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Bilo-bilo is a Filipino dessert made of small glutinous rice balls in a coconut sugary cream along with jackfruit, saba bananas, sweet potatos or taro root, and tapioca pearls. Bilo bilo’s origin is in Luzon, an island in the northern Philippines. It’s great hot or cold, in the summer as a nice cool treat, or in the winter like warm porridge in a bowl.

Ingredients – Original Carb recipe (Not Paleo)

• 2 cups glutinous rice flour
• 1 cup water for the rice flour
• 2-3 cups water for boiling
• 2 400ml can coconut milk or coconut cream
• 1 1/2 cup cooked tapioca pearls
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 big sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 4 piece plantain bananas, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup jackfruit, cut into strips

As you can see, the ingredients above are high in carbohydrates. I really missed desserts like this recipe, so I decided to make it healthier for me by changing a few ingredients to make it paleo-friendly. Of course, it’s not keto or low-carb, but sometimes a girl needs a cheat dessert before getting back on the keto/low-carb train.

Chia Seeds

For starters, instead of tapioca pearls for the “porridge/stew”, I used chia seeds. For the chia seeds, I soaked the chia seeds in water or coconut milk, simply by mixing them in a 1:10 ratio of chia to water/milk and allowing them sit for 30 minutes to two hours. This is equal to one and a half tablespoons of chia seeds in one cup of water/milk. You want it to gel and not be watery. This is the type of consistency we want.

Sweetener

Instead of sugar, I used monk fruit sweetener. You can use any sweetener of choice.

Milk

For the milk, you can use coconut milk, coconut cream, nut milk or cashew cream. In this recipe, I used coconut milk.

Fruits/Tubers for Paleo

For the jackfruit, I buy it canned. This one was in syrup so I washed and drained it well. There are canned jackfruit in brine, without sugar or syrup. Jackfruit in this recipe is totally optional if you’re watching the carb content.

I incorporated some tubers like sweet potato, Japanese potato, or you can use taro root. I left out the saba bananas, as it’s much higher in carb content. There are already tubers in this recipe, which has the most carbs already. Obviously, this is not keto or strict low carb but if you’re having a cheat dessert, why not try this recipe. It’s so delicious!

Bilo Bilo for Paleo

If you want to add the “glutinous rice balls”, called Bilo Bilo, for this recipe, you can use coconut flour instead of rice flour. Coconut flour is 4 grams fat and 18 grams carbs. Almond flour will not work for this recipe as the consistency will not stay firm, while rolled into a ball. To make these balls, incorporate 2 cups of coconut flour and 1 cup of warm water. Roll into small balls. They will cook in a pot of coconut cream or coconut milk, which will end up creating delicious and chewy little balls.

Instead of coconut balls for Bilo Bilo, you can also just add konjac noodles and cut them up into small pieces.

Here is my paleo version of this recipe with chia seeds and keto sweetener.

Filipino Ginataang Bilo Bilo Recipe with Chia Seeds (Paleo, Sugar-Free)

Here’s the recipe for a paleo, sugar-free version of Filipino Ginataang Bilo Bilo using chia seeds and a keto sweetener:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup small tapioca pearls (sago)
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 4 cups water
• 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk (full-fat)
• 1/4 cup keto-friendly sweetener, or adjust to taste
• 1/2 cup sweet potato, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup taro root, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cup plantain or banana, sliced (optional)
• 1/2 cup jackfruit, sliced into strips (optional)
• Pinch of salt
• 1 pandan leaf (optional, for flavor)

Instructions:

1. Prep Time: 15 minutes
2. Cook Time: 30 minutes
3. Total Time: 45 minutes
4. Servings: 4

Directions:

1. In a bowl, soak the tapioca pearls in water for about 10 minutes, then drain and set aside.
2. In a medium pot, combine the water, coconut milk, keto sweetener, and pandan leaf (if using). Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
3. Add the soaked tapioca pearls, chia seeds, diced sweet potato, taro root, and a pinch of salt to the pot. Stir well to combine.
4. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tapioca pearls and chia seeds are cooked and the sweet potato and taro root are tender. Adjust sweetness with more keto sweetener if desired.
5. If using, add the sliced plantain or banana and jackfruit strips to the pot during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Stir gently to incorporate.
6. Remove the pandan leaf (if used) before serving.
7. Serve the Ginataang Bilo Bilo warm or chilled in bowls. Enjoy this delicious Paleo and sugar-free Filipino dessert!

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This recipe offers a healthy twist on the traditional Filipino dessert, incorporating chia seeds and a keto sweetener while maintaining the creamy coconut milk base and delightful mix of textures from the tapioca pearls and root vegetables. Adjust the sweetness and ingredients according to your preferences and dietary needs.