup, depending on sweetness of the apples  

1/2 tsp Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice (AIP)  (or substitute regular pumpkin pie spice, if not AIP) 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 
2. In a small baking dish, mix together the apple, coconut oil, sweetener & spices. 
3. Roast in the preheated oven until the apples are soft, approximately 45 minutes.

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Patriotic Panna Cotta (AIP, Low FODMAP)

Update 7-31-15: a low FODMAP variation is now listed at the bottom of the recipe! 

Most every 4th of July (Independence Day for the US) of my childhood was spent at my family's lake cabin.  Sometimes we were on our own, just my parents, sisters, grandparents and me. Sometimes friends joined us.

The morning was spent getting up early and decorating our boat (as well as ourselves) with patriotic red-white-and-blue decorations before participating in the lake-wide boat parade where all the other decked out boats would lazily motor around our smallish lake. Our portion of the beach would be filled with many smaller American flags we stuck into the sand.

The food choices for the day would vary, but there was always a giant spread with many. Sometimes burgers, sometimes fish & even for several years, before the oven in the beloved vintage stove quite working, roasted a turkey with all the trimmings.

Once we kids were old enough to stay up, sparklers and fireworks became an important part of the evening. We would douce ourselves in bug spray & cover up as much skin as possible to ward off the mosquitos. When the sparklers were all used, we would move on to the smaller fireworks & then to a few bigger ones. My grandma would sit on the screened-in porch (blissfully mosquito free) and take notes on which particular fireworks we liked the best, so that we would know which ones to buy the following year.

Somewhere throughout the years, I started making a patriotic dessert. I'm fairly sure the first year's dessert was a fruit salad containing un-pitted cherries…. Luckily, my skills (and forethought) improved as the years progressed. Many desserts were inspired by things I'd seen in Martha Stewart Living magazine. One year, the cover of MSL featured the most gorgeous fruit tart, decorated to look like an American flag. While I couldn't make it exactly like the cover image, due to ingredient unavailability, my version became a favorite among family & friends. Pastry crust, chocolate, cream cheese/whipped cream filling, fresh berries…. I make some sort of variation on it nearly every year (you can find my recipe here).

As I was brainstorming something to make this year, I thought a bit sadly about my favorite fruit tart. Pretty much the only component of that tart I'm able to eat this year is the berries…. Nothing against berries, I just eat them most every day & thus have a hard time seeing them as a special Independence Day treat. Then I thought of panna cotta & how easy it would be to make a panna cotta out of coconut milk & add berries to it, sort of similar to the nectarine buttermilk panna cotta I made last year.  While I might be mourning my fruit tarts just a little bit, I'm consoling myself with the realization that this dessert is *much* faster to prepare (and less mess) and it's actually good for me!

Patriotic Panna Cotta / Coconut Panna Cotta with berries 
yields approximately 4-6 servings, depending on how big your vessels are

1 can (13.5 oz) Organic Coconut Milk (full fat)
1 Tbl (7g) grass-fed gelatin (like this one)
1 Tbl / 31g Organic Honey (local, if you can find it)
1/2 tsp Vanilla Bean Paste (optional for AIP)
around 1.5 c / 200g mixed organic berries (I used blueberries, strawberries & raspberries)

1. Place the coconut milk nto a small sauce pan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the coconut milk & mix gently--I usually use my fingers & break up any clumps that I can.  Set aside & allow the gelatin to bloom for 10 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, prepare your vessels & berries. Place the vessels onto a pan (for easy transport). Fill each cup approximately 1/3 to 1/2 full of berries (either whole berries or cut). 
3. Heat the sauce pan over medium heat & whisk constantly until all the gelatin just melts.  Remove from the heat and immediately add the honey & vanilla.   
4. Give the coconut mixture a stir & then portion equally into the berry-filled vessels. 
5. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. The panna cotta may be made a day or two in advance, just cover the dishes with plastic wrap & store in the refrigerator until ready to eat. 

Note:

• Right now I'm trying to incorporate lots of gelatin into my life (it's full of protein, can help heal your gut, and is good for hair/nails/skin, just to name a few benefits), so I've made this panna cotta a bit more firm than usual. If you like, reduce the gelatin by half to produce a softer "custard." 
• This recipe could be easily doubled or tripled for a crowd. 

Low FODMAP Variation

1 can (13.5 oz) Coconut Milk, full fat & free from additives
1 Tbl (7g) grass-fed Gelatin
1 Tbl / 31g Organic Grade B Maple Syrup (optional, could be omitted for SIBO protocols)
1/8 tsp Vanilla Powder
around 1.5 c / 200g mixed organic Low FODMAP berries (I used blueberries, strawberries & raspberries)

• follow the same instructions as above, substituting the maple syrup for the honey & ensuring to use only low FODMAP fruits. 

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Carob Avocado Mousse (AIP)

When thinking about avocados, most peoples’ minds go immediately to guacamole or salads. But lately I’ve been reconsidering the uses for avocados, specifically when it comes to desserts. 

 The avocado’s flavor is somewhat ambivalent--it can be used in savory applications, as well as in sweet. It plays off of the flavors of items used with it. Mash avocado with some salt, lemon/lime juice & garlic powder, creating a simple guacamole (which also happens to be one of my staple items these days) Or, blend the avocado with honey, coconut milk & carob/cocoa powder, creating a luscious, “healthier” dessert. Both items (or really any avocado item) can be a little on the rich side, so portions might be smaller than you’d normally think. But due to the higher fat content, you’ll feel more satisfied even with eating less.

Using carob is not something I’ve explored until recently. I’m still following my doctor suggested detox diet, which is basically a more extreme version of the Autoimmune Protocol (commonly referred to as AIP). Both my doctor-suggested-diet and AIP put chocolate on the "avoid" list, hence, no cocoa powder. Enter carob powder, a great alternative to chocolate & cocoa powder. It doesn’t taste *exactly* the same as chocolate--my husband likes to say it has more of a roasted peanut taste--but when you can’t have the original, you settle for the next best substitution.

 The slightly nutty carob paired with the creamy avocado, sweetened with a touch of honey (which I recently had the ok from my doctor to add small amounts into my diet! yay!), and lightened with a little coconut milk to make it a bit more pudding/mousse-like.  A perfect little treat to satisfy my sweet tooth, while still staying within my dietary guidelines & ensuring I won’t regret eating it later.

Carob Avocado Mousse

makes approximately 4 servings 

2 Organic Avocados, ripe but not brown (mine weighed 10.5 oz / 207 g, without pits & skin)

2 Tbl (42 g) Organic Honey (local preferred) 

5 Tbl (30 g) Carob Powder (could sub cocoa powder, if preferred) 

3/4 c (186 g) Organic Coconut Milk Beverage 

1. Place all ingredients into a high speed blender or food processor.
2. Blend on high speed until everything is combined, scraping the sides as necessary. 
3. Portion into cups & refrigerate a couple hours before serving. 

Notes: 

• If you're not following an Autoimmune Protocol, feel free to substitute cocoa powder instead of the carob. The carob will give the mousse a slightly more toasted flavor. 
• The mousse can be frozen for a delicious frozen treat 

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