Belly Soother Rice Pudding by Nourish Me Kitchen

SERVES 3 TO 6

1 cup uncooked brown rice
(or a combination of 1⁄2 cup brown rice and 1⁄2 cup amaranth)

1 1⁄2 cups water

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

One 13.5-ounce can of unsweetened coconut milk (stir before measuring)

1 cup milk of choice (we prefer unsweetened hemp or nut milk)

1⁄2 cup dried currants, raisins, or goji berries

1⁄2 to 1 cup chopped fresh or frozen mango

3 to 4 tablespoons pure maple syrup

2 teaspoons finely grated orange zest (from 1 medium organic orange)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1⁄4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 to 1⁄2 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger, for topping (optional, but great for soothing bellyaches)

1⁄2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, for topping (optional)

1/3 cup finely chopped almonds, for topping (optional)

2 tablespoons almond butter, for topping (optional)

Instructions:

1 Rinse the rice or rice-amaranth mixture in cold water until the water runs clear—three times usually does the trick. Put the rice in a bowl and add enough water to cover by 1 inch. Soak for at least 1 hour or, even better, overnight. Drain and rinse the rice well.

2 In a medium pot, combine the brown rice (or the rice-amaranth combination), water and salt. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low so the water simmers.

3 Add the coconut milk and other desired milk to the pot. Cover and simmer gently for 30 minutes.

4 Add the dried fruit and mango to the pot. Cover and cook until the rice is tender and the porridge is creamy, about 15 minutes longer.

5 Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Taste and season with a pinch of salt or more of the spices if desired.

6 Serve warm or cool with the toppings of your choice.