Pair this delicious rice pudding with a mug of hot coffee or tea to get you through this last stretch of winter! Organic agricultural production has been shown to be more resilient to climate change, and organic rice production is no exception.

The Science

A recent study published in the journal Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems assessed the climate resilience of organic and conventional rice systems in the Philippines using indicators of climate resilience, and assessed the degree to which household, farm, community mechanisms and outcomes impact adaptation capacity, mitigation potential and vulnerability. Researchers found that organic rice systems were more resilient to climate change, and concluded that “increased policy support for the development of organic rice systems is critically important as an adaptive mechanism to augment food security, mitigate GHG emissions and improve climate resilience in the Philippines.”.

The Recipe

Ingredients

• ¾ cup long-grain organic rice
• 1 ½ cup water
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 4 cups 2% organic milk
• ½ cup organic brown sugar
• 1 tsp. organic vanilla extract
• ½ tsp. organic cinnamon
• 1 cup organic raisins (optional)

Directions

Combine rice, water and salt in a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Once it has reached a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until the rice has absorbed all of the water. Add milk, sugar, and cinnamon to the rice, and cook uncovered at medium heat, stirring frequently. Once the pudding has reached a thick but creamy consistency (about 30 minutes), remove it from the heat. Stir in the vanilla and raisins. Transfer to a large bowl, or smaller serving bowls, cover and refrigerate 2-4 hours or until cool.

Banner Photo Credit: Angela Kotsell; istockphoto.com