Chia Seed Pudding

Chia seeds are one of my favorite 'super-foods'. By adding them to oatmeal, water, smoothies, stir fries, or eating them raw, I can eat  4-5 tablespoons a day. Chia Seeds are little, black, grey, and white seeds that absorb 12 times their weight in water. They are good for weight loss, feeling full, hydration, and controlling blood sugar.

This is my favorite way to eat chia seeds. The Chia seed forms a gel when mixed with water and when left alone forms a 'pudding' like consistency that makes for a dessert you feel good about. I will have this for breakfast, a snack, or dessert. If you have any questions feel free to ask!

Basic Chia Seed Pudding

3 Tablespoons of Chia Seeds
1 Cup of Homemade Almond Milk
Stevia, Honey, or Maple Syrup (I don't recommend Agave)

Combine all ingredients into a bowl and whisk. Let the mixture sit for 1 minute and then whisk again. At this point you can add any ingredients you would like for flavoring. Some can include:

• Nuts
• 1/4 tsp of Vanilla Extract (Vanilla Pudding)
• Coconut
• Bananas
• Craisins, Raisins, Dried Fruit
• Bee Pollen. 
• cacao/cocoa powder

Whisk again and pour into a mug or jar and refrigerate for an hour/overnight.

Flat Belly Creamiscle Smoothie

4 years ago, on a wedding shoot in Alabama, I met one of my best friends, Nikki Dubose. We bonded over 'burping contests' and ice cream with microwave-melted Reeses Peanut Buttercups. That is how you know you've met a true friend. It wasn't long before Nikki, her boyfriend, and I were restaurant hopping Miami trying 'Venezuelan Hot Dogs', fried oreos, and IHOPS newest pancakes. Wow, we ate REALLY well.

Nikki and I as Southern Bells

Soon after shoving that junk down our throats Nikki's boyfriend informed me that 'Smoothies make your skin sag!' Does anyone actually know if there is truth to this? Just incase... I'm 'Never, Ever Going To Jamba Juice Again'.  I will gladly concoct 'safe skin' smoothies, myself.

Today we're paying homage to those delicious 'Orange Creamsicle Popsicles' most of us enjoyed in our youth. It's just as easy as my Banana Smoothie but even more perfect for your 'flat belly' days due to the lack of oatmeal.

I hope you enjoy your 'popsicle' and non-skin-sagging-smoothie.

Add all ingredients to a blender

 Blend till smooth

Pour and serve. Oh, so simple.

Flat Belly 

CreamsicleSmoothie

1 Banana

1/2 Cup NonFat Greek Yogurt

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

3 ice cubes

Blend in Blender. Pour and Serve

Calories: 260 Fat: 2.1 g Fiber 4.5 g 

Black Bean Burgers with Mango Avocado Salsa

Four years ago I found myself eating nothing but "Vegan" food. Oh yeah, i thought I was going to last forever. My dad, being the positive cheerleader that he is, told me he'd give me 3 days. Oh, I lasted a week. Take that Dad. The cause of my sudden 'vegan-ity' was a book called, 'Skinny Bi*ch'; It's all about why you 'shouldn't eat meat'. Whatever, to each their own. However, the two 'bi*ches' did hit the mark on at least one thing which is,  'If you eat like crap- you're going to look like crap.' This is the nice way of putting it. In all seriousness though, if you don't stop jamming the...

Yogurt Curry Sauce.

I have read countless times that the perfect meal for 'body conscious nuts', is lean protein and steamed veggies. That's all great and dandy but I am a little bored. I need something to 'change-it-up'. It has to be healthy, flavorful, and satisfying. 

I found inspiration from 'Fine Cooking Magazine'. They had made a lovely Yogurt Curry Sauce to toss through vegetables. I tweaked it a bit to lean it out and then pureed it to get more of a saucy texture.  It's now bottled and refrigerated for my next balanced dinner. 

Salmon, steamed veggies, and my 'to-go' curry sauce.

Start by chopping up some onions

 Combine yogurt and corn starch in a bowl.

 Add butter and onions to a saucepan and cook until soft. 

Add Ground Cumin and Curry Powder to the pot. Stir for 20-30 seconds. Add the finely chopped ginger and garlic to the pot and cook until golden brown. 

Add the yogurt mixture to the pot and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

 Transfer to a blender and add the cilantro. Process till smooth.

Spoon a Tablespoon or Two over your favorite mixture of steamed veggies and Lean protein. 

I suggest, shrimp, chicken, tofu, or salmon for this particular sauce. 

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YogurtCurrySauce

1/2 cup plain low fat/nonfat yogurt
1 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbs Olive Oil or Unsalted Butter
1/3 cup minced yellow onion
Kosher Salt
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
Pepper
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro

In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt and cornstarch until well blended.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, sprinkle with a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring frequently, until just golden-brown, 4 to 5 minutes more (reduce the heat if the onion seems to be burning rather than browning). Add the curry powder and cumin and cook, stirring, 15 to 20 seconds. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the yogurt mixture, and stir until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Season with 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper, or to taste.

Add the cilantro and transfer to a blender. Process until smooth. Serve over steamed veggies or your favorite lean protein. 

