Chia Pudding Fun!

@conscious_cooking

One of my favorite power-breakfasts is a Chia Pudding Parfait. Packed with protein, antioxidants, and healthy fats (and naturally sweetened) this little treat is always a winner to provide satiety and a natural nutrient-boost. Yummy breakfasts are an essential part of my monthly 10-day Plant-powered Clean Eating Challenge. This is one of everyone's favorite recipes in the program for breakfast, lunch, or a snack. 

To celebrate this versatile, easy-to-make, and fun-to-eat meal, I started a fun little hashtag project or "party" on Instagram, inviting people to create and share their #chiapudfun. It was so wonderful to see everyone's posts, the colors, flavors and food art. I would love to see your creations too! 

Here's the recipe:

FOR THE NUT MILK
1 cup raw, unsalted nuts of choice (cashews, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, etc)
3 cups filtered water
1-2 pitted medjool dates, or 3 T pure maple syrup

• Soak the nuts overnight in plenty of filtered water. 
• Rinse and drain the nuts, discarding the soaking liquid
• Add all the ingredients to a high speed blender. 
• Blend until smooth. Note: Cashews don't usually need to be strained through a fine meshed sieve, or muslin nut bag. Other nuts, such as almonds may need to be strained to remove the meal, if you prefer a smooth milk and pudding. 

FOR THE PUDDING - PER PORTION
1 cup nut milk (as above)
3 T chia seeds, white or black
Optional: Add flavor – Cacao, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, matcha, etc

• Combine in a bowl or a jar, stirring well and let rest for 20 minutes or overnight 

Now, the fun part! 

Dress up your pudding in layers of: 

1. Fruit or Vegetables – Berries, citrus, banana, kiwi, beets, sweet potato, etc
2. Creaminess (optional) – Plant-based yogurt / cream / mousse, nut butter, etc
3. Other toppings – Good-for-you granola, puffed grains, nuts and seeds, etc

Featured below is a selection of beautiful creations from my Instagram hashtag party that some of my IG favorite accounts posted to join in on the fun. Click on each one to see all the ingredients they used! Feel free to continue the party by sharing your own creations on Instagram with the tag  #chiapudfun. 

Have fun playing with your food! Cx

@foodpicjp

@husbandsthatcook

@plantbasedartist

@thejamlab

@umamikitchen

@vanillaandbean

@wifemamafoodie

5 steps to a lifetime of clean eating

We’re constantly inundated with marketing, convenience foods, and food trends, that it’s hard to know what foods are healthy and make you feel good. As the saying goes “You are what you eat.” but do we really know what we’re eating and how it affects us? Or, we always know what we “shouldn’t” be eating, but do it anyway for lack of choice, inspiration or knowledge. It may seem like a daunting to take charge of your food choices and to eat healthy, but it can all be achieved with five easy steps.

Otto's Cassava Flour

I'm always trying out new ways to bake, and replace breads in our household. I figure because there is so much of it available everywhere, why not maintain balance and take a break from carbo-loading on refined starches whenever possible? I came across Otto's Cassava Flour on Instagram, enticed by the promise of something tasty and able to emulate the standard white flour without grains, or nuts. Cassava (yuca) is a root vegetable that is full of magnesium, copper, vitamin C and folate which all have numerous health benefits.

Bombay Tacos recipe here

Sunday is a great day to try new recipes and to also snoop in the fridge for any leftovers to make a quick meal. So here we have Bombay Tacos, using leftover dal and aloo gobi, spicy carrot greens chutney, and chopped lettuce and jalapeño, wrapped in delicious delicious cassava flour tortillas, The recipe can be found on the back of the package by Fork & Beans, and are super easy to make. These tacos looked so good, my son immediately devoured two of them!... even though he had originally said he didn't want one! ;) And no one even noticed that these were gluten free.

When I first discovered this flour, it was through a post on Instagram by @goeatyourbeets, who hooked me with the claim of having made the best glutenfree chocolate chip cookie, so I had to try! Fortunately, I had all the ingredients, so I adapted the recipe to be vegan, with Earth Balance, instead of butter, and almond milk instead of the egg, and 1 tablespoon of psyllium husk. The cookies were definitely a hit!

I also tried baking muffins with the cassava flour. These are Apple Cardamom muffins which were tasty, but a little on the dense side. I used a chia seed "egg" instead of real eggs, so there wasn't that fluffiness. Still a work in progress, but I will keep you posted! :)

Raw Spice Bar

I recently discovered Raw Spice Bar, an awesome company that toasts whole spices, and freshly grinds distinct spice blends from around the world. Each month, in their "Spice of the Month" subscription offers a trio of regional flavors. Previous months include: Jamaica, Japan, and Navajo blends. It's really a brilliant way to explore the globe in the comfort of your own home. I was really excited to receive this month's Istanbul blends. They inspired me to think about foods differently and the combination of flavors. Not only that, but the spices transformed these simple recipes that I chose to make into something really special.

