Thai Sweet Rice with Mango

This delicious Thai dessert will satisfy both your tummy and your taste buds!

Ingredients

1 cup sticky rice
1 3/4 cups water
pinch of salt
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon stevia (or 1 tablespoon sugar)
1 ripe mango, refrigerated*

*I like to use the smaller yellow mangoes for their smoother texture and sweet flavor, although any ripe mango will do.

Soak the rice in the water for at least 30 minutes in a rice cooker. Add a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup coconut milk, and turn the rice cooker on.

After the rice cooker stops, taste the rice. If it is not soft and chewy, add a little more water and turn it on again.

Once the rice is finished cooking, allow it to sit on the "warm" setting while you prepare the sweet coconut milk and the mango. Mix the stevia in with the coconut milk and stir over medium-low heat until warm. (Do not boil it.)

Dish the rice and pour sweet milk over it. Slice up the mango and lay it on top. Serve warm with chilled mango and enjoy!

Almond Milk & Puree

Almonds are a great source of healthy protein, and they're also good for your skin. This simple recipe makes almond milk from scratch--and you can use the puree as a homemade facial scrub.

Ingredients

1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 cups water
1 teaspoon honey

Soak the almonds in water for at least 6 hours, or overnight, at room temperature.

Blend in a blender for a couple minutes, add honey, and blend a little longer. Use a coffee filter to strain the liquid from the almond puree, scooping out the puree from the filter as you go.

Refrigerate the milk and enjoy by itself or in cereal or a smoothie. You can add a little cinnamon, sugar, or more honey if you want it sweeter. Use the puree as a facial scrub to cool and exfoliate dry skin. The milk will stay fresh in the refrigerator up to 4 days; the puree will stay up to 2 weeks.