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.

Homemade Granola

I haven't slept much and my body hurts. I ran 12 miles the last two days. I seriously deserve a good breakfast but what do you do when you have agreed to go out to breakfast and your accomplice is sleeping. Nothing, you just blog and completely disregard all stomach pangs and gurgling. If I had any  Granola left I would just eat a little... without yogurt... and call it a pre-morning snack before the storm. Yes, that would be positively delightful. 

I gave away my last jar of 'delightful goodness' at the Packer Game on Thursday; Thus, I will simply day dream about what my life could be. You see this granola is special; It's not from a box, a store, or a restaurant. It's from the heart and soul of my own kitchen. Commercial granolas have so much added sugar and fat it's amazing they can get away with calling it, 'healthy'. Actually, so many things get away with calling themselves 'healthy', but that's a story for another day. Back to Granola... these commercial granolas, you know, the ones you buy out of the bins at whole foods, a box that says 'organic', or order from IHOP... I'll bet you ten dollars that they are the same color as your creamy colored couch. Where is the COLOR!!! Where is the FLAVOR!!!

Vegan Carrot Pulp Muffins

If you use a juicing machine you may be feeling a little guilty about throwing the beautiful veggie pulp in the trash every morning. This is my solution... at least for the carrot pulp. These are completely VEGAN. Granted... they don't come out with that soft classic muffin top like their beloved counterparts, but for a healthy muffin and a quick breakfast pick... i'd say they are pretty, 'nom nom nom' good. 

p.s. they smell unbelievable.

Vegan.CarrotPulp.Muffins

Dry ingredients:
1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour (or a mixture of whole wheat and unbleached flours)
<1/4 cup natural sugar (i use date or a little honey to wet instead)
1 tablespoon ground flax seed
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients:1/3 cup agave nectar
1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1/2 cup soy yogurt (i use normal if i don't have it)
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups carrot pulp (i use whatever was in it -ginger-strawberries-carrots)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a muffin pan with non-stick spray or use muffin liners.

Mix together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the liquid ingredients. Add the liquid to the dry and mix just long enough to combine. Add the carrots and raisins and stir to combine.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups--it will be very thick. Sprinkle with vanilla sugar, if desired. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool for about 10 minutes and serve.

p.s. you can add raisins/nuts to these as well but i like them plain. 

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...