Dairy free peppermint mocha rice pudding will be your favorite cozy dessert recipe to tuck into this winter!

I’ve been on a major peppermint mocha kick this fall. I had my first one right after Halloween and I just. can’t. get. enough. I have a feeling that, for me, this is going to be a winter filled with cozy chocolate recipes. Are you down? Because we could have a lot of fun with that.

(Of course, peppermint and chocolate is a classic winter combo, so this isn’t the first time I’ve used it. Be sure to check out my Homemade Peppermint Bark Granola Bars and my Chocolate Peppermint Green Smoothie, too!)

I made this peppermint mocha rice pudding a few weeks ago and I’m completely obsessed. It’s a great treat to have in the refrigerater, but it would also make a fabulous (and unexpected!) contribution to a holiday party or cookie swap.

I used Vigo Arborio Rice – I love the chewy texture of the short grains, and the extra starch helps make the pudding nice and thick. I kept this peppermint mocha rice pudding dairy free by using lite coconut milk and strong coffee for the pudding base. Then sweetened it with a little bit of brown sugar and bittersweet chocolate. It’s nice and rich, so it only takes a little bit to leave you satisfied.

Vigo Arborio Rice Boil-In-Bag is so convenient – I love it! I’m a huge fan of boil in bag rice because you don’t have to worry about it sticking to the the bottom of your pot and making a huge mess, which seems to happen every time I make traditional rice. In addition to solving that problem, it’s perfectly portioned (2 servings per bag) and it cooks in just about 15 minutes. Besides being great for rice puddings like this one, it’s also the perfect base for a one-dish meal like my Greek Chicken Rice Bowls. I also have a feeling it would make a killer poke bowl, and I look forward to trying that out soon.

You might remember Vigo from my Italian Meatball and Farro Soup – they’re a family-owned Italian import company based out of Tampa, Florida. Although I’m familiar with using arborio rice for risotto, I don’t typically think of rice as being Italian. I was surprised to learn that Italy is Europe’s largest producer of rice! Apparently the Lombardy region has a cool temperature and wetlands that are the ideal rice-growing conditions, which I found to be super interesting.

Vigo products are available at your local supermarket or you can also Shop Vigo’s online store!

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Peppermint Mocha Rice Pudding (Dairy Free)

Course Healthy Dessert Recipes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Additional Time 3 hours hours

Total Time 3 hours hours 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 10 cups water
• 2 packets Vigo Arborio Boil in Bag
• 1 can light coconut milk
• ½ cup strong coffee
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 3 ounces extra-bittersweet chocolate 70%, finely chopped
• 1 candy cane crushed (optional)

Instructions

• In a large saucepan, bring 10 cups of water to a boil. Submerge the bags of rice in the water and boil, uncovered, for 14 minutes. Drain.
• While the rice cooks, combine the coconut milk, coffee, brown sugar, and salt in a second saucepan. Bring to a rapid simmer over medium heat.
• Place the egg yolks in a bowl. Slowly add about 1 cup of the hot coconut milk mixture to the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Pour the warmed egg yolks into the pot and bring to a boil. Boil 3 minutes – the pudding should start to look thick.
• Stir in the vanilla, peppermint, and chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted. Stir in the cooked rice.
• Divide the pudding among six small bowls or jars. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap tightly against the top of the pudding. Chill well before serving. The pudding will thicken as it cools.
• If desired, serve topped with crushed candy cane.

Notes

Egg yolks help thicken this rice pudding and make it extra luscious, but don't be tempted to add them straight to the pot – you'll risk having them cook too fast, and no one wants scrambled eggs in their pudding! Whisking a little bit of the warm coconut milk into them off the heat helps bring them to temperature slowly, so they'll incorporate seamlessly into the pudding.

 

Grilling season is finally here! We usually wait until Memorial Day weekend to break out the grill, but I just couldn’t wait a second longer. We cleaned off the patio and bought a new tank of propane this weekend.

Every year, I like to kick off the season with a showstopper recipe. This coffee-rubbed hanger steak with smokey vanilla-tomato relish definitely didn’t disappoint. (Some past favorites that have seen burned into my memory include citrusy cedar-plank salmon and spiced leg of lamb with chili sauce.)

