Old Fashioned Tapioca

I always make us something sweet on the weekends, this weekend I picked up some tapioca pearls and made some old fashioned tapioca pudding. Well, it's almost old fashioned. I don't think my grandmother used non dairy milk. But, then the milk she used, she got herself from the cows raised the way cows should be raised eating what cows should eat. The milk was much different. I cut out the processed sugar by using Agave and Stevia powder. I did use eggs, but I get my eggs from a local farm, I know what they feed their chickens and they roam freely in the sunshine, well, I should say in the rain. :-) I was a little worried the egg whites wouldn't stiffen with the Agave. I don't buy eggs but once a month and only had four. If it didn't work, the pudding would have a thicker consistency I suppose. I poured it in very very slowly as the egg whites whipped. It did work and the pudding came out very creamy and thick as it should.

Tapioca Pudding

1/3 cup small pearl tapioca
3/4 cup filtered water
2 1/4 cup non dairy milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs separated
1/4 cup Agave
1/4 tsp Stevia powder
1 vanilla bean, scrape inside

Soak small pearl tapioca in water for 30 minutes in large saucepan, 1 1/2 quart.  Add milk, salt, and lightly beaten egg yolks to tapioca and stir over medium heat until boiling.  Simmer uncovered over very low heat for 10-15 minutes. Stir often.

Beat egg whites gradually adding Agave and Stevia until soft peaks form.  Fold about 3/4 cup of tapioca into the egg whites and then gently fold mixture back into saucepan.  Stir over low heat for about three minutes.  Cool 15 minutes then add vanilla.  Serve warm or chilled.  I topped mine with fresh ground nutmeg and fresh fruit.