Chia Pudding

For breakfast, a snack, dessert or a cute, green furry pet. Ch-ch-ch-chia.

While the chia seed is not cheap, when you look at it's nutritional profile it kinda is.  It contains more iron than spinach, more antioxidants than blueberries, more fiber than beans, more calcium than milk, and more potassium than bananas. Not to mention that it is a complete protein and an excellent source of omega three's.  This is a super food in it's own right and versatile as all get out.

Add a couple tablespoons to your smoothies. Use to thicken sauces by just mixing in the seeds (about 1 tablespoon per 1/2 cup) and letting the mixture set up for 20 minutes.  You can make a "chia gel" by mixing 2 tablespoon seeds and 1 cup water, refrigerate overnight.  This gel is flavorless, will keep for a month and can be used in yogurt, salsa, soups, and salad dressings.  Chia gel is also a great egg replacement; 1/4 cup gel equal 1 egg in a recipe.

 One of my favorite uses for chia seeds is chia pudding.  A really flexible recipe.  You can go basic with just the seeds milk and sweetener.  Vanilla adds a nice flavor and I love the spices, but you could also go chocolate by mixing in 2 tablespoons cacao or cocoa powder, this would slightly hide the brown specks in the pudding.  My favorite milk to use in fresh coconut milk, almond milk is excellent, but cow's milk or goat's milk would do the trick too.  As always; the creamier the better!

3 cups milk
1/2 cup chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients in a quart jar.  Stir well and refrigerate overnight.  Especially great with sliced strawberries, bananas, peaches or mangoes mixed in before serving.

How do you like your chia?
links; Hearth and Soup Hop, Menu Plan Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Happy Homemaker Monday, Monday Mania, Fight Back Friday, Recipe Swap, Finer Things Friday

Red Quinoa Coconut Sweet Potatoes

For years I worked with Chef Brad, a local chef who has a passion for whole grains, and he really got me hooked on red quinoa. It can be hard to find, but is slowly becoming more widely available. It has the texture of white quinoa, so that would be the best substitution, but the flavor is pleasantly nutty and is worth getting your hands on.

Yams and sweet potatoes are very different tubers. You will not find an authentic yam at a regular grocery store, even chain health food stores have them mislabeled. Instead we see an orange variety and an orange-red variety, sometimes you may come across a whitish yellow variety. They are all very similar in texture and even flavor and nutrition, so find the one that suits your taste.

This is a recipe from Chef Brad that I adapted many times over as my food knowledge expands. Again I urge you to try using slightly less sugar each time you make sweets, you will notice more flavor and crave less sweetness in all your meals. This dish goes perfectly with Thanksgiving dinner and with many fall season meals. We have this for dessert on most days. The sweetness is a happy medium, I could do with less, but for a big family gathering I use more.

I like that there are no oats to worry about soaking and such, still the nuts give a nice crunch. I use this same topping for apple crisp on the apples from my apple turnovers. Save time by making a double batch of topping and refrigerate up to a week to use on a fruit crisp.

4 cups cooked sweet potatoes
1/4 cup honey
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups soaked and cooked red quinoa
1 cup unsweetened coconut
1 cup roasted or soaked and dehydrated walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup sucanat
½ cup sprouted flour
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon nutmeg

Mash sweet potatoes and mix with sweetener, milk, butter, eggs, vanilla and salt. Spread evenly in a 9x9 dish. Layer quinoa over potato mixture. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a bowl and sprinkle on top of quinoa. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

If you need to free up some oven space and cooking time on thanksgiving day, may I suggest this cold, make ahead side. For more great ideas on thanksgiving sides go to this gallery.

links; Whole Foods for the Holiday's

Good-Egg Salad Sandwich

Eggs are way, way, way unappreciated by people who eat ; ) They get a bad review from most every mainstream diet. The egg yolk is where all the amazing antioxidants, healthy fats and delectable flavor are found. Yet, low carb-ers and body builders use only whites for their high protein content. Low fat dieters are afraid the fat in the yolk means fat on their thighs. Worst of all medical doctors encourage less yoke-age because of cholesterol. Unbeknownst to most is that the conclusive studies on cholesterol were done on powdered eggs. Powdering anything with cholesterol begets oxidized cholesterol, which no doubt is entirely unhealthy! All of this has led to a low nutrient dense product that is held in high regard by the health savvy consumer--an eggs substitute made with egg whites, lovely.

I am highly bugged when people think they can make food healthier than our creator. There is a new-ish food system that was created to "help" consumers make healthier choices. Rating products points from 1 to 100, the higher the number the heathier the product. NuVal rates an egg subsitute 67 and real eggs only 33. No wonder consumers are confused, there are a contant stream of organizations conspiring against us.

