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

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!

Healthy for the Holidays

Join me here, and on Instagram, in the counting the days to Christmas, opening up my virtual advent calendar each day, to see how you can keep the holiday season healthy. For more healthy tips, recipes, and a year of mindful journaling, preview and purchase the Conscious Living Daybook here.

Day 1 – EAT GREEN... especially leafy greens. 

Get at least five full servings of vegetables in each day, to load your body up with essential disease-fighting minerals, nutrients, and fiber. Naturally boost your energy, strengthen your  immune system, lower your cholesterol, detoxify your liver, and even clear congestion with this simple step.

Where's the beef?

I made this "Rainbow" Chili for my family the other night, and it was
eaten up with great enjoyment. They didn't even realize until at the end
of the meal that there wasn't any meat in it! ;)

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. 

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. 

Food-on-the-Go

THIS is BREAKFAST?
I'm guessing you eat the mint
intsead of brushing your teeth...

Food-On-the-Go doesn't have to be unhealthy, tasteless and stressful. Even when we do mini day-trips, it's guaranteed that my kids need water or a snack, so we never leave the house without water bottles and something "just in case". So every time we head out for a road trip or plane ride, along with the water bottles, I make sure to prepare foods that are substantial and convenient to eat in transit, and pack a bag of healthy snacks like fruits and nuts. 

Using any leftovers you have will also make a good meal. Basically anything you would pack for lunch works, like a sandwich, because you know that it's a disappointing choice, unless you're traveling first class. ;) In preparation for a trip, merely cook a little more of a few meals and use up all foods in the fridge so that you're not scrambling last minute to have foods AND finish everything up AND pack!!! 

Empty the fridge and bring your leftovers for a great in-flight meal

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

Veggie Burgers (glutenfree, soyfree, vegan)

Like with any food you prepare from home, it will always be thousands of times better than any factory-made version. Not only can you ensure the good quality of ingredients, you can have the flexibility of making your own flavor combinations and customized them to your dietary needs. I've never been a fan of store-bought veggie burgers (or maybe was just too scared to try!) They may be marketed as healthy, but in reality, are filled with GMO ingredients, artificial flavorings, highly-processed soy and fillers. 

These recipes are very simple to make, using real, whole food ingredients. You can soak and prepare dried beans in advance, or use ready-to-eat beans for convenience. Leftover roasted/steamed sweet potatoes or pre-cooked rice, millet, or quinoa makes it incredibly easy to just mash together with a few spices. Store extra patties in your freezer for when you need the convenience of something ready-made. Bake, grill or lightly pan-fry them to heat through. 

Stuffed into mushroom caps (cremini)
and baked at 350°F (180°C) for 15 minutes.
It's a great little appetizer!

BEANS/LEGUMES are loaded with fiber, protein, iron, and B vitamins. They're the perfect way to add more plant-based protein into your diet. 

• To prepare dried beans (1 cup), pick out broken or discolored pieces. Rinse, then soak in ample water for 6 hours or overnight. 
• Drain and rinse. In a heavy-based pot add the beans and 3-4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, skimming off and discarding the foam. 
• Cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes until soft. Add 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of sea salt in the last 10 minutes of cooking time. Drain.

Potato Pancakes Plus

It seems that the demise of the Standard American Diet (SAD, as coined by author Mark Bittman) is heavily reliant on French fries as the "vegetable" portion of the meal. Did you know the average American consumes 29 pounds of french fries a year!? Processed and fast food fries are not only high in cholesterol, calories and salt, they could also be the cause cancer, diabetes. If you "need" fries, simply cut up a potato, toss in olive oil and bake it in the oven. It's that easy. Alternatively you can give your family their potato "fix" with healthy potato pancakes/fritters/latkes loaded with vegetables. French fry-loving kids won't have to miss the potato taste, and they're getting the benefits of a variety of vegetables they might not otherwise eat. If you make these a staple part of your family meals, you can gradually reduce the starchy potato in favor of more vegetables. 

Power Foods

Gluten-free? Dairy-free? Sugar-free? Meatless? I've been a little confused lately in making the right choices of what to eat. We, as a society, have become so accustomed to so many foods, that it's hard to break these habits. Thankfully, little by little, the world is getting more health conscious... and its amazing to be a part of it! I feel like I've a head start with all the cooking I've done, but have some catching up to do in recognizing and fully understanding some of the latest health food trends: From juice fasting/cleansing to raw foods or paleo, or even just going gluten-free (see 11 hidden sources of gluten), it's a definite commitment to break old habits and make these work. A special diet is easiest to adhere to if you make all your own food. Ultimately, I also believe that, unless you have health-related, religious or ethical dietary restrictions, as long as you vary your foods from day to day, and eat lots of vegetables and whole foods (not processed), it's clean, healthy eating. Here's a list of "power"or "super" foods from a book of the same name, as well as from some other sources. So whether you are a meat-eater, milk-drinker, carbo-loader, or have a sweet (or salty) tooth, integrating any of these foods into your meals can only be good for you. 

