trick or . . . definitely treat

Lately I have been pretty good about controlling my candy and sweets intake and getting back into a good exercise routine to optimize health. Typically during October I start buying Halloween candy very early, on purpose, and manage to eat my way through the Skittles and mini Butterfingers until I need to buy more candy.

Not this year! Tom bought the candy just two days ago and I asked him to please hide it on me. He didn't. I still didn't have any! Whaaaa? Don't get me wrong, I am not denying eating any sweets. I am just trying to be more selective and trying to eat an apple first whenever possible. That will often curb the appetite for refined sugar.

My one weakness lately is not so bad for you and it is sweet and delicious. Some of you may simply just not like the concept of tapioca. I, however, love the stuff. Large pearl, small pearl, bubble tea (the home brew type... not the artificial stuff found in the recently popular bubble tea joints), and homemade tapioca pudding, both warm and cold. When you think about it, the ingredients are pretty simple: tapioca, milk, salt, eggs, sugar and vanilla. Clearly I would suffer as a vegan if I had to do without pudding, ice cream, and all sorts of cheeses and egg dishes.

My Halloween treat to you is my relatively easy recipe for tapioca pudding. It does take some pre-meditation, because you do need to soak the tapioca pearls overnight before cooking this up. There are many recipes that involve double boilers, separating egg whites, folding in peaks, etc.... and the recipe I use involves none of that. And the result is creamy and delicious. Enjoy!

Tapioca Pudding

Ingredients:
1/2 c. small pearl tapioca (not instant) -- soak overnight in plenty of water in a small bowl
2 and 1/2 c. milk (I use 2%)
1/4 t. salt
2 eggs
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla

Directions:
1.  Combine tapioca, milk and salt in a 2 quart pan on medium high heat. Stir until boiling then simmer 5 minutes, uncovered, at the lowest possible heat, adding sugar gradually.
2.  Beat eggs in a separate bowl. Mix in some of the hot tapioca very slowly to equalize the temperature of the two mixtures (to avoid curdling).
3.  Pour the egg and tapioca mixture into the pan with the remaining tapioca, slowly bring to barely a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and stir for three minutes at a low simmer -- until you get a nice thick pudding consistency. Cool for 15 minutes. Add vanilla and stir. Serve either warm or chilled.
Serves 4-6