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Brunch/ Healthy Eating/ How-Tos/ RECIPES

13 Favorite Ways To Eat Chia – A Mega Energy Food

13 Ways To Eat Chia Seeds- A Mega Energy Food!

A little bit about the superfood Chia.  The word “Chia” is actually a Mayan word for “strength.”  The seeds were used by ancient cultures as mega-energy food.  Especially for their running messengers.  Chia has been called “Indian Running Food” and is knows in the world of super marathon runners as a staple for sustained energy.

{click here to buy on Amazon}

 
Chia seeds and I are like best friends. I try to enjoy them everyday.
  Why?

~the are jammed packed with protein and minerals and healthy fats and fiber
~they provide more plant based Omega 3’s than any other food, even FLAX
~5 times the calcium of milk, plus boran which is a trace mineral that helps transfer calcium to bones
~8 times the omega 3’s found in salmon
~3 times more iron than spinach
~2 times the amount of potassium than bananas
~more antioxidants than found in blueberries
~they have 5 GRAMS of fiber PER TABLESPOON!
~the are a complete source of protein, providing all the essential amino acids
~can be stored for years without deterioration of flavor or color
~they are flavorless and dissolve in juice, soups, stews, shakes etc..

~they are low calorie way to get super FULL!

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Here are a few of my favorite ways to eat Chia:

Chia oats

Chia Oats

This is a no cook way to eat your oats.  Many call them “overnight” oats, as you make them the night before and let them sit overnight. My daughter begs me to make these and often eats them as a super healthy afternoon snack!

Chewy no bake granola bars

Chewy, No Bake Granola Bars

These are super delicious and a great way to get fiber in!

Anytime chia oats

Anytime Chia Oats

The same as above, but they do not need to sit out overnight.  Just throw the ingredients into a blender. It makes a textured banana oat chia pudding.

chocolate peanut butter chia pudding

Chocolate Peanut Butter Chia Pudding

A great and healthy way to satisfy those chocolate cravings!

Green smoothie

My Everyday Green Smoothie

Sometimes I add chia, sometimes I don’t.  This is a GREAT go-to green smoothie!

peanut butter banana chia seed roll up

Peanut Butter Banana Chia Seed Roll Up

These make a good after school snack.  It gets those Omega’s into your kids.

chocolate almond chia oats/ apple dip

Chocolate Almond Chia Oats / Apple Dip

Another favorite after school snack.  My 9 year old daughter likes to whip this up all by herself.

blueberry banana chia oat smoothie

Blueberry Banana Chia Oat Smoothie

Super filling and full of antioxidants!

strawberry banana breakfast chia oats

Strawberry Banana Breakfast Chia Oats

This is one of my favorite ways to eat Chia Oats.

ziplock smoothie freezer packs

Ziplock Smoothie Freezer Packs

I often put a spoonful of chia seeds into our smoothies made from these Ziplock Freezer Packs.

Rips big bowl for breakfast

Rips Big Bowl For Breakfast

I love to sprinkle chia seeds on our cold breakfast cereal.  This one is a fav around here.

orange almond polenta cake with strawberries

Orange Almond Polenta Cake With Strawberries

This cake is super refreshing, and uses what is called a “Chia egg.”  A chia egg is an egg substitute.  Great for vegans or if you just happen to run out of eggs!

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GT's chia kombucha

GT’s Chia Kombucha

I LOVE these drinks.  Kombucha is fermented and great for your gut.  It has a bit of “fizz” which makes me feel like I am drinking a soda.  These Kombucha’s with chia are filling & make a great snack.  Buy them at your local health food store.

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How To Make A Chia Egg Substitute

1 Tbls Chia to 3 Tbls water–mix and let sit until a gel like consistency, about 10 minutes.

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One of the most common ways to eat chia is to first soak the seeds.  They can very rapidly absorb a large amount of liquid- between 9-12 times their value, in under 10 minutes.