When Veggies are the Main Event!

This is really impressive as a main course. Treating vegetables like meat and marinating them makes eating plant foods enticing and delicious. It's also fantastic to have this vegetable take center stage on the dinner table!

Clean Foods for a Clean Gut

Since ancient times people have been preserving their own foods. Fermented foods are a natural probiotic which helps promote great gut health by improving digestion, removing toxins and harmful bacteria with a natural variety of microflora and enzymes. Having kimchi, sauerkraut, pickled vegetables, kefir, or kombucha daily will have lasting benefits to your good health. 

A Twist on Pancakes - Glutenfree, Dairyfree, and Delicious!

This afternoon, I joined in on a great and fun twitter conversation about breakfast, hosted by the feed feed (a crowdsourced digital cooking publication and community.) As one of the most important meals of the day, breakfast is usually loaded with wheat products with little or no nutritional value. A few years ago, when I realized that all our breakfasts involved some form of wheat or dairy, I knew it had to change. So now I've switched to gluten-free, and even grain-free, options for the morning meal. Regardless of what I'm making, I always like to try to incorporate vegetables to start the day, either in a fresh-pressed juice or smoothie, or an omelette or in breakfast frittatas, or even a fried rice. Lately though, my kids are OBSESSED with these savory Scallion Pancakes which we make on out mini Lodge cast-iron skillets. They've made them so many times these past few weeks, it's time to share the recipe with you all!

Rustic Cilantro & Spring Garlic Pesto

 

On Friday, June 12th, I had the unique opportunity to do a cooking demo at Union Square Greenmarket. Using in-season ingredients, I developed a Rustic Cilantro & Spring Garlic Pesto for everyone to taste. Luckily, I enlisted a few helpers, because we were quite busy with giving out tasting samples. It was a fun day for all!

Crazy for Cashews

Have I told you lately how much I am in love with Cashews? This versatile nut it perfect for any dairy replacement – As a milk, cream, cheese, it's pretty incredible! As you know, I love making my own nut milk, it's so easy to make, and tastes so much better than any store-bought version. Lately, I've been making mostly cashew milk because I've been so busy. You don't need to strain the nut meal out after blending, so it's much quicker. If I had a Vitamix, it would even be faster, as you don't need to soak the nuts before blending.

Time for a Spring Clean!

Have you been hibernating this winter, "comforting" yourself with food? Need to kick that sugar habit? Get rid of that brain fog? Ready to shed those winter coats... and maybe a few extra pounds?

It's time to start a spring clean with the Yommme™10-day detox program!

Successful completed session April 13-22, 2015

5 steps to Healthy, Happy Kids

We're constantly inundated with processed foods. I realize that in many countries there isn’t this extreme industrialization and availability of fake-foodlike products. Kids just eat what their families eat, a home-cooked meal, no big deal. But here, busy people lead ultra-busy lives, and packaged foods and snacks are everywhere! It’s all about convenience. I have parents complain to me that their kids don’t eat any vegetables; kids don’t eat dinner; kids who only will eat neutral-colored foods; kids who won’t try new foods... the list goes on and on. There could be underlying reasons for these things, but most likely the cause is all the sugar- and salt-laden manufactured things that they're allowed to eat! Honestly, in a kid's eyes (and tastebuds) how can a simple vegetable compare with the chemically-loaded, flavor-enhanced foods that scientists have developed to incur addiction? With childhood obesity and related diseases on the rise, isn't it time to break free?

Kung Hei Fat Choy!

Happy Year of the Sheep! 

The Chinese believe that your temperament and actions, and everything you eat during the first week of the new year, sets the tone for the rest of the year. So the festivities and meals are filled with symbolic foods for the Lunar New Year like Steamed Fish & Fried Noodles and New Year's Dumplings / Vegetarian Dumplings. Almond cookies are also a symbolic sweet treat during the new year. They symbolize ancient coins, thus "giving" you good fortune for the year.

Feel Good About Your Food Program

Any day Protein-packed Pancakes

As a child, I grew up looking forward to every Sunday when my dad would make us pancakes. It was always a treat, especially since he would attempt to make them into all sorts of shapes – letters ("C" is easy), animals, flowers... and, of course, Mickey Mouse! Pancakes from scratch are really just as easy as from pancake mix box. 

Make them naturally packed with protein by using nuts, chia seeds and coconut flour. Load them up with lots of fruit, nuts and/or seeds in between layers and on top with a warm fruity compote for a more nutritious (and fun) breakfast any day of the week!!!

