there's always room for jello... i mean "kanten"

I'm a sucker for dessert. But, I want it to do a little more for me than just satisfy the sweet tooth. I am very happy to share this idea with you. KANTEN. It's like a jello-ish, pudding-like concoction... that is a bit magical in it's transformation. (In case you haven't noticed, I'm also a sucker for magic.)

In your local store where you can find sea vegetables (read: seaweed) you will find a small package of a treat called Agar-Agar, also known as Kanten in Japan. This little miracle of the sea acts as a gelatin and has incredible health benefits when added to your daily routine. It is very high in fiber, thought to help lower cholesterol and is great for aiding in your digestion... thus a super addition to any meal. It has virtually no calories, it's a sea vegetable so it comes from nature not from a lab, and doesn't have a distinct flavor. It adds vitamins and minerals to your diet as well, including iodine, calcium, and iron. How cool. 

Here's a quick recipe for the pudding I made in the photo above, I made it with organic raisins, since I had some... but I imagine you could try it with any dried fruit.

Raisin Pudding

ingredients:

1 cup raisins

2 cups water

2 Tablespoons Agar-Agar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a small sauce pan, heat 1 cup water with raisins for 15 minutes on medium to low heat. Add cinnamon, stir for 2 minutes. Blend this mixture in a food processor or blender. Dissolve agar-agar in 1 cup water. Add to blended mixture. Give a couple of pulses to mix in the blender. Return to pan for 5 minutes. Pour into a glass or ceramic container that will go into the refrigerator for an hour or so, until set.

There you go. It's super simple. Goes great with a little granola if you want a little something more for a snack. But, thanks to the properties of the agar-agar, it helps you feel very full and satisfied. Give it a try, let me know what you think. It's kinda weird, I know... but, I'm totally into it. Hope you are well, big kiss xxtbone