Honeyed Couscous Pudding

This unique take on classic rice pudding isn’t just quick; it’s also lower in fat and free of refined sugar. Honey, orange zest, and dates lend a rich, sweet flavor.

Makes 6 Servings.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup chopped pitted organic dates
• 3 cups low-fat organic milk
• ¼ cup pure honey
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated organic orange zest
• 1 cup whole-wheat couscous
• 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
• ground cinnamon for dusting pudding
• 2 Tablespoons chopped skinned pistachios (optional)

Directions

1. Put dates in a small bowl. Add boiling water to cover. Cover the bowl and set aside.
2. Heat milk, honey, cinnamon stick and orange zest in a saucepan over medium-high heat until nearly simmering. Stir in couscous and vanilla, remove from heat and cover. Let stand until most of the milk has been absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove the cinnamon stick.
3. Drain the dates and stir them into the couscous. To serve, spoon couscous into bowls and sprinkle with ground cinnamon and pistachios, if using.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size: 2/3 cup. Per serving: 239 calories; 3 g fat (2 g sat, 1 g mono); 10 mg cholesterol; 49 g carbohydrate; 7 g protein; 4 g fiber; 51 mg sodium; 339 mg potassium.

Nutrition bonus: Calcium (16% daily value)