This pudding is a revised version of my Grandma Ruth’s rice pudding. She used to make it for my dad every fall. He would sneak into the kitchen and eat it right out of the dish, standing with the refrigerator door wide open. I hope you’ll find this version just as tempting.
It’s Slightly Indulgent because it uses quinoa instead of white rice – quinoa is high in protein and has a balanced amino acid set, which makes it a complete protein, it’s naturally gluten-free, and is easy to digest. I’m just not willing to leave out the 1/2 & 1/2. It makes the pudding so much creamier – which is what I love about this dish.
Baked Quinoa Pudding with Raisins
serves 6 – 81 1/2 cups water
1 cup quinoa
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 ½ cups 1% milk
½ cup half & half
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup raisins
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
pot of boiling water for bain mariePreheat oven to 325 degrees F. Set a pot of water to boil for the bain marie, or water bath.
Put water in a medium size, heavy bottomed sauce pan and bring to a boil Meanwhile, rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. Once water is boiling, add quinoa and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let quinoa cool slightly.
In a medium bowl mix eggs, milk, half & half, agave, vanilla, salt, and raisins. Mix cooled quinoa into egg mixture. Pour entire mix into a 1 ½ – 2 quart casserole dish. Place dish into a larger 4 quart casserole. Set casseroles on oven rack. Pour boiling water halfway up casserole. Bake for 25 minutes.
While pudding is baking, mix cinnamon and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Stir pudding and sprinkle the top of the pudding with cinnamon and nutmeg (use more or less according to your taste). Bake for another 25 – 35 minutes, until a knife inserted in the middle of the pudding comes out clean.
Carefully remove pudding and bain marie from oven, remove pudding from bain marie, and then let cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm or cold as is, with a berry sauce, or with ice cream. Store covered in the refrigerator.
Dina
posted on September 20, 2009 at 9:14 pm
We are SO excited to see and try these scrumdilly’icious SugarFree AND GlutenFree recipes! Thank you Amy for helping us to not feel alone in the SF/GF world!
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Sandy Gillett
posted on September 20, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Amy, I tried to go to MckLinky and get a link but I don’t think it is working. I’m sorry. I don’t have a cooking blog but I do have a post about your blog and how much it is helping me. http://www.Aunt-Sandy.blogspot.com
Every bite of this salad tastes like a healthful indulgence to me. I love it!
Mixed Greens Green Apple Salad
Organic Herb Garden Spring Mix
Organic Granny Smith Apple, chopped bite-size
Organic Red Onion, sliced thin
Organic Walnuts, chopped, roasted
Organic Dried Cranberries
Organic Raspberry Vinaigrette
Combine Spring Mix, chopped apple and sliced red onion in salad bowl and toss with vinaigrette to cover well. Place on salad plates and top with walnuts and dried cranberries. Serve
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Amy Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Your link is up – thanks so much for participating!!
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Sandy Gillett Reply:
September 20th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
Thank You, Amy.
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Lauren
posted on September 20, 2009 at 10:27 pm
Yum, love the sound of that pudding! Maybe no raisins for me, but we’ll see =D.
My entry this week are Baking Powder biscuits, which are healthier because they are grain-filled and gluten free, but indulgent because they will disappear very quickly if you don’t watch them!
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Liz@HoosierHomemade
posted on September 20, 2009 at 10:40 pm
You just amaze me with your baking! Especially sugar and gluten free!
I had a giveaway for Martha’s book in the early summer and never got a copy for myself. Yeah, Cupcake Lady with no Cupcake Cookbook, go figure!
Anyway, I sure hope I win! Thanks for hosting and for the giveaway!
~Liz
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Ali @ The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen
posted on September 20, 2009 at 11:51 pm
Amy – First, I have to say that your baked quinoa pudding sounds amazing! Second, I entered my ice cream – not exactly fallish but it could work, right?
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Amy Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 8:31 am
Absolutely. We should all eat ice cream all year long. I do.
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e-Mom
posted on September 21, 2009 at 12:40 am
What a good idea: substituting quinoa for rice. My husband LOVES rice pudding (I don’t), so I wonder if we would *both* like this version? Raisins… always a winner!
e-Mom @ Susannah’s Aprons
http://susannahsaprons.blogspot.com
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Kim, The Food Allergy Coach
posted on September 21, 2009 at 7:25 am
When I want a quick slightly indulgent snack, I bake up some mochi. Grainaissance brand is gluten and dairy free, and contains no refined sugar.
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Iris
posted on September 21, 2009 at 7:59 am
Thanks Amy!
That quinoa pudding looks amazing! I’m a huge fan of rice pudding, and I’ve been contemplating a brown rice version, but quinoa sounds even better!
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Amy
posted on September 21, 2009 at 8:43 am
Hi! I’m here from the Fall Festival! I have never purposely cooked gf, but have friends who do. Your recipe sounds quite tempting! May just have to give that a try!
Blessings,
Amy
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Amy Reply:
September 21st, 2009 at 9:09 am
Welcome! So glad you stopped by! You don’t have to cook GF to share in this blog carnival – just anything that’s a little healthier in some way.
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Linda
posted on September 21, 2009 at 9:33 am
Sounds delicious. Now that I think about it, cinnamon seems like it would be a good flavor to pair with quinoa. We would prefer it without the raisins though.
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gfe-gluten free easily
posted on September 21, 2009 at 9:41 am
I’ve had quinoa pudding like that before and it’s wonderful! I bet yours is even better, Amy, being refined sugar free.
I’ve added the link for my crustless quiches. So easy to make. Regular milk is all that’s needed for these … no heavy cream, etc. With no crust, you save on calories and fat for sure, but especially the work of making a crust. So easy to follow this method for making crustless quiches, pies, etc.
