The challenge this week from @eco-alex for The Medicinal Gourmet Cooking Collective is to focus on cooking food that supports the health of our lungs and large intestine.

I found this weeks challenge to be a tough one. For some reason I found the metal element confusing and limiting at first. I walked around the garden looking for white and all I came up with was potatoes. We had mashed potatoes spiced with herbs for dinner but I piled it high with colourful roasted vegetables which didn't meet the metal/lungs challenge.

I decided that I would focus on a dessert instead.

Foods that suit the metal element are best cooked a bit longer and slower on a low heat. The lungs benefit from warm (not hot) fragrance and spice.

I noticed a jar of cooked rice in the fridge and spiced coconut rice pudding came to mind as the perfect dish. It incorporates many components favourable to lung health.

Spiced Coconut Rice Pudding

Ingredients

3 cups cooked organic white rice
1 can coconut milk
3 tbsp maple syrup or honey to taste
a pinch of salt
a few good pinches of all spice (to taste)
a few good pinches of nutmeg (to taste)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 handful of organic raisins

To serve:

• toasted coconut & almonds
• Coconut Milk
• Sliced pears (I didn't have any pears but they would have really perfected this dish).

Directions

• In a heavy based pot, combine the rice, coconut milk, maple syrup, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer.
• Add the coconut and stir
• Cook until nice and creamy. Stir often so the rice does not stick. It took about 20 minutes.
• Garnish with chopped almonds, toasted coconut and/or diced pear and a drizzle of coconut milk.

I am quite happy with how it turned out. It was a very warm and comforting dish. I think a bit of fruit would have really tied everything together just that much better. I refrigerated the left overs in small dishes so we can snack on it again through the week. Perhaps we'll add some berries to it tomorrow.

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