dairy-free egg-free vanilla cinnamon pudding, coconut milk lightly sweetened and spiced, thickened with gelatin and chilled to set in ramekins

On a tired day, this is the dessert that costs you almost nothing to make, not a project on top of everything else. Warm coconut milk, bloom the gelatin, pour it into ramekins, and the fridge finishes the job over the next few hours. There is no oven, no timing to watch, just a little patience while it sets.

Gelatin is where the glycine in this pudding comes from, and glycine plays a part in the ongoing repair work happening along the gut lining, quietly, the same work most of your meals on this protocol are doing in 1 way or another. A dessert built on that still belongs inside the protocol, same as everything else on your plate.

Spoon it into a ramekin you actually like the look of, not just whatever is in the cabinet, and let this be the moment in the day when you sit rather than rush. A protocol this long needs small, real pleasures, not only discipline.

Ingredients

• 14 oz (400 ml) coconut milk (1 can), real and additive-free
• 3/4 to 1 tbsp gelatin (a grass-fed gelatin that gels, such as Great Lakes red canister or Vital Proteins)
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla powder (see note below)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 to 3 tbsp honey or pure maple syrup, to taste (the source uses unrefined cane sugar; this version prefers an AIP-friendly natural sweetener, kept to a small amount)

Vanilla note: the source calls for vanilla extract, which is alcohol-based and is left out of the elimination phase. Use vanilla powder, which is ground vanilla bean with nothing added, in the same quantity.

Method

Pour about half the coconut milk into a small saucepan, off the heat, and sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface. Let it sit for a few minutes to bloom and soften.

Add the rest of the coconut milk, the vanilla, the cinnamon, and the honey or maple syrup. Warm the pan over low heat, whisking gently, just until the gelatin fully dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Do not let it boil.

Taste and adjust the sweetener. Pour the pudding into 3 to 4 ramekins or small jars.

Chill in the fridge for at least 3 to 4 hours, or overnight, until set. Serve cold, with a light dusting of cinnamon if you like.

*Adapted from thecuriouscoconut.com*