I partnered with Nielsen-Massey Vanillas to create this hanger steak recipe. When they asked me to come up with one course for a vanilla-themed cookout menu, I immediately knew I wanted to tackle the main entree. I’m just a sucker for punishment like that. After a momentary “what on earth was I thinking” freakout, it didn’t take long at all before I had a full page of savory vanilla recipe ideas, from ribs to seafood kebabs.

I kept coming back to the idea of this tomato relish, and ultimately decided to serve it with a super savory, melt-in-your-mouth hanger steak.

The relish is flavored with musky vanilla bean paste and smoked paprika – I was inspired by Spanish flavors.  I like using canned tomatoes in recipes like this since the quality is more consistent, especially when tomatoes aren’t in season. I used fire-roasted tomatoes for an extra layer of smokey flavor, then added a pint of fresh tomatoes, minced shallot, and apple cider vinegar for a brighter flavor. The result is a thick, jammy sauce that’s delicious on steak, swordfish, or even spooned over crostini as a simple appetizer.

How to make hanger steak

For the steak, I made a rub with kosher salt, Nielsen-Massey coffee extract, and cumin, then grilled it to a perfect medium-rare.

I’ve made similar rubs in the past using finely ground coffee beans, but I saw the jar of coffee extract in my cabinet when I was pulling down the vanilla and figured I’d give it a try. I usually use it in baked goods, but loved the way it worked in this savory recipe. It gave the steak just the right amount of rich coffee flavor without any bitterness. I suspect that it also helped get that gorgeous char on the outside of the steak (Seriously, check that out! It was even more beautiful in person.)

Slice the steak against the grain for maximum tenderness. Looking at the whole steak above, that means you’d want to slice the steak the long way – but you can cut it in half cross-wise for more manageable pieces.

Serve it on its own with corn on the cob and a simple green salad, or pile it into corn tortillas.

For more recipes featuring Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, try: Winter Salad with Roast Pears and Vanilla Vinaigrette //Tropical Fruit Salad with Vanilla and Lime // Chocolate Cannoli Sandwich Cookies

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Coffee-Rubbed Hanger Steak with Smokey Vanilla-Tomato Relish

Servings 6 servings

Calories 484kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 pint grape tomatoes halved
• 1 can 14.5 oz. fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 shallot minced
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste
• 2 pounds hanger steak or skirt steak
• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• ½ teaspoon Nielsen-Massey Pure Coffee Extract
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

Instructions

• To make the tomato relish, combine the first seven ingredients (through the vanilla) in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is reduced by half and almost all of the liquid has cooked out – 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, combine the salt, coffee extract, and cumin into a thick paste. Rub the paste into both sides of the steak.
• Heat your grill to 500 degrees F and cook the steak for 7-10 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your desired level of doneness. Remove from the heat and tent with foil; let rest 10 minutes.
• Slice the steak across the grain and serve with the tomato relish.
  

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 484kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 155mg | Sodium: 1189mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g

It’s May and you know what that means. It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Brunch Week! This year, I’ll be sharing three awesome recipes, starting with my favorite breakfast sandwich! We also have an amazing giveaway, thanks to the generous sponsors that our hosts Terri from Love and Confections and Shaina from Take A Bite Out Of Boca have lined up. You can read more about the giveaway here.

Now back to that sandwich – it’s seriously delicious. I’ve been on a South American kick lately and I’ve been putting salsa verde and chimichurri on just about everything. I especially love chimichurri with eggs. It has a bright acidity that pairs really well with rich egg yolks in a similar way that hot sauce (or ketchup, if you’re into that) does. I’ve been playing around with the chimichurri + eggs combination for a few months now, but finally settled on what I think is the perfect sandwich.

The ingredient that takes it over the top? Coffee-glazed bacon. Yup; I’ll look for a way to caffeinate just about anything. This bacon is so delicious that I could eat it like candy. It’s slightly bitter from some espresso, but maple syrup adds a touch of sweetness and a generous pinch of cayenne pepper gives it a pop of heat. Baked until it’s super crispy, it’s just about one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen. (In my haste to get this sandwich into my belly, I neglected my duty as a food stylist to make sure a piece of the bacon was peeking out from under the avocado. Trust me, it’s there…and it’s gorgeous.)