Shanghai Pan-Fried Bao – Sheng Jian Bao

Here's another awesome "pocket food" option! Like when making dumplings or fried rice, it's always reassuring to make a "clean" version of Asian foods, using whole ingredients and, more importantly knowing what goes into it. Traditionally, these buns use minced pork belly, but I found that using good quality minced pork works just as well. 

A few summers ago, I took a cooking class during my stay in Shanghai. Sheng Jian Bao are pan-fried buns, filled with pork. A street-food favorite, they are typically eaten for breakfast or as a snack. It's hard to find these in Chinatown, so this recipe was a must-learn. I had to play around with the measurements for this recipe, as while we were making it during the lesson, there was a difference between the written measurements and what we prepared. To be exact is not so important, but I like to make sure that each of my recipes works out every time.  

Spring Soups

Despite the fact that it's almost June, I've been making a lot of soups this week, what with with spring allergies, the weather not making up it's mind --- changing from hot to freezing within a day, the rain... we need a little something to boost our immune systems and make us feel better. I stopped using any kind of stock years ago because of the high sodium content. These soups are incredibly flavorful with just that teaspoonful of salt. 

Ratatouille's Ratatouille

Yesterday's "meatless" Monday is a classic favorite of ours. Ever since we watched the brilliant Pixar movie "Ratatouille", I knew I had to make ratatouille this way. Traditionally this is a peasant vegetable "stew", but honestly, Thomas Keller's adaptation of this dish has taken this to a new level. Simple healthy ingredients, impressive looking and absolutely satisfying. 

It's nice to try to buy all the vegetables the same diameter (easier to stack and layer), which is why I specify an Asian eggplant/aubergine. It's only because they are skinnier, but any one will work. You'll find that just a few veggies goes a long way.

This is one of my favorite dishes to prepare with children of any age! 

Stocking up on Soups

Winter has really arrived this week. Today is brutal -8°C (real feel -15°C) at NOON!!! Brr-r-r-r.. We've been having soups and stews every night –– essential comfort food for body and mind. The fridge is stocked with plenty of soup leftovers for lunch, something quick and easy to warm up. 

Hot breakfast options include a steaming bowl of oatmeal/porridge or congee, Chinese rice porridge. Some of our favorites already posted here on c-cooking, More Than Chicken Soup, Cream of Mushroom (not Campbells!), Cauliflower Soup, A nice bowl of dumplings is a great warming food for a snack or any meal. For more substantial hot one-pot meals, Hearty Stew, Chicken Chili, and even a saucy curry will help get through these cold winter days.

I never use stock cubes nor broth for any of my soups or stews, just a teaspoon of salt brings out enough flavor for the whole pot. Compare this 6mg to the 300-1000mg of salt in one cup of store-bought broth.

Comfort Food

Winter has finally made it's brisk appearance. Time to pull out some old favorites. A good bowl of saucy pasta? A bowl of chili? A flavorful curry? Or a comforting soup or stew? 

It originates from northern England and Scotland, where there were large numbers of sheep. Using meat from a leftover roast and covering it with a layer of mash makes another meal. According to wikipedia, the vegetarian version of this is "shepherdess" pie, replacing the meat with tofu or lentils.A variation to the meat pie, this is a hearty all-in-one meal, piping hot out of the oven. It doesn't take long to make, but can be prepared in advance and baked for mealtime. 

Glazed Ham for the Holiday

This is a great alternative to turkey, and it takes a relatively short time for a roast. The ham that you purchase is usually smoked already, so it is only a matter of glazing and warming it through. You can boil away the excess salt first thing in the morning (tip from Nigella). The recipe comes from an old issue of Vogue Entertaining Australia. Once we even slow-roasted it on the barbecue! The key is to baste it regularly. These two recipes work well together at the same temperature. 

Yule Log (Buche de Nöel)

This year, there were suggestions for a Christmas log, so it had to be done! After perusing about twenty recipes online (there are so many variations!), it took some time to make sense of it all. I like looking at the British/ European recipes because they don't use too much sugar and the American ones for ease. After putting it all together and adjusting as I was making this, here is what I came up with. Using an electric beater is definitely handy, or else it will take a long time and be quite a workout! Make the meringue mushrooms a day ahead if possible, as there are so many steps involved in making this cake, that you may want to break up the work.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, EVERYONE!