I’ll be bake later to check out all the recipes!
Shirley
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Lisa C.
posted on September 21, 2009 at 11:09 am
Hi Amy –
Please consider this my entry to win.
I’ve been following your blog for a bit now and really enjoy how you make things more healthy. I have got to start doing that! The Martha Stewart’s Cupcakes book looks delicous!
Thanks for the time you put into your blog. It’s enjoyable.
Lisa
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Trish
posted on September 21, 2009 at 1:33 pm
There’s zucchini coming out my ears around here! I made some healthy zucchini muffins to use up some of the bounty. Your pudding looks delicious!
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Kara Haschke
posted on September 21, 2009 at 1:48 pm
This sounds great! I have quinoa sitting in my pantry and am going to have to try this.
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Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen
posted on September 21, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Amy, that pudding looks divine. I have really begun to fall in love with quinoa, and I love this application of it! YUM!
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gfe--gluten free easily
posted on September 21, 2009 at 5:55 pm
Just wanted to add that I am so glad that Iris shared her story that going gluten free solving her depression. It’s awesome that she has had that success. Gluten issues are often linked to depression and other neurological conditions. Here’s a great article on Dr. Vikki Petersen’s findings in the area of depression.
http://www.celiac.com/articles/21758/1/Gluten-Sensitivity-and-Depression/Page1.html
So many might be helped by reading this info.
Thanks,
Shirley
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Amy Reply:
September 22nd, 2009 at 8:38 am
I am, too. I had the same experience. You brought tears to my eyes, Shirley. My hope was that by featuring a new blogger each week, we’d be able to help each other and learn more about how to live well. We all have our unique stories and experiences with food – regardless of whether we eat GF, SF, DF, or are not intolerant at all – and when we share our experiences we can really give others hope.
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Shannon
posted on September 21, 2009 at 11:35 pm
What a great way to use quinoa, I’ll have to try it. And thanks for the fun giveaway…I hardly ever make cupcakes, but this book could change that!
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Ari- Food Intolerances Cook
posted on September 22, 2009 at 12:11 am
This week I am featuring my super delicious coconut milk. It is slightly indulgent because it is very tasty just like the full fat version but lower calories and fat which also makes it a healthy and daily indulgent dairy-free milk option! Plus, it is indulgent without “indulging” your budget!
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Jennifer S
posted on September 22, 2009 at 7:41 am
Stumbbled across your website this weekend. my husband has Crohn’s and we are always looking for SF & GF recipes. can’t wait to look at all your recipes and information.
Thanks!
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Just Jennifer
posted on September 23, 2009 at 12:40 am
Just stopping by from WFMW to check out your blog. It’s pretty spiffy.
And you have some great articles. I enjoyed reading the couple I looked at. You have officially gotten yourself another daily reader 
Thanks for havin’ me and hope to see you over at my bloggy. Have a great week.
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Ronnie
posted on December 4, 2009 at 11:50 am
Wonderful recipe, Amy! Using black quinoa, the pudding would make a dramatic presentation with vanilla ice cream. My daughter wanted to find a dessert her gluten intolerant friend can enjoy and this fits the bill!
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Amy Reply:
December 4th, 2009 at 1:13 pm
@Ronnie, I love the idea of black quinoa. I have some red quinoa in the pantry…no black, though. I don’t think I’ve even seen it in the stores. Where do you get yours?
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Ronnie
posted on December 4, 2009 at 7:53 pm
I don’t remember where I got it, but it was in the bulk section. 5lb sacks are available at Amazon with free shipping.
Now that I think about it, the black quinoa is a bit firmer when cooked, so it may not be as suitable for the pudding. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
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Kimberly
posted on February 26, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Thank you for sharing. It is invaluable and so helpful to NOT reinvent the wheel on this gluten free journey.
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Elizabeth
posted on March 6, 2010 at 5:03 am
I made this last night and it was wonderfully delicious: the perfect comfort food to end a light dinner on a chilly evening. Thanks to you and your Grandma Ruth for the recipe!
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Diane-The W.H.O.L.E. Gang
posted on March 13, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Love the pudding! Thank you for sharing it on Friday Foodie Fix.
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Alta
posted on September 8, 2010 at 10:35 am
Oooh this sounds so good! I love rice pudding, and this sounds like a more nutrient-dense version I won’t feel so guilty about eating! Yum.
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Angie
posted on November 13, 2010 at 2:06 pm
Hi! I stumbled into your blog looking for a recipe for quinoa pudding. I was planning on making a delicious orange and cranberry quinoa salad, but my quinoa got all mushy when I cooked it in the saucepan (I normally cook it in a rice cooker, but I’m away from home). I’d cooked it in a mix of orange juice and water, and threw in some craisins, so it was already delicious, just mushy. It needs to be tweeked, not tossed, so I’m looking forward to rescuing this culinary mishap! Thanks for your recipe!
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Claire
posted on November 22, 2010 at 8:58 am
Do you have any idea if this would work with rice milk instead of normal milk, and almond milk (thicker and higher fat) instead of half-and-half? I’m dairy intolerant. But this looks like a great recipe! I like quinoa!
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Mandy
posted on January 16, 2011 at 6:03 pm
Amy,
This question may be answered somewhere else and I dont see it but do you have recommendations for milk substitutes? I am lactose intolerant as well (sometimes I feel like that kid on My Girl who was “allergic to everything”) and don’t love soy milk. Could unsweetened rice or almond milk work for your recipes calling for milk?
Thanks
Mandy
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Amy Reply:
January 17th, 2011 at 8:39 am
@Mandy, Yes, you can use either instead of milk.
Hugs,
Amy
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