Despite the fact that I spend a lot of time at Whole Foods because I sell products to them, I still get very excited to visit their stores and wander the aisles.  This is especially the case on a Saturday when I’m not in NYC and the aisles are twice as wide and demos are happening at every turn.  I was visiting a newly opened store in Alpharetta, GA last weekend with my friend Karen and we tasted the most amazing rice pudding.  I am not even a rice pudding person but this one really won me over.  It’s rich and creamy AND gluten and dairy free!  I am sharing the original recipe here but I swapped out the sugar for maple syrup and only used half the amount which was still sweet enough for me.  There are endless flavor combinations with other fruits, nuts, and seeds – let me know what you come up with! Ingredients: 4 Tbsp shredded coconut 1/2 cup Arborio rice 2 cups water 1 (13.5oz) can of coconut milk (I used the light kind) 1/2 cup sugar (I used 3 Tbsp maple syrup) 1/4 tsp sea salt Zest of 1/2 lime (plus a bit extra for garnishing) 1 ripe mango, diced 2 Tbsp pistachios, chopped Toast the shredded coconut in a dry pan over medium heat until it turns golden brown (2-3 minutes) and set aside. In a pot combine the rice, coconut milk, water, sugar, and salt and bring to a boil.  Then lower the heat and simmer stirring occasionally for 35-40 minutes.  The rice is ready when it becomes soft and reaches a thick and creamy pudding-like consistency. Remove from heat, add the toasted coconut and lime zest.  Garnish with the mango, pistachios, and extra lime zest to serve.  Serves 4. Enjoy!  xo