SPONGE

6 free-range eggs, separated

1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup turbinado or coconut sugar

30g almond flour

30g 100% cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

FILLING

1 1/2 cups (350ml) heavy cream

1/4 cup (25g) icing sugar

1 tsp vanilla

FROSTING (just enough to cover the outer surface of the log, double if necessary)

4 Tbsp (60g) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup (50g) icing sugar

1/4 cup (2 oz / 50g) good-quality chocolate, chopped

1/2 tsp vanilla
2-3 tsp icing sugar for dusting

• Preheat oven to 375°F (180°C).
• Line a large jelly / swiss roll pan with parchment paper, extending over on all sides. Make sure to crease the folds and corners well for a good fit.  
• In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff. Then spoonful, by spoonful, beat in the granulated sugar. This should take about 10 minutes, so be patient. Beat on a high speed for the last minute or so. 
• In a second bowl, beat the egg yolks with the turbinado sugar. Beat until paler in color and thick. 
• Lightly beat in the almond flour, cocoa powder and vanilla. 
• Using a metal spoon, spoonful by spoonful, gently fold in the sweet egg whites. Take your time, and do not stir too hard or all the air bubbles will pop. 
• Spread out evenly onto the lined pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
• In the meantime, prepare the FILLING by whipping the cream until stiff. Then, gradually beat in/ stir the icing sugar and vanilla. Refrigerate.
• On another sheet of parchment paper, sprinkle generously with icing sugar. After taking the pan out of the oven, carefully lift out the cake and turn it upside down onto the icing sugar parchment. 
• Keeping the sponge cake sandwiched between both pieces of parchment, cover with a tea towel and roll it all up together to cool. Let cool for 30 minutes. 
• Prepare the FROSTING by melting the chopped up chocolate in a heatproof bowl (or measuring jug), that is submerged in about an inch of water. Bring the water to a boil. Stir the chocolate the entire time and once melted, remove from heat and let cool. It doesn't take long, and the water "bath" may not even reach boiling point. Set aside and mix the butter and icing sugar together. Gradually add the slightly cooled chocolate and blend until smooth. 
• When ready to assemble, unroll the sponge, remove the towel and carefully remove both pieces of parchment paper. Evenly spread the sweet whipped cream on top of the sponge, don't forget to go all the way to the edges! Then re-roll the entire sponge. 
• Place on top of a board or serving dish with the seam-side down. Spread the frosting on evenly. Use a fork to etch in a bark-like texture, running the tines down in one direction. 
• Cut off a bit off the ends to clean-up the edges, sprinkle with icing sugar for a snowy effect. 

Thanksgiving Sides

Today's morning prep

Happy Thanksgiving! I am glad to see some of you checking out some of the simple holiday recipes: Cranberry Sauce, Pecan Tarts, and Apple Crumble with cranberries is great, add some freshly grated ginger too.... Today we're headed to a friend's house. They're taking care of the bird while I am working on the sides (in my opinion, the best bits!). 
I used to go out and get all the ingredients for the recipes, including buying port and brandy for only small portions. While it's nice to have complexity of flavors, it is also good to pare down to the basics, when you don't have something on-hand. I've simplified the Fruit and Nut Stuffing this time, which we are baking on the side. This considerably reduces the roasting time of the turkey and also keeps the stuffing from turning to mush. The cranberry sauce without the port needs a bit more sugar, so below is the recipe, slightly changed.
If you plan on making lots of sides, you only need small portions of everything. The recipes below are enough for 4 adults and 4 kids, but are very flexible.

A month of Savoury Pies and pastries

Last week, we finally tried meat pies at the NYC Aussie establishment, Tuck Shop. I have been meaning to try them for more than a few years now, after having sampled a bit of sausage roll served at our Australian friend's one-year old daughter's birthday party. The pies were delicious, it was an easy option for dinner, and kids were in meat pie heaven. Ultimately, it got me to thinking how these would be the perfect food to pack for lunch or to just have on-hand for any occasion. Think about it, so many countries have some variation of a self-contained meal, tasty meat/veg, conveniently wrapped up in a parcel of pastry. The British love their meat/chicken/fish pies and pasties; Chinese have a plethora of steamed buns, Asians snack on curry puffs; India, the samosa; Argentina, the empanada; Italy, the calzone... 

If you prepare in advance, a little at a time, it is worth it. You can have the prepared filling and pastry in the fridge and, when ready, just assemble, bake and eat it. I love the idea of downsizing the traditional meat pies, to have individual portions, so that everyone gets enough pastry. I tried it out at home, using a standard muffin tin. (Go even smaller to a mini-muffin tin for some seriously fantastic party food). Here is a basic meat pie recipe, but the flexibility of your fillings is endless, as seen above, in the variations of flavors within each culture. I have been meaning to try an empanada recipe as well as a classic samosa one, so those will come in the next few entries. If you're going meatless, here is a Brie, Portobello and Kale Pie recipe that is substantially delicious.

Want to make your own pastry? Do this before you prepare the filling.