3 health-nut pudding dessert recipes

3 yummy, easy-make puddings have a bunch of healthy benefits from their ingredients. You can top off dinner with these creamy treats. Or any time you're just feeling in the mood for something light and sweet!

The soy milk used in this recipe is slightly sweetened with malted corn and barley extract. If you use an unsweetened soy milk, increase brown sugar to taste.

• Healthy benefits you reap include powerful terpene phytochemicals present in the mint family — carvone, limonene, menthol and perillyl alcohol — may inhibit tumour growth.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes plus chilling
Serves: 4

• 125 g (1/2 c) firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 75 g (1/3 c) cornstarch
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
• 750 ml (3 c) soy milk
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) pure mint extract
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract
• 30 g (1 oz) mini chocolate chips

1. In a pot, stir together brown sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt. Gradually whisk in soy milk until smooth.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for one minute, or until pudding is thick. Remove from heat and stir in mint and vanilla extracts. Cool to room temperature and stir in chocolate chips.
3. Spoon into four dessert dishes. Cover and refrigerate for two hours, or until chilled.

291 calories / 5.3 g Fat / 1.4 g Saturated Fat / 8 g Protein / 53 g Carbohydrate / 1.3 g Fibre / 0 mg Cholesterol / 387 mg Sodium

Cultivated since ancient times, amaranth is rich in the amino acid lysine — rare in plant sources — which experts recommend for reducing the severity of cold sores. You can find amaranth in health-food stores.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes plus chilling
Serves: 4

• 30 ml (2 tbsp) pine nuts
• 750 ml (3 c) low-fat (1%) milk
• 250 g (1 c) whole-grain amaranth
• 50 ml (1/4 c) maple sugar
• 10 ml (2 tsp) grated orange zest
• 10 ml (2 tsp) grated lemon zest
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) ground cardamom
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
• 75 g (1/3 c) raisins
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F ). Toast the pine nuts for three minutes, or until golden brown.
2. In a pot, combine milk, amaranth, maple sugar, orange zest, lemon zest, cardamom and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer; cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 35 minutes, or until amaranth is tender.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in pine nuts, raisins and vanilla. Serve at room temperature or chilled.

354 Calories / 7.4 g Fat / 2.4 g Saturated Fat / 15 g Protein / 60 g Carbohydrate / 8.6 g Fibre / 7 mg Cholesterol / 248 mg Sodium

Rice milk makes a creamy, lactose-free pudding. The basmati rice adds extra flavour, but long-grain rice also works if that's what you have. E

• nriched white rice is rich in folate, which lowers the risk for birth defects and heart disease.

Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes plus chilling
Serves: 4

• 1 L (4 c) rice milk
• 3 strips orange zest, 8 x 1-cm (3 x 1/2-in) each
• 3 strips lime zest, 8 x 1-cm (3 x 1/2-in) each
• 1 cinnamon stick, split lengthwise
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
• 125 g (1/2 c) basmati or jasmine rice
• 50 g (1/4 c) sugar
• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract

1. In a pot, stir together rice milk, orange and lime zests, cinnamon and salt. Add the rice and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together sugar and egg yolks.
3. Uncover the rice and cook, stirring frequently for 15 minutes, or until the rice is very tender. Whisk some of the hot rice mixture into the egg mixture to warm it, then whisk the egg mixture into the pot. Cook, stirring constantly, for two minutes, or until the pudding is slightly thickened.
4. Transfer the pudding to a bowl and stir in vanilla. When cool, remove the orange zest, lime zest and cinnamon stick. Cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate until serving time.

279 Calories / 5 g Fat / 0.8 g Saturated Fat / 5 g Protein / 56 g Carbohydrate / 0.3 g Fibre / 106 mg Cholesterol / 394 mg Sodium

Pudding is only limited to your imagination, and these three offer a great start into the world of puddings.

• Made from fruits, chocolate and rice, the health factor on these desserts beats out treats like cakes and cookies every time.