Basic Chia Gel

To make a basic chia gel, simply add 1/3 cup of seeds (2oz) to 2 cups of water.  Stir the mixture well, to avoid clumping, then leave it in your fridge, in a sealed mason jar.  This will yield around 17 oz of chia gel.  You can begin to eat the gel almost immediately if you like.  Just 10 minutes is enough time for the get to be formed.  More of the nutrients will be easily accessible after a few hours however, so many people alike to make up a batch like this and leave it in the fridge.  It will stay good for about three weeks.  You will have ready-made gel whenever you need it.  You can add to smoothies, mix it with salad dressings, puddings or granola, or simply take it by the spoonful.

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You can buy Chia seeds at Trader Joes, health food stores, and many grocery stores in the health food section.  You can also click here to order them from Amazon.  Amazon has a great deal, and I will get a small percentage of your purchase if you use this link!

 

9
Christmas/ RECIPES/ Sweets

Andes Chocolate Mint Cookies – A Christmas Tradition

Andes chocolate mint cookies

It is the week before Christmas, and it seems like sugar is merrily making its way into our home!  My little 9 year old has discovered a love for making recipes, which has been a load of fun. I’m eager to steer her toward more healthful recipes come the first of the year!

{Like this one: Chocolate Bliss Balls–3 ways!}

This awesome Andes Mint Cookie recipe is one that I make every year at Christmastime. It is so easy, and has 2 of my favorite holiday flavors, chocolate and mint!  They are simple, pretty and oh so yum.   I double or triple the batch, make a bunch of balls and freeze them until needed.  I love the ease of baking just a few, right before heading out to our different Christmas celebrations.  I also love that I have them in the freezer just in case a friend pops by, it is fun to have a little treat to bake at a moments notice!

Andes mints

Andes Chocolate Mint Cookies
1 box Devils Food Cake Mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
Andes mints, unwrapped and cut in half

~Dump all into a large bowl, beat until combined.
~Roll into one inch balls.  (I just use a pampered chef small scoop and skip the rolling)
~Bake @ 350 for 6-7 minutes. (Don’t over bake, you want them soft.)
~Immediately, push an andes mint gently down in the center of each cookie.
~Wait a minute or so, until the top of the mint turns melted and shiny, then take a toothpick or tip of a knife and swirl the melted mint into a circle, creating swirly beauty. (my girls love doing this part)
~Let cool so the chocolate will set before putting on a platter.

chocolate mint cookie ballsAndes Chocolate mint cookies mixture

Andes chocolate mint cookies

Andes mint cookies

Andes chocolate mint cookies

2
FUN/DIY/ Homemade Gifts/ RECIPES/ Sweets

Why I Love Our Babycakes Cakepop Maker!

Babycakes cake pops

Ok, so usually I am all about de-cluttering, so adding what could be considered just another kitchen appliance is a bit out of character for me, but I didn’t have much choice…and now I am quite happy about that!

We opened a few early Christmas gifts, and one sister got the other sister a ‘babycake’ cake pop maker. My first thought was, “oh my, another thing to store and have to get rid of when it just sits there unused” But I think I was wrong to so harshly judge our new appliance friend.

babycakes cake pops

If you are looking for a last minute gift idea, this might just be the thing.  All 3 of my girls were super excited to try it out (age 9, 11, and 13).  We did just that tonight, and I was very surprised at how much I love this thing!

It heats up quickly and the red light turns green when it is ready.  You add a tablespoon of batter to each hole, and in 4 minutes, you have cute little cake bites.  It comes with a great recipe book full of different cake recipes & donut hole recipes, a handy tong tool to get the hot holes out of the baker when done, a cooling tray, sticks, & an injector to make little jelly filled babycakes. I love that you don’t have to heat the oven up, which means more baking when summer comes!  I am eager to experiment with more wholesome ingredients.

Tonight we made Glazed Lemon Cakepops and Apple Cider Cinnamon Sugar donut holes.  Both were amazing.  There are directions on how to use a simple cakebox mix, but also recipes to make from scratch.  I was super impressed with the Lemon Cakepop recipe.  It called for real lemon zest, lemon juice and lemon extract.  It was so moist and delicious.  It made 24 pops, which is perfect.  I love that you feel like you are getting a decadent treat, but really it is only a bite–if you can stop at just one.  I like that it only makes a small amount, as I don’t really want these sitting around the house for too long!

apple cider cinnamon sugar donut holes

The Apple Cider Cinnamon Sugar donut holes were perfection.  Super easy to make, and right when they are done baking you toss them into a paper bag of cinnamon sugar mixture. The recipe made 36 donut holes. I am having my family over for Christmas brunch and these beauties are going to be served!  They would also make a great homemade gift for the neighbor.  We are in the middle of a winter storm here in Nebraska, so I think it would be quite fun to put on our snow boots and dig our way next door to deliver hot, homemade donut holes to our neighbors.  We just might!