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For this particular dinner, i decided to broil some Tofu in the oven. After switching the oven 'on', I smelled something sweet throughout the kitchen.  I ran over to the oven and my heart sank. I forgot i'd left some gummy bears in the oven (don't ask). Such a joy to clean. 

What other sauces would you want to eat with your 'perfect meal?' Terryaki, Spicy Green Curry, Alfredo?... let me know, i'll get on it!

Oven Roasted Fruit. Summertime Dessert

Whenever i get to go home to Utah it's a treat. Utah honestly has the most beautiful summers. I am probably bias given i grew up there but it's dry, warm in the day, cool at night, and has that really lovely soft grass that you can't wait to just lay in- especially under the stars, it's beautiful. Anyway!! Last week i went home to my lovely family to cook, dance, and eat (we live in the kitchen). 

Every year my mom buys a MASSIVE box of peaches from a local orchard; I make it my duty to eat them all before... uh... they...uh... go bad. You see, I can find complete and utter happiness in a bowl of 5,6,7, 10 peaches. It's why i made them dessert. Dessert typically equals happiness and so do peaches... big time smiles here. 

My cute sisters. They can't wait to each peaches for dessert too. 

 Specifically, this dessert is composed of peaches, strawberries, and plums. Drizzled with citrus and paired with Frozen Honey Sweetened Yogurt, Ice Cream, or by itself. You won't feel guilty for this one. 

Oven Roasted Fruit

Peaches, Strawberries, Plums

Ingredients

• 6 peaches, pitted and cut into quarters or eighths
• 6 plums or Italian prune plums, pitted and quartered or halved
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups fresh Strawberries OR raspberries
• 2 tablespoons orange juice

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the peaches and plums snugly in a single layer, cut side up, in 2 glass or porcelain oven-proof baking dishes. Sprinkle with the sugar, and then top with the raspberries. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until tender.

Heat the broiler and place the fruit about 5 inches below the heat and broil for 5 to 8 minutes, until the berries release some of their juices.

Remove from the broiler and sprinkle with orange juice. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. You may also serve it with a bit of plain yogurt (with honey or not). 

Greek Yogurt Snack Pack

In every one of my travels i try to order something 'so Greece', 'so Turkey', 'so Paris', you get the idea... but occasionally i discover something thats great for traveling... Story time. When my family took a vacation to Europe in 2006 we went to this little, hole in the wall, Greek Restaurant. This restaurant was no joke, it was to the T - Greek. None of this 'Americanized Greek' ish that we seem to get locally. They had folk dancers, wine in wooden flasks, baked brie with fresh raspberries and yogurt with sliced apples, almonds, grapes, and a drizzle of honey. That. was. dessert. Healthy? Yes, and oh so satisfying.



Alas, my new favorite 'on the go' snack/treat was established and i take this stuff everywhere. Do you realize it has protein, 'staying power' aka almonds, fiber, and all natural sweetness? This goes everywhere.

Greek Yogurt Snack

1/2 cup Greek Yogurt (i use Fage 0% or 2%)

1/2 apple (chopped)

5 almonds (chopped)

6 grapes (halved)

1 teaspoon Honey

Place Greek Yogurt on the bottom and top with remaining ingredients. Don't stir until you're ready to eat or everything will be soggy and missing that delicious crunch!

CALORIES: 179 PROTEIN: 10.9 GRAMS FIBER: 3 GRAMS

nom nom nom...

Greek Yogurt. Whole Wheat. Pancakes.

'Do you still want a cupcake shop?' was the question. 'No', was the answer. Sadly, i have concluded that I'm not entirely comfortable with making unhealthy-though extremely satisfying- baked goods or meals on a daily basis. Further, does a 'healthy cupcake' really taste just as good as an 'unhealthy' one? Hmm I'm not sure, but it just isn't as fun.

What i do know is that when it comes to pancakes, these tiny edible pillows taste perfectly wonderful regardless of how 'wholesome' they are. It's a beautiful thing. So beautiful that if we don't tell the white flour lovers, men, and junk food eaters in our life that these pillows of heaven are actually 'healthy', there's no way they will notice. They will gush and lick their plates. I myself waited anxiously for my fathers 'gushing' remarks after he glanced at me prepping ingredients and uttered 'Carbs Lara?'.
He doesn't understand slow burning carbs, fiber, protein, or 38 calories a pop.

p.s. makes 12 Lil babies.

Greek Yogurt. Blueberries. WW Pancakes.

<1/2 Cup whole wheat flour

1 Tablespoon date sugar (or white sugar/honey if you don't have it)

1 Teaspoon baking soda

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1 Cup Low Fat Greek Yogurt

2 Large eggs

1/2 Teaspoon vanilla extract

3 Tablespoons milk (I use almond milk... add more if needed)

Butter for cooking

Blueberries

Maple syrup for munching

Whisk to combine dry ingredients in a large bowl and add the Greek yogurt until just combined. Follow with the rest of wet ingredients. Batter will be runny. Use an ice cream scoop and spoon onto a buttered 300 degree griddle or pan over medium heat. When you see bubbles popping the pancakes are ready to flip, add blueberries now if you wish. Flip and cook another 1-2 minutes until golden. 

Serve with warm maple syrup and enjoy.