Low-fat Coconut Mango Rice Pudding

It's unhealthy, but I must confess my obsession with Rice Pudding. That sweet, creamy goodness... cold, hot... it doesn't matter - I want it!

A friend recently rekindled that devotion by taking me to "Pudding on the Rice" in Southwest Portland. Despite my resistance to fat these days, I gave in and tried it. And I didn't just go for the basic... NO! I had to go for the fat gold: coconut rice pudding. Top it with a dollop of tart frozen yogurt... and you now know where I'll be sneaking on my lunch break.

To ensure that the new bikini fits by the END of the summer, I'm attempting to master my own LOW-FAT version. Coconut and low-fat may be an oxymoron, but I choose to believe they don't have to be. So, here's my LOWER in fat recipe:

Low-fat Coconut Mango Rice Pudding:

1.5 cups - Jasmine Rice

2 cans - Low-fat Coconut Milk

1 can - Fat-free Sweetened Condensed Milk

1 cup - Fat-free Milk (Plus more to keep creamy while cooking)

3 Tbs. - Coconut Extract (Plus more to suit your taste)

1 Tbs. - Vanilla

1 tsp. - Cinnamon

2 tsp. - Ginger

Pinch - Salt

2.5 cups - Sweetened Coconut

1.5 cups - Mango (Fresh or Frozen)

Lime (optional)

Combine rice, 1 cup of water and one can of low-fat Coconut Milk. Cook on med-high until it bubbles. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes.

Toast 1 cup of coconut in the oven. Cool.

Add remaining can of Coconut Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk, 1 cup of milk, vanilla, coconut extract, spices and salt. Simmer on low 30 minutes, adding more milk as needed to keep creamy. Stir often so it doesn't stick. (I ended up adding an additional cup of milk because I like my rice pudding very creamy.) About 15 minutes in, add the remaining uncooked coconut.

Chop mango and add, cooking rice another three minutes - just long enough to soften the fruit. Add a touch of fresh lime juice. (I added the juice from one-half of a lime. It really perks up the flavor.)

Top with toasted coconut and DEVOUR!

Assuming you can divide this in to ten servings and not eat it all yourself --

Nutritional Information: Calories - 365, Fat - 8 g, Carbs - 63 g, Fiber - 4 g, Protein - 8 g

PLEASE, LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK OF THE RECIPE - IMPROVEMENTS, ADDITIONS, REDUCED CALORIE IDEAS, ETC.