You can purchase your own babycakes maker here at Amazon.  

They are also sold at Bed, Bath & Beyond & Target.

3
FUN/DIY/ Homemade Gifts/ RECIPES/ Sweets

Chocolate Blackberry Brandied Truffles

chocolate blackberry brandied truffles
{Don’t you love the homemade, stamped gift tag?}


I have a handful of what I call ‘heart friends.’ You know, the kind where you feel that your hearts are literally knit together and could not imagine life without.  Well, that is what I call my friend Ann.  We have known each other for years, and being her hairstylist for years has kept us getting together regularly every 5 weeks.  Thank goodness her hair takes at least 2 hours, because we always have so much to share and it takes at least this long to get caught up!

Thanks to these regular hair dates, and thanks to how very dear Ann is to me, she knows me.  She knows all my junk and loves me anyway.  We joke that our hair dates are therapy for us both.  


A form of ‘therapy’ that Ann brought this last visit was a beautiful Christmas gift of Homemade Blackberry Brandied Truffles.  Oh. My. Yum.

I cannot tell you how delicious these are.  The nuts are crunchy, the chocolate deep & creamy, a hint of blackberry.  They are amazing.

She handed them to me sheepishly knowing I usually eat pretty healthy.  I reassured her that when it comes to dessert I do it right!  I may not do it often, but you bet I’m gonna eat her homemade goodies and enjoy every, last bite.  Cancer survivors learn how to live fully, and I think eating a real dessert once in awhile fits perfectly into living fully!

The minute I bit into one of these truffles, my eyes got big, and I knew I had to share this little treasure of a recipe with you all!  Enjoy…every last bite!


Blackberry Brandied Truffles 
 
1/2 pound chopped bittersweet or semisweet or milk chocolate (don’t use unsweetened!) (I like the dark chocolate the best 🙂
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted real butter
2 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons of blackberry brandy 

COATING CHOICES:  coconut or almonds (either sliced or crushed) but definitely toasted!  Toast in the microwave 30 seconds at a time, stirring every 30 seconds.  The presentation is beautiful when you use different coatings!

SURPRISE IN THE CENTER CHOICES:  nothing (great as is!) or tuck a well-drained maraschino cherry inside or a whole almond.
 
Directions:  
Melt chocolate & butter together in the microwave until hot, being careful not to scorch the chocolate.
Wisk in the egg yolks until mixture is shiny.
Stir in the brandy.  
Put in the refrigerator until cool enough to form into soft balls.
Use a teaspoon size cookie scoop, leveled off, for each truffle.  If desired, tuck in a cherry or almond & roll into a ball.  Coat the ball as desired.  Put each truffle in a miniature muffin liner or paper nut cup (can be purchased at Hobby Lobby in the cake decorating section).

Store in refrigerator.

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Tips: 

To make orange flavored truffles, you can use Gran Marnier in place of the blackberry brandy. It is more pricey, but I just read online that you can go into your local liquor store and ask for an “airline bottle” of Gran Marnier.  The commenter said she does this all the time for recipes that call for small amounts of liquor.

1
GF, Vegan & Raw/ HEALTH/ Healthy Eating/ How-Tos/ RECIPES

Steps To Healthy Living — A Request From My Sister

mother and daughter
{My sister & niece. Oh how I love them!}

My lil’ sis of Beauty Divine Design has been asking me all kinds of questions about how we eat, as they are wanting to eat a more plant strong diet.

Here is a Facebook chat we recently had:

Think I overwhelmed her with my crazy run-on sentences and gazillion suggestions?  Yep, I did.  She then sent a message with some more specific questions she had, and I have decided to tackle all of her questions, little by little, on this blog.  

I know she sent these messages without thinking that I would share them publicly.  I left all our typos, casual language and misspellings to keep things ‘authentic.’ Tee hee.  

