September Recipe of the Month: Soylicious® Banana Pudding

Throw a banana pudding party this month!

I’m sharing a delicious family recipe using soy milk that makes a dessert even I can eat!

I don’t officially promote any brands, but my current soy milk favorite is Kroger’s Simple Truth unsweetened (shelf stable for over six months).

At $1.99 this delicious soy milk is also a great buy.

This milk is flying off the shelves!

Never used soy milk to cook with?

I suggest you start with this brand. No flavorings to change your family recipe. It can be found on the shelf (not in the chilled dairy case).

So back to the banana pudding.

This is my family recipe, but it is NOT from scratch. Just plain yummy and super easy.

NO standing over a hot stove while the pudding thickens hoping it won’t burn. Who needs that stress?!?

I have used my trusted Jello Cook & Serve vanilla pudding all of my life. The pudding HAS to be the Cook & Serve kind. The instant pudding has always had a chemical taste to me.

You can use the microwave!

Several years ago, the Jello company provided microwave cooking instructions on the side of the box that work like a charm. All you have to do is mix the milk and pudding in a microwave-safe bowl and stir every couple of minutes.

When preparing this recipe this month I was stunned to see that the microwave cooking instructions were gone!

The cooking instructions told me to stand over the stove and “bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring constantly.” What? Why? NO!

Food politics?!? Misinformation like this is not pretty. 

The current cooking instructions also informed cooks, “Do not use prepared nonfat dry milk or soy milk – pudding will not set.” But that’s not true!

I have used soy milk since 2019 after I received my Alpha Gal diagnosis and have a severe allergy to dairy. Did Jello change the formulation so soy milk would not work in the recipe anymore?

Thank goodness I was able to retrieve a “best when used by May 18, 2017” dated box of Jello Cook & Serve pudding from my pantry that had the Microwave Directions and did not include the misinformation about soy milk not setting if used with their pudding mix.

I did some research.

Truth is the Jello company was sold to Kraft Heinz and recently embarked on new product labeling.

So why would they print misinformation about soy milk not working with their product?

Come to find out, the 2nd largest income source for Kraft Heinz in 2023 was dairy products.

With soy foods, make sure you understand the motivations behind a plethora of misinformation being produced.

Food marketing can be brutal and misleading.

I am providing the Jello company’s original microwave instructions below and picture proof that soy milk makes a delicious, creamy banana pudding that sets beautifully every time!

You can easily double this recipe for a larger group.

Enjoy.

Soylicious® Banana Pudding

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Chilling Time: 2 hours

Yield: Serves 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups unsweetened, plain soy milk

• 1 3-ounce package of Jello-O, Cook & Serve vanilla pudding

• 1 small box of vanilla wafers

• 4-5 fresh bananas (depends on the size of the bananas and how many you like in your pudding)

• Plant-based whipped cream (optional)

Mix well.

Stir every 2 minutes while cooking.

DIRECTIONS

STEP 1: Cook your pudding

• Stir pudding mix into 2 cups of unsweetened soy milk in a 1 ½ quart microwaveable bowl.

• Microwave on High 6-7 minutes or until mixture comes to a full bowl, stirring and scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl every 2 minutes.

• Note: Microwave ovens vary; cooking time is approximate.

• Remove from the microwave, stir well, and allow to sit and cool while you complete the next step.

Layer the ratio of wafers to bananas to your taste.

This is a double recipe. Yum!

STEP 2:  Layer vanilla wafers and bananas in a bowl or pan and begin to combine your masterpiece!

• Select the type of dish to prepare for your banana pudding. The dish or pan should be large enough to combine your ingredients and allow to sit in the refrigerator.

• Place a layer of vanilla wafers on the bottom and sides of your dish/pan.

• Slice fresh bananas and layer over the top of your vanilla wafers.

• Ladle a small amount of vanilla pudding over the wafers and bananas.

• Repeat with a layer of vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and pudding.

• Add wafers to the top of the pudding.

• Cover with saran wrap and chill for 2+ hours to allow to set.

STEP 3: Plate your banana pudding.

• Banana pudding can be served in a bowl, on a small dessert plate, or in glassware. Be creative!

• I like to add a dollop of plant-based whipped cream to each serving and sometimes even another vanilla wafer and fresh banana slice.

• IF you have any banana pudding left cover with plastic wrap and store in the frig for up to two days.

ENJOY!

Nutrition per serving.