Vegetarian

Instant Banana Pudding

submitted by By Cathe Olson



<p><em>Cathe Olson is author of <em>The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook</em> and <em>Simply Natural Baby Food</em> available at <a href="http://www.simplynaturalbooks.com/" target="_blank">www.simplynaturalbooks.com</a></em></p>

This luscious dessert takes just minutes to make. The pudding can be made without dairy and contains no refined sugar. It is a great way to get your family to eat tofu.

2 tablespoons dairy, soy, rice, or almond milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
8 ounces firm or silken tofu, cut into chunks
2 medium bananas, sliced (about 1 3/4 cups)
1 1/2 tablespoona tahini
Pinch ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional, use only if needed)


<p>Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and puree until smooth. Chill until firm. Top with chopped nuts if desired.</p> <p>Yield: 4 servings</p> <p>Note: Since there is not much liquid, it can be hard to get your puree going in a blender. Put the liquids in first, and cut the tofu and banana into small pieces. Don't add additional liquid or pudding will be soupy.</p> <p class="style5">Variations:</p> <p>Peanut Butter-Banana Pudding <br /> Substitute peanut (or almond) butter for tahini.</p> <p>Carob-Banana Pudding <br /> Add 2 teaspoons carob powder and puree with other ingredients.</p>