Questions for eating plant-based

Okay a ton of questions but you don’t have to get to them all immediately… whenever.

What can you use instead of milk for cooking- does almond and soy milk work the same? Which one tastes the best for adding to cereal? 

You can use almond milk and coconut milk for cooking.  Plain almond milk is what we use.  We use almond milk exclusively, I can’t have soy and I don’t trust soy anyway.  You could also try rice milk or coconut milk.  We like almond milk, especially on cereal. There was an adjustment period, my kids grumbled at first, but when it was the only thing in the house they gave in and ate it, now we are so used to it that none of us can stand the taste of cow milk.  I think the kind that you can get in the cold milk section tastes the best.

What do u use instead of butter, whipping cream, cheese etc. does any of it actually taste good? Lol

I use soy free Earth Balance. It is a super popular butter substitute with vegans. It tastes good. If you use real butter at least make sure it is organic. There are vegan cheeses but I think they are nasty and made up of way too many ingredients…processed.  If we eat cheese, it is organic.  This makes it expensive so we eat very, very little cheese.  Even on tacos or pizza I use about 1/4 of what we used to use, and I pick it off my finished piece completely.  Lots of vegans soak cashews, then put them in a food processor which makes a creamy, cheesy like sauce.  I have done this a couple times and liked it but want to experiment more.   I don’t use whipping cream unless we are making a special occasion dessert and if so we use the real thing because it is so rare.  I buy organic cream cheese for the girls and their whole wheat bagels, but I’ve noticed they only put a super thin layer on.  I think they are losing their taste for this, which keeps happening with animal products. They just have slowly stopped wanting them. It is kinda crazy!

Which oils to avoid? Is olive oil ok?

Some, like Rip E in the below video don’t use oil at all.  Happy Herbivore is another plant based eater that rarely uses oil…her recipes are great. I use small amounts of olive oil for marinades, pestos & homemade salad dressings.  It has a low smoke point so it is ok to cook with as long as the heat is med or lower.  I use coconut oil for high heat cooking/frying/sauteing.  I also use coconut oil for baking.  I believe coconut oil is very good for you…see this post for more on coconut oil. There are two types, one that tastes and smells like coconut and one that doesn’t.    I often use applesauce in place of oil in baking recipes.

Is soy good or bad? I feel like I’ve heard both.

Most of the soy in the US is genetically modified and I don’t trust it.  My Oncologist wants me to stay away from it because my caner was estrogen positive.  They do eat soy in lots of Asian countries where cancer rates are low, but they mostly eat it fermented and as more of a condiment or seasoning, less as a main dish as many vegans in the US do.  There is controversy with soy, but following my Oncologist orders makes it easy for me to just stay away from it.  Plus, most vegan soy foods are highly processed…not whole foods.  I’m not a fan of companies turning soy into something that is supposed to taste and feel like meat.  Blech. So fake.

Are any animal products better than others? Can I sneak some chicken in every once in awhile haha

Sure you can.  It does not have to be all or nothing.  I call myself a “plant eater sometimes cheater” and I eat fish and eggs at times. I was willing to make meat for my family a couple times a week, but they have all lost their taste for meat for the most part.  They can eat it if it is in something, like a casserole (which I don’t make anymore)  but the texture of chicken and red meat is a bit off- putting to them now.  I was surprised this happened.  I now have 3 little bean- eating girls with vegetarian palates! Never thought I would see the day!  It has just slowly happened.  If you do eat meat, stay away from red meat as much as possible, and buy your chicken organic.  It is more expensive but worth it.  

What are your go- to meals each week?  Top 5 regulars maybe? 

~Chili No Meat
~Tacos made with beans–I love the crockpot beans in this post, we’ve also made the homemade tortillas in the same post and they were AMAZING.
~Spaghetti, homemade tomato sauce, no meat.  I use this recipe sometimes, too.
~Soups–we love French Lentil Soup & Vegan Creamy Broccoli soup.
~Breakfast for dinner–whole grain pancakes, organic eggs

I will write a more detailed post about this.


Replacement snacks/desserts that are sweet but not loaded up with ickies? 
I will write a post about this, in the meantime, read this post titled, Healthy Snack Ideas For Kids


New Nostalgia

How do u know if something is processed? Like our whole wheat bread has like 27 ingredients but it is whole wheat and my homemade bread tastes like cardboard.  