This sandwich takes a little bit of effort to prepare, plus it’s pretty hearty (with bacon, egg, and avocado) so it’s best served for brunch or as breakfast-for-dinner. We had it with hash browns (culinary school homework and excuse to practice my new party trick, tossing ingredients around in the pan without spilling them all over the place) and a tropical fruit salad I’ll share more about later this week.

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Chimichurri Breakfast Sandwich with Coffee-Glazed Bacon

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 40 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 2 ounces brewed espresso
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 8 slices center cut bacon
• cracked black pepper
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 1 small shallot minced
• ½ fresno chile seeded and minced
• ¼ cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 brioche-style rolls
• ½ avocado sliced
• 4 fried eggs cooked to your preference

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 325ºF. Set a metal rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet.
• In a small saucepan, bring the espresso and maple syrup to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in the cayenne pepper. Working with once piece of bacon at a time, dip the bacon into the glaze then spread on the baking rack. Repeat with remaining bacon, arranging the slices in a single layer. Sprinkle with racked black pepper. Bake 20 minutes. Flip the sliced over and brush with additional glaze. Bake another 15 minutes, or until crisp and dark brown.
• While the bacon cooks, prepare the chimichurri sauce. Combine the red wine vinegar, shallot, garlic, and chile pepper in a small bowl; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in the cilantro, parsley, oregano, and olive oil. Season to taste with salt.
• To prepare the sandwiches, spread 1 tablespoon of chimichurri onto the bottom half of each roll. Top with two slices of bacon, 1-2 slices of avocado, and a fried egg. Cover with the top of the roll. Serve with additional chimichurri, as desired.

BrunchWeek Beverages:
Blueberry Sangria from Love and Confections.

BrunchWeek Egg Dishes:
Caramelized Onion, Swiss Chard, Mushroom and Alpine Cheddar Croissant Strata from Taste Cook Sip.
Crab Cake Eggs Benedict from The Redhead Baker.
Fried Eggs with Kale and Mushrooms from Hip Foodie Mom.
Chimichurri Breakfast Sandwich from Healthy Delicious.
Asparagus, Brie and Smoked Salmon Omelet from girlichef.
Braised Leeks with Poached Eggs from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner.

BrunchWeek Breads, Grains and Pastries:
Savory Pancetta and Cheddar Waffles from The Little Ferraro Kitchen.
Avocado Toast Bar from Sarcastic Cooking.
Mocha Nut Granola from greens & chocolate.
Chocolate Hazelnut Croissants with Bourbon Sauce from {i love} my disorganized life.
Berry Cacao Nib Scone Cakes from The Spiffy Cookie
Spiced Pear Oatmeal from Making Miracles.
Overnight Cinnamon Bread French Toast from That Skinny Chick Can Bake.
Nutty Chocolatey Oatmeal Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm.
Vanilla Orange Scones from Sew You Think You Can Cook.
Sour Cream and Dark Chocolate Oat Bread from Bread Booze Bacon.
Cherry Vanilla Almond Granola from Cupcakes & Kale Chips.
Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins from My Catholic Kitchen.
Macadamia Nut Crusted French Toast with Spiced Pineapple Syrup from Cooking in Stilettos.
Maple Cinnamon Scones from Pink Cake Plate

BrunchWeek Main Dishes:
Breakfast Wraps from Big Bear’s Wife.
Brunch Charcuterie Cheese Board from Quarter Life (Crisis) Cuisine.

BrunchWeek Fruits, Vegetables and Sides:
Whipped Yogurt and Ricotta with Figs and Honey from Take A Bite Out of Boca.
Gluten Free Swiss Chard and Mushroom Galette from It Bakes Me Happy.

BrunchWeek Desserts:
Mini Creamsicle Bundt Cake with Vanilla Bean Glaze from It’s Yummi.
Lemon Bars from Chelsea’s Messy Apron.
Chocolate Walnut Macarons with Salted Caramel from Baking a Moment.

Disclosure: A a participant in #Brunchweek, I received product samples from several of the sponsors. All opinions are my own; participating in #Brunchweek does not imply endorsement by Healthy Delicious.

