Heart Healthy Cinnamon Rice Pudding

Rice pudding is usually a very decadent and saturated fat laden dessert. If you're trying to watch your fat and cholesterol intake, this version is supremely tasty and yet it's made with fat free ingredients. Serve warm or cold. You can be guaranteed this recipe is healthy because it comes from the American Heart Association.

Heart Healthy Cinnamon Rice Pudding

3½ cups skim milk, divided

½ cup arborio rice, uncooked

1 cinnamon stick, around 3" long

3 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. lemon zest, grated

½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

Ground cinnamon, to taste

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir 2½ cups milk and the rice together. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often or else the milk and rice will scorch into the bottom of the pan.

Reduce the heat to medium high and boil for 5 - 6 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken, stirring often - this will keep a 'skin' from forming. (It took me about 10 minutes to get it to thicken decently.)

Stir in the remaining 1 cup of milk, the cinnamon stick, sugar and lemon zest. Increase the heat to high and return to a boil, stirring continually; this will take but a minute or two to return to the boil.

Reduce the heat down to medium high again and boil for 4 - 5 minutes or until decently thick and creamy. You MUST stir continually at this critical step, or else your pudding will burn into the bottom of the pan.

Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Put a piece of plastic wrap down over the top of the pudding to prevent it from getting a 'skin' and let it rest for about 30 minutes to thicken.

Before serving, remove the cinnamon stick. Spoon the pudding into individual dessert dishes and sprinkle the tops of each with ground cinnamon, to taste.

Serves 6**

**It's so good, you might just want to split it between two bowls and share it with your sweetie!