Lol!  Cardboard?!  You need to try this recipe…we love it. I just made it tonight to go with our spaghetti dinner and my Teagan said “Mom this bread is the best!” It does get more dry by day 3 or 4, but then it makes the BEST toast.  Here is a post I wrote about store bought bread.  Look for no high fructose corn syrup, 3-4 grams of fiber per serving & make sure it says 100% whole wheat bread.  My rule is try to eat food as close to whole as possible.  This post on my Favorite Food Rules might be helpful, these simple suggestions really helped me in my journey of eating clean.

Meal ideas for kids cuz Little Man only likes PB and J or chicken nuggets right now as a main course. Sometimes pizza or Mac n cheese but won’t even try anything else. He does good with fruits and veggies as a side.

This is hard.  Kids are picky, but eventually he would get hungry enough to eat something new.  Keep trying new things more than once.  If they get used to seeing it around, they are more likely to eat it.  I wish I was more tough with my kids when they were little and didn’t give in so much to what they wanted instead of what they needed. Keep up the fruits and veggies, try making them the main dish.  I will write more about this another time.  Hopefully my readers will chime in on this one!

lime and sparkling water

How to break pop addiction?! I’m seriously an addict!
Ha!  Is it the caffeine or the bubbly sweet that you love?  If it is the bubbly sweet, then mixing juice with sparkling water is a good substitute.  I love this Fresh Lime Soda & also this Lemonade Spritzer. If it is a caffeine thing, cut down slowly and replace with herbal teas.  Even black coffee is better than pop.  Diet has aspartame and regular has HFCS.  Even the “healthy” pops have loads of sugar.  The best way to break this is to know what it is that you are putting in your body, when I learned how sugar affects the body, it made me want it less. Read about lemon water and why it is good for you…drink it every morning for a week and I bet you will be hooked on water…you will start becoming very thirsty and nothing will quench that thirst but water.  


Here is a bit more inspiration for you:
Steps To Healthy Living

And short and great video on eating plant strong:

There ya go my sis! Browse the links, watch the video, and let me know your thoughts.  I love your questions!
//
Readers, I would love your thoughts and suggestions in the comments.  

2
GF, Vegan & Raw/ Meals/ RECIPES

Baked Falafel With Aioli Sauce–Gluten Free

{A guest post from Meghan @ eat. live. make.}

 We’ve gone greek and are loving it! We had some new friends over a few nights ago and wanted to give them a fun gluten free culinary experience. It was their first time to eat totally gluten free and vegan, and we wanted to show them how much fun and delicious it can be.

Our menu consisted of this Falafel, Middle East salad, Hummus, “grape leaf wraps” and gfcf black bean brownies. I’ll be sharing most of these recipes with you throughout the week and month. 

Falafel Ingredients:

  • 1/2 onion, finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained
  • 1/4 C. cilantro leaves
  • 1 t. ground cumin
  • 1 t. coriander
  • 1 t. salt
  • 1 flax egg
  • 2 T. chickpea flour
Directions:
  1. Place all ingredients (except flour) into food processor and process until smooth.
  2. Remove and place in large mixing bowl and add flour and flax egg. Stir to combine
  3. Heat oven to 400 degrees and place 2 T. size balls onto oiled baking sheet.
  4. Place in oven. Cook each side for 15 minutes or until browned. 
Aioli Sauce Ingredients:
  • 1/4 C. tahini
  • 1/4 C. vegan mayo
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 garlic clove
  • 1/2 t. salt 
  • 1/4 C. water
Directions:
  1. Combine all ingredients and whisk together until smooth.

//

Hello friends! My name is Meghan and I blog over at eat.live.make. I am a Celiac who loves to get creative in the kitchen. I’m a health nut and am always soaking up ways to live a healthier, simpler and more peaceful life. There are several things that make my heart happy: Jesus, my husband and our family and friends, our dog Dakota, photography,playing outside,creating things and traveling! I’d love for you to come over and pay me a visit. Say hi and stay a while! 

