To kick off 2011, I wanted to present something NEW that conveyed a wish for good fortune– and rice came to mind. Now, if you’ve followed this blog, you probably know that I generally don’t do rice for reasons having to do with glycemic index and glycemic load. However, Trufflehead was created for developing cooks (such as my son) who want to eat healthfully but inhabit a less spartan food world. So,  I included things that I wouldn’t normally cook or eat, and rice–of any color– is one of them.

Since brown rice is higher in fiber and nutrients than white, I decided to experiment with it, and I particularly liked the Arborio-like texture of the short grain variety. The inspiration for this dessert (which also makes a delicious breakfast or snack) came from Amie Valpone, author of The Healthy Apple blog. Amie is a Manhattan-based culinary marketing consultant who specializes in gluten-free and dairy-free nutrition. On a recent visit to her blog, I noticed that she used honey-sweetened Greek yogurt in place of  high-fat custard in her  Basmati Rice Pudding, and I decided to create a variation with short grain brown. The result was so satisfying that I plowed through 4 bags of brown rice (short, medium, long, and basmati)  on my way to a series of dishes for Truffehead.

If you happen to have leftover brown rice in your fridge, this pudding is a great way to use it. Just substitute 3 cups cooked brown rice for the water and uncooked rice in the recipe. If you don’t have 3 cups, that’s fine; the pudding will simply be a little less dense. Also, you can eat it as soon as you make it, but the consistency is more pudding-y if you refrigerate it overnight.