What started out as an experiment has become a staple. As in a small helping every day in her lunch box to school.

Last fall, we found ourselves with an abundance of carrots. Angela’s birthday was coming up and I wanted to fix a dessert dish that wasn’t a carrot cake (she fixes that for my birthdays).

I’ve been asked about it often – here it is, Angela’s Healthy Pumpkin- Carrot Pudding (with Thick Topping):

Angela’s Healthy Pumpkin-Carrot Pudding

Ingredients – Pudding	Ingredients – Thickening
4-5 Carrots (or 3 cups quartered)  1 can Pumpkin (15 oz)  1-2 Bananas  1.5 cups Almond Milk  1 Tbs Cinnamon  .5 Tbs Nutmeg Ingredients – Topping  1 can Chilled Coconut Milk (separated)  1 Banana  1 cup Strained Greek Yogurt	1 cup Coconut Sugar  1 packet Gelatin  1 cup Hot Water

Instructions – Pudding and Thickening

1. Boil or Steam Carrots until Fork Tender. Drain. Place into a large bowl.
2. Add 1 large banana or 2 small bananas.
3. Add Pumpkin.
4. Mash (by hand using fork or potato masher)
5. Have Almond Milk ready for blending.
6. Using a blender, add mashed mixture along with milk (or with a bullet, blend three equal portions of mash mixture along with 1/3 amount of milk).
7. Using a hand mixture or blender, bring to a puree.
8. Boil water for Thickening
9. In separate bowl, combine Gelatin and Coconut sugar dry.
10. Add cup of boiling water, whisking as you add water until sugar and gelatin dissolve.
11. Add thickening liquid to pudding and use low mixer speed for one or two minutes until completely mixed.
12. Pour pudding into shallow container and chill 2 hours or more.

Instructions – Topping

1. Refrigerate overnight, one can of Coconut Milk. This separates the milk from the water, creating a thick and creamy base for your topping.
2. Strain 1-2 cups of Greek Yogurt, thus separating the liquid whey and creating an additional creamy base – almost like a cream cheese texture.
3. Peel a banana.
4. Mix on low speed until smooth
5. Chill for two hours.

Shopping List – Brands I Use

Almond Milk (any brand) – Unsweetened Vanilla
Coconut Sugar – Madhava (Organic) Found almost anywhere, including Walmart.
Knox Gelatin Envelope (available everywhere, see baking aisle near Jello products)
Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk (not lite) – (available almost anywhere, see Oriental Foods aisle)
Oikos Greek Yogurt – Plain

 

Print out the PDF – RECIPE:_ Angela’s Healthy Pumpkin-Carrot Pudding

As I begin to write this, I sit in a quiet dining area of a rural McDonalds. Not quite 5:30 on a Saturday morning, it will remain quiet for a time.

I enjoy the quiet of an early morning. On this morning, I’ve enjoyed quiet for a couple of hours already.

I am early to rise. It’s weird for others; It works for me.

A dozen years ago, I was a bi-vocational pastor, also serving as a property manager for a large self-storage property. Working at two full-time jobs, both of which I enjoyed immensely,

I had to find ways to carve time within time to get what needed to be done and still have the freedom and flexibility to pivot on a day’s need.

• A 24-hour Walmart.
• A Home Depot that opens at 5 AM.
• A Cracker Barrel open at 6AM
• A self-storage property with no one around until after 7 AM.

I got more work done before sunrise than most people get done all day. By doing so, I was able to answer calls that seemed urgent to others while remaining calm and patient. Able to schedule for serendipity. I got hooked on the early mornings because of the freedom to pivot. I stay with it because of the quiet.

I value the quiet of an early morning.

I am early to rise. Not so much because I can’t sleep. Not because I can’t wait to get to Panera or McDonald’s. I like the crisp and fresh feeling of the beginnings of the day. It works for me. It’s not right for everyone – and that’s good.

I thirst for the quiet of an early morning.

photo credit: paul bica via photopin cc