Eggs are one of the only animal products that have not been completely adulterated by mass commercial farming techniques. Though a properly cared for chicken yields a far superior egg, a super food in fact, the average grocery store egg benefits your health more than anything in a box. Do something good for yourself, eat whole eggs.

A favorite, simple (that is if I have mayo made, bread baked and eggs boiled and cooled) lunch of mine is egg salad sandwiches. They bring me back to childhood; loved them then on my Wonder Bread with Miracle Whip and Frenches Yellow Mustard, love them now on my whole grain bread, olive oil mayo and stone ground mustard. Here is my formula for making a simple egg salad sandwich per person.

2 slices of bread

2 hard cooked eggs

1 tablespoon mayo

1 teaspoon mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Multiply ingredients for number of people. Peel and mash eggs with a fork, combine with mayo, mustard, salt and pepper. Sandwich mixture in bread slices.

Home-Sprouted Flour

In the process of experimenting with soaking grains for added nutritional benefits, I have come across some instances where it is not always possible. Sometimes a little more flour is needed at the end or there is no liquid in the recipe to begin with, other times I have just not thought ahead sufficiently. A healthy solution is to use sprouted flour which is whole grain that has been sprouted, dehydrated and ground, preferably right before use.

Sprouting changes the composition of starch molecules, converting them into vegetable sugars, so the body recognizes and digests sprouted grains as a vegetable. Enzymes are also created that aid digestion, complex sugars are broken down which can eliminate painful gas, and vitamin and mineral levels increase. Furthermore, sprouting neutralizes carcinogens and enzyme inhibitors, as phytic acid that inhibits absorption of calcium, magnesium, iron, copper and zinc.

I have stayed away from sprouted flour because it is expensive to buy/ship and hard to find. Mostly, I am skeptical of the quality because I know how quickly flour looses it's nutrition once milled and going through a storage/buying/shipping/process takes a lot of time. Not to mention keeping it on hand for months as you need it. So when I found out I could do it at home, I decided to go for it.

The steps are simple if you have ever sprouted any grain. I used kamut and spelt my first time because I have had great success in sprouting those. I started in the afternoon and soaked the grains in half-filled quart jars, covered with filtered water. In the morning I rinsed them 3 times, swirling each time. I put a cut piece of cheese cloth held on by a jar band (could also use clean pantyhose.) This made it easy to dump the water each time while keeping the grain in the jar. I then let them drain tilted top down in a large bowl. I repeated the rinse in the afternoon and just before bed they had sprouted. Just a short white tail growing out of one end. I rinsed again and spread out in a thin layer on sheet pans. I set my oven to the dehydrate setting at 110 degrees and left them overnight. In the morning they were completely dry and ready to mill.

I only mill as needed and store the rest whole to preserve nutrition. Under these instructions, this flour is a raw food. Most ovens do not have a setting under 170. While this cooks the grain, which effects the enzymes, I feel this is still a worthwhile process. Most flour you are using for baking purposes, thus cooking the flour in the end anyway. I have not experimented much with the end result, but as I use this nutritious flour in recipes I will report back.

Do you use sprouted flour? If so, do you have any tips?

One Grain at a Time

--Amaranth--

A versatile, gluten free grain with a rich history.This small, yellow seed was quickly recognized by early Aztecs as a power food for their warriors. Amaranth is harvested from an attractive plant which grows like a weed and produces edible leaves that can be used like spinach. The grain itself has a mild grassy flavor that is especially wonderful toasted or popped.

To pop use a deep pot with no oil. Heat the pot and add a pinch to see of the pot is hot enough. If those pop without burning quickly, you have found the right heat (about medium high). Add no more than 2 tablespoons at once, quickly swirl around the pot until mostly popped and dump into a galss bowl before adding more. 1/4 cup will yield 1 cup of popped.

Cost:
20 cents a serving at $2.00 per lb.
1 lb = 2.2 cups dry = 5 cups cooked = 3 cups flour

To Cook:
1 cup grain to 3 cups water
Simmer 15 minutes, soaked

Simmer 45 minutes, unsoaked
Strain and rinse if desired

To Store:
-Whole - indefinitely in an air tight container in a cool, dry place.
For long term storage freeze for 48 hours before storing.
-Flour and popped grains - up to 2 weeks in an air tight container, or freeze up to 1 year.
-Cooked - refrigerate for up to 10 days, or freeze up to 6 months.

To Use:
-Grind in blender and cook for a nutritious baby food

-Use flour for thickening sauces and gravies
-Flour may be added to baked goods.

-Cook to make a hot breakfast cereal.
-Whole amaranth adds crunch to breads.

-Pop and use in breads, cookies, candies and salads.