Recreating a classic – Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love recreating classic treats with healthier versions. Making treats from scratch ensures the quality of the ingredients; cuts back on the sugars and fats; and if you have allergies or health concerns, a freshly baked batch of treats that are actually good for you is something very hard to find in a supermarket or shop. I discovered that adding that little bit of coconut flour keeps the cookie from that grainy texture you get with some gluten-free cookies. Really happy with these, you can't even tell that they are GF and vegan! ;)

Veggie Pan-fried Dumplings

Have a picky eater? Dumplings are a great way to get those veggies in!

I've tried a few times to move away from the traditional pork and vegetable dumplings that I've been making for years, to a vegetarian option, but haven't had much success, as those dumplings always tended to fall to pieces when boiling them. My good friend, Karen, who has been vegetarian for over 20 years gave me the tip to cook all the vegetables first in order to remove all the excess water before stuffing the wrappers. I like preparing a big batch of dumplings to have in the freezer, as my "go to", especially now that the weather is starting to cool down. While I've never had the time to make my own wrappers, I'm sure I will get there one day, making a batch of gluten-free ones. ;) The dumpling filling is definitely tastier when pan-fried or steamed, especially for these farm-fresh veggie-licious ones. 

Capture the Sunshine

It's September already... how did that happen?!? Time to take advantage of the bountiful summer produce. Whether or not you are a member of a CSA or have access to a farmer's market, many grocery stores have local produce available.

Stock up on summer's bounty this weekend, and take an hour or so to prepare a few warm weather favorites.

There are numerous health benefits in line with the Aryuvedic principals of eating seasonally, but it's definitely nice to capture and savor a taste of some of summer's sunshine in the cold winter months. ;)

Healthy Packed Lunch

It's that time of year again: Back To School! Are YOU ready to get back into the swing of things? Getting your little one(s) up, fed, and out the door with food?

To ensure that your kids are getting necessary nutrients throughout the day, consider what the foods that you pack them for lunch. Research shows that processed food (with added flavor, coloring and preservatives) affects a child's well-being as well as learning and behavioral issues. 

Frozen Treats – that are Yummy AND Healthy!

Yes! Summer is here and we're always in need of a cold, refreshing treat. Here are a few incredibly simple recipes for healthy ice-cream alternatives! What's not to love about homemade, no added sugar, dairy-free, frozen treats? 

COLORFUL COCO-CUBES
Fresh fruit or herbs, the more colorful, the better
Coconut water 

• Cut the fruit into small pieces, and place into individual ice cube tray compartments. 
• Fill with coconut water.
• Freeze for 3-4 hours, until solid.
• Eat them for a mini-treat, or put them in your water for added nutrition and flavor to your water. :)

Where are the vegetables?

Over time, all perception of food portions has gone completely out of whack! Fast food chains have super-sized everything; restaurant chains sell sub-quality foods in copious amounts to offer "value" to the customer; and even that crazy show "Man vs Food" shows off gluttony to the extreme. It's no wonder there is an ever-growing problem with obesity. Ever had a just big bowl of mac 'n cheese for dinner? Feeding your kids the Standard American Diet (SAD)? WHERE are the vegetables? (and no, French fries and ketchup don't count...) We've been influenced to think that even the lettuce and pickle on a burger is good enough for your vegetable intake. Guess what? It isn't even close to being enough. C'mon, you know it's true.

When you look at the calories one consumes from the Traditional "meat and potatoes" diet, it is easy to surpass the 2000* calorie with just one meal. But wait, it's not about counting calories each day. It's really about making the shift and adding more vegetables, full of natural fiber, vitamins and minerals, to each and every meal. It's common sense to know that vegetables are much lower in calories than meat and dairy. A big bowl of vegetables takes longer for your body to digest without spiking your blood-sugar levels and gives you so many natural benefits, much more than that bowl of cheesy pasta (which, by the way, is essentially is made from all processed ingredients, even if you do make it "from scratch.") Do you think that you are denying yourself nutrients by eating less animal protein and by-products? Take a look at why "Kale is the New Beef". ;)

In the past few months, I've made the shift in my meal preparation. From the traditional vegetables as a side-dish, they now take prominence in each meal (most of the time.) It took awhile to get to this point, but it has really made a difference. Not only do we save money by buying less meat, there are improvements in my family's overall health as a result of this simple change. Joining the CSA (community-supported agriculture) has also inspired me to try new vegetables and recipes. 

For the most part, it's about being conscious of what you buy and what you eat. A good place to start is by "Eating the Rainbow" each day, getting vegetables of all colors into your belly. Have a picky eater? Make a juice or a smoothie. Puree some vegetables to add to a pasta sauce. Have dips on-hand for fun, flavorful eating. Veggies don't have to be boring! 

*This is an average amount for an adult. Specific daily calorie intake is based on your gender, age, and physical activity