I worked in a local coffee shop during my senior year in college. I absolutely loved that job! One of my favorite drinks on our menu was half coffee and half hot chocolate, flavored with orange and vanilla. It was full of flavor, but because we used extract instead of flavored syrups, it wasn’t sticky or overly sweet.

A few weeks ago Shawn and I went out for dinner and decided to order dessert. I was pretty excited to see that they also had dessert coffees – it’s been so long since I’ve been anyplace that’s served them, and I honestly forgot they were a thing.

I’ve been on a dessert coffee kick ever since. The orange in this one was inspired by the drinks we used to make at the coffee shop. The bright citrus combined with cardamom is the perfect way to bring a little brightness to a dreary winter day and whipped cream adds the perfect touch of sweetness. (I know… cardamom cookies, chai French toast casserole…I’m cardamom-obsessed at the moment!)

I also added a hefty splash of The Real McCoy’s 5-year aged rum to my coffee – not enough to make the coffee totally boozy, but enough to give it a nice kick and add another layer of complexity. (The rum is aged in bourbon barrels, which give it an amazing flavor.)

Since I used orange zest instead of liquid flavoring, you can prepare the coffee grounds a few days before you plan on brewing them – a container of flavored coffee and a bottle of rum makes an excellent last-minute gift for the holidays. Leave some out for Santa with a plate of Nutella-stuffed oatmeal cookies, have a mug on New Year’s Eve when you need some caffeine to keep awake, or serve it with New Year’s brunch (I won’t tell!).

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Orange-Cardamom Dessert Coffee

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 160kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• ½ cup 4 scoops freshly ground coffee
• 1 orange zested
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• 8 cups water
• 4 ounces 5-year aged rum
• 8 tablespoons whipped cream for serving

Instructions

• In a coffee filter, mix coffee grounds, 2 tablespoons orange zest, and cardamom. Brew with 8 cups of water.
• Add 1 ounce of rum to each of 4 coffee mugs. Fill to the top with coffee. Top with whipped cream; sprinkle with remaining orange zest.

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcal | Protein: 1.3g | Fat: 9.4g | Cholesterol: 3mg

Last winter, I got a few requests for spritz cookie recipes. I had to be honest – I hadn’t made spritz cookies since I was a kid. I didn’t remember them being particularly good and I did remember them bing kind of a pain in the butt and making a huge mess. The spritz gun always got clogged and the shapes never seemed to come out quite right. Apparently they’ve come a long way since the ’80s though – these spritz cookies were a breeze to make.

With the addition of hazelnut meal and instant espresso, they’re also incredibly delicious. I couldn’t stop eating the raw dough and I can’t stop eating the baked cookies either. Luckily, the recipe makes a ton and they keep well (I’ve had some on the counter in plastic bags for a week and they’re still as good as the day I made them; they also freeze nicely for long-term storage.)

They’re rich and buttery and not too sweet (they might not be super popular with kids.) Along with a cup of espresso, they make a great afternoon pick-me-up.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and, once again, OXO is getting ready for their annual program benefiting Cookies for Kids Cancer and the Be A Good Cookie campaign. Cookies for Kids Cancer was started by two OXO employees when their son was diagnosed with neuroblastoma. It’s a cause that I’m always happy to support, but this year it’s especially near-and dear to my heart because one of my friends from college is going through a similar struggle with his son. Watching everything unfold is completely heartbreaking. It makes me feel so helpless and small. No family – and certainly no child – should have to deal with that.

Like last year, OXO is donating $100 for every blog post dedicated to childhood cancer. (This year, I’ll be matching that donation myself. It’s the least I can do.)  Additionally, throughout September, OXO will donate 25-cents to pediatric cancer research for every item purchased that has a green “Cookies for Kids Cancer” sticker on it.*

You can see a list of eligible product here – I definitely recommend the cookie press if you don’t have one already. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to use (and clean up!) and I’ll definitely be making more spritz cookies this winter.

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Coffee-Hazelnut Spritz Cookies

Servings 6

Calories 110kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• ¾ cups 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso granules
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup hazelnut meal

Instructions

• Heat the oven to 400ºF.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Stir in the espresso. Stir in the flour and hazelnut meal until combined into a thick dough.
• Use a rubber spatula to pack the dough into a cookie press. Press dough onto an ungreased baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between cookies.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges. Remove from the cookie sheet and let cool on a baking rack. Repeat with remaining dough, allowing the cookie sheet to cool between batches.

