When it comes to desserts, my strategy is usually to keep it small and make it worth it. No cheap substitutes for the real thing will do. I’d rather have a little of something amazing than a lot of something that disappoints me. Keep that in mind when I tell you how to make this dessert!

Now, this is certainly not diet food, but it is dairy free, so if you’re trying to eliminate dairy and are missing the creaminess of chocolate pudding, this is going to amaze you. When you add the whipped “cream” made from canned coconut milk this makes my good-enough-for-card-carrying-dessert-connoisseurs list.

The secret to the dairy free pudding filling is silken tofu. Before you think I’ve lost my mind, let me tell you that I served this to an unsuspecting crowd and NO ONE could taste the tofu. I was looking for it and couldn’t taste it. That’s what happens when you add enough melted chocolate and peanut butter I guess!

I think you could chill this in little ramekins and serve as pudding if you don’t want to make it into a pie. It would also be amazing in a chocolate cookie crust…but wouldn’t anything?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pudding Pie (Dairy Free)

serves 12

Ingredients

2 c. dark chocolate chips, melted

1/4 c. pure maple syrup

1 pkg. silken tofu

2/3 c. creamy peanut butter

1 can full fat coconut milk

Dairy free graham cracker crust

Directions

1. Chill coconut milk overnight (or place in freezer for 30 minutes). Flip can upside down and open with can opener. Pour off liquid and scoop out solidified milk.” Beat solidified milk with a hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Chill.

1. Pour all other ingredients into a blender one at a time and blend until creamy. Pour into a graham cracker crust.

2. Refrigerate pie until firm (2-3 hours). To serve, top with dollops of whipped coconut milk in lieu of whipped cream.

I’m ready for some warm-weather cooking! This dish is fantastic in the summer, but since sweet corn won’t be ready for months, you can use frozen corn for now. (Just promise me that you’ll upgrade when summer arrives!) You can serve this as a main dish or pair it up with grilled chicken or salmon. You can even make it in advance and then take it to a party or pack it in lunches. (Just keep the avocado out until you’re ready to eat it so that it doesn’t turn black.)

You’ll learn a new method for cooking rice here that’s perfect for rice salads. You don’t want the rice to clump together too much and this method prevents that from happening by using extra water during cooking and then draining and rinsing the rice. It’s an extra step, but it’s worth it this time.

Southwestern Black Bean and Rice Salad

serves 6

Ingredients:

1 cup long grain brown rice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 Anaheim pepper, trimmed, seeded and minced

1 small red onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup sweet corn, fresh or frozen (thawed)

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon cumin

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 – 15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 ripe avocado, diced

1/3 cup minced cilantro

2 tablespoons lime juice

Directions:

1. Bring a 12-inch saucepan of water to a boil. Add the rice and reduce heat slightly to keep from overflowing, but still maintaining a boil. Stir occasionally for 35 minutes, adding additional hot water to keep rice from sticking (I add an additional 3-4 cups of water). Drain and rinse well with cold water. Drain well and allow to cool. Set aside in a large bowl.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same saucepan over medium heat. Add the chile, onion, and garlic. Saute for 3-4 minutes until slightly softened. Add the corn, salt, cumin, and cayenne pepper, and continue to cook for another minute.

3. Add the sauteed vegetables, black beans, avocado, cilantro, and lime juice to the rice. Combine well. Serve warm or cold.