6
GF, Vegan & Raw/ Meals/ RECIPES

Orzo Pasta With Caramelized Fall Vegetables & Ginger

This pasta was so very comforting and hit the spot!  The orzo pasta is chewy, and the caramelized vegetables add layers of flavor to the pasta.

The garlic, ginger and sage add wonderful flavor, just enough; not overpowering.  I love a pasta that is so flavorful that it does not need any type of sauce, and this is exactly that!

This Orzo Pasta dish is very simple to put together.  After boiling the orzo pasta, you only need to use one skillet for this dish.

Have everything chopped up and ready to go before you start to cook, ready to go in and caramelize in steps.  This is important.

It is not complicated, but you need to follow the instructions below.  You put the sweet potatoes in first, cook until they start to brown a bit, then push them to the side and throw in the onions.

Once the onions start to caramelize, you push those over and add garlic.  Do the same with ginger and mushrooms.

Use one large skillet over fairly high heat, add the ingredients in order according to instructions, pushing them to the side of the pan as they cook. Easy!

My favorite part was deglazing the pan with a mixture of soy sauce and balsamic vinegar.  I am a huge balsamic vinegar fan, so I loved that this recipe utilizes this ingredient.

You serve this hot, but I liked it cold the next day eaten as a pasta salad, too.

It is hearty and filling, and it is vegan if you leave the Parmesan cheese off.

My girls loved it and were bummed the next day when I ate the leftovers for lunch and there was not any left for them. They wanted it as an afternoon snack!

I wondered if the green kale would throw them but it is chopped so finely that it looks like an herb and they didn’t even notice it.

It makes a lot and would make a great main dish for vegetarians or a great side dish for meat eaters!

Enjoy!

Orzo Caramelized with Fall Vegetables & Ginger
serves 4 as a main dish and 6 as a side dish

 

Salt
1/2 pound orzo pasta
Grapeseed, peanut, or vegetable oil
1 large sweet potato (about 3/4 pound)
2 medium onions (about 1 pound), finely diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
3-inch piece fresh ginger — peeled and grated, about 1 tablespoon
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps diced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 big leaves chard or kale, stalks removed and leaves finely chopped — about 2 cups
Freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan, optional

Heat a large pot of water to boiling and salt it generously. Cook the orzo until barely al dente — about 6 to 7 minutes. Drain and toss with a generous drizzle of oil so that the grains of orzo are lightly coated with oil. Set aside.

Peel the sweet potato and dice it finely into cubes about 1/4 to 1/2 inch to a side. Heat a large sauté or frying pan (the largest you have — you want plenty of room and hot surface) over high heat. Drizzle in a little grapeseed or vegetable oil (not olive oil — you want an oil with a high smoke point) and heat until very hot. Add the sweet potatoes and arrange them in one layer. Cook them over high heat until they are beginning to caramelize and turn brown — about 4 minutes. Flip them over and cook for another 3 minutes or so.

Turn the heat down to medium and push the sweet potatoes up in a pile against one side of the pan. Add the diced onions to the center of the pan and sprinkle them lightly with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions are beginning to turn brown. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and stir them into the onions. Push the onions off to the side of the pan, next to the sweet potatoes, where they will continue to caramelize.

Add the diced shiitake mushrooms to the hot center of the pan and cook them for 4 minutes without turning them. Then flip and stir them and cook for another 4 minutes.

At this point everything should be getting well-cooked; the onions should be quite dark brown and the garlic should be golden and soft. The potatoes should be softening.

 

Whisk together the vinegar, soy sauce, and 2 tablespoons of oil. Pour this into the pan with the vegetables and mix everything together, scraping the bottom as you go. Cook all the elements together for about 3 minutes on medium heat. Then turn the heat up to high, as high as it will go.
Add the orzo gradually, shaking in a cup at a time, and stirring and scraping constantly. Cook the orzo over high heat with the rest of the vegetables for about 5 minutes, letting the orzo get browned on the bottom of the pan, then scraping it up. You are developing a little more color and flavor on the pasta, and helping all the flavors combine.

Finally, toss the chopped greens into the mix and cook for 1 more minute or until the greens are barely wilted. Turn off the heat and taste. Add salt and pepper if needed. Serve hot, with shavings of Parmesan if desired.

 

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