Notes

1 serving = 3 cookies

Nutrition

Calories: 110kcal | Protein: 1.3g | Fat: 7g

*In 2014, OXO will donate up to $100,000 to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer through specially marked baking tools, bake sale matches and other fundraising efforts. Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is a recognized 501c(3) public charity duly incorporated under the laws of the state of New Jersey. Your donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law. 100% of proceeds raised by Cookies for Kids’ Cancer fund pediatric cancer research.

When all else fails, spike your coffee with rum and call it a night.

So, I feel a little bit like I’m phoning it in with this “recipe” but I hope you’ll forgive me. I’ve had a week of coffee-related recipe flops: from soupy custard to spongy cookies to an egg cream that looked like mud (and didn’t taste much better).

After all of that I decided that 1) I was tired of wasting good coffee and 2) I could really use a drink of something a little  stiffer.

It turns out that spiced rum + coconut coffee + coconut milk was a very, very good idea. These drinks are creamy and coconutty and remind me of the beach. I’m a little obsessed.

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Rum-Spiked Coconut Coffee

If you're impatient like me, cool your coffee down quickly by stirring in an ice cube or two.

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Calories 120kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons shredded coconut
• ¾ cups strongly brewed coconut coffee chilled (I like Green Mountain)
• 1 ½ ounces spiced rum
• 1 cup coconut milk from a carton

ice

• 4 tablespoons whipped topping

Instructions

• Fill two 12-ounce glasses with ice.
• Toast the coconut in a small pan over high heat for 3-4 minutes, or until it begins to brown. Immediately remove from heat.
• Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the coffee and rum; shake well. Strain into the pint glasses. Pour in the coconut milk; stir. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted coconut.

Nutrition

Calories: 120kcal | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 5g | Fiber: 1g

I’m so in love with this recipe that I’m not even sure what to write. It combines a new obsession (cranberries) with an ongoing one (coffee), melding them into a dinner that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. As an added bonus, it’s also ridiculously easy to make and can be on the table in 20 minutes flat. Seriously, it took me longer to preheat the oven for the Brussels sprouts that I served with it than it did for me to do anything else.

When I’m making steak – especially when I’m cooking it inside instead of out on a grill – I love to add a little coffee to my seasoning blend. It intensifies the steak’s beefy flavor and adds a hint of bitterness that mimics the char flavor you might get from the grill.

Playing off of that bitterness, I made a quick cranberry salsa to serve alongside the steak. It was an afterthought, but ended up being the star of the dish. It has the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors. It really brightened the steak up, but I want to eat this salsa on everything! I could see it being great with chicken, sturdy fish, or even just on a cheese board (pair it with cheddar or stilton.)

Want a little help for the holidays from Kraft? Save up to $20 on your favorite ingredients, like the Gevalia coffee I used in the rub for this steak, with Kraft coupons redeemable exclusively at Target. Visit the Target coupons page to learn more about how your can save.

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Coffee-Rubbed Steak with Cranberry Salsa

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• For the cranberry salsa:
• 1 cup cranberries
• ½ jalapeño pepper
• 1 small shallot chopped
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 lime juiced
• For the steak:
• 2 tablespoons Gevalia® Majestic Blend ground coffee
• 2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 pound flank steak
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

• To make the cranberry salsa: Add the cranberries, shallot, and jalapeño to a food processor; process until finely chopped, about 15 seconds. Drizzle in the honey and pulse a few times to combine. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the sugar and lime juice. Cover and refrigerate at least 15 minutes.
• While the cranberry salsa rest, prepare the steak: Add the coffee, chile powder, salt, sugar, pepper, and mustard to a small bowl. Mix well. Brush both sides of the steak with olive oil. Rub 1-2 tablespoons of the spice mixture onto each side of the steak (reserve any remaining spice rub for another use).
• Heat a heavy pan, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, reduce heat to medium. Add the steak; cook 5 minutes on each side or until cooked to your desired level of doneness. Transfer the steak to a plate and tent with foil; let rest 5 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain and serve with cranberry salsa.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Kraft. The opinions and text are all mine.