Nutritional Value per 100 grams (3.5 oz)
Calories 371
Total fat 7 g
Dietary fiber 7 g
Protein 14 g
Carbohydrate 66 g
Thiamin 0.1 mg 8%
Riboflavin 0.2 mg 12%
Niacin 0.9 mg 5%
Vitamin B6 0.6 mg 30%
Folate 82mcg 21%

Pantothenic Acid 1.5 mg 15%

Calcium 159 mg 16%

Iron 7.6 mg 42%
Magnesium 248 mg 62%
Phosphorus 557 mg 56%
Potassium 508 mg 15%
Zinc 2.9 mg 19 %
Copper 0.5 mg 26%
Manganese 3.3 mg 167%
Selenium 18.7 mcg 27%

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

Sweet potatoes are super nutritious and extremely versatile. We love baked sweet potato fries and whipped sweet potatoes with cinnamon and butter, but have you tried them cold? Liberty Market in Gilbert has this awesome sweet potato salad that I have been working to recreate. I feel I am close enough to call it just as good even if it is not quite the same. It is slightly smoky, salty and sweet with a little kick.

The flavors take a few hours to marry, so this is best to make a day or two ahead. I love having a bowl of it ready to serve up for a quick snack or a side with lunch. I think these sweet potatoes would even be great as a thanksgiving side instead of the ewwy gooey marshmallow kind. This would free up oven space for that nice free range turkey and yummy homemade butter rolls!

Chipotle peppers are spicy (they are smoked jalapeños), you can adjust it to your taste. One pepper is just enough to notice, but not at all overpowering. I get the peppers in a can and puree the whole thing, then freeze it in tablespoon portions since I never use a whole can at once and never use them whole, it is a convenient way to use them. 1 tablespoon is equal to about 1 pepper.

3 pounds sweet potatoes

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, pureed

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1/3 cup dried cranberries

½ cup pecans, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (convection works best). Peel and cut potatoes into 1” pieces. Toss to coat with 2 tablespoon of olive oil and arrange in a single layer on two baking sheets. Roast for 35 minutes. Mix 2 tablespoons oil, pepper puree, vinegar, salt and pepper to make a dressing. Combine cranberries, pecans, chives and cooked sweet potatoes in a medium bowl, drizzle with dressing, cover and refrigerate until chilled.

How do you like your sweet potatoes?

links; Whole Foods for the Holiday's

Black Bean Salad

Beans are so healthy, they have it all; the fiber, the protein, lots of vitamins, minerals and protective phyto-chemicals. I have been learning about the benefits of soaking grains and beans in a slightly acid solution. The purpose is to neutralize the phytic acid which blocks absorption of some of the minerals. Just a tablespoon of kefir, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar per cup of beans in the the soaking liquid for 12-24 hours does the trick. Of coarse they cook up faster this way too.

Black beans are so versatile as they are fairly small and become soft while holding their shape. The texture blends well with lots, try them in sloppy joes, shepard's pie, tacos or enchiladas. I added quinoa to my salad, another power house, which is totally optional. It should be soaked and cooked separately. I cooked it for 2 minutes in my pressure cooker. I bet avocado would be good in this too. I love the light dressing, it brightens the flavor of the salad/salsa.

1 pressed garlic clove
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 cups black beans (cooked)
1 cup corn (I like the roasted corn from Trader Joe's the best)
½ cup cooked red quinoa
¼ cup red bell pepper, finely diced
¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped

Whisk together garlic, vinegar, oil, honey and spices to form a dressing. Combine all other ingredients, pour dressing over and toss. Serve as a side dish alone, with chips or in tacos.

This post is part of Kitchen Stewardship's October Fest Carnival of Super Foods, Whole Foods for the Holidays

Green House Smoothie

After years of trying to cover up the green-ness of spinach in smoothies, I have finally decided to embrace the color that epitomizes nutrition. Smoothies are great for packing a big nutrition 1-2 punch. There are TONS of supplemental items that can hide in a nice, smooth, refreshing beverage. This is a sample recipe that even my husband enjoys. If I am making one for just me and the kids I will add a few more goodies, or add them after I have poured him a glass. Smoothies are a chance to get creative, use up what you have. Always remember to freeze produce that is about to go bad and just throw them into the next smoothie.

2 cups kefir
¼ cup flax oil
dash of salt
½ teaspoon vanilla
3 whole kiwis
2 bananas-frozen
core of 1 pineapple-frozen
3 cups baby spinach
2 cups ice

Place all ingredients in blender for 45 seconds. Turn into “ugly smoothie” by adding frozen berries.

Other goodies:
Seaweed
Nutritional yeast
Hydrated chia seeds
Hemp seeds
Soaked nuts
Coconut oil
Essential oil
Kale
Carrots
Avacado
Beans
Sprouts

Salmon and Green Bean Pasta

Waiting for tomatoes to grow is torture, they take so long. Green beans become the perfect buffer in this gardening lull, right now these are flourishing. I love a good and fresh bean. When you look for them in the store they should be firm, air pockets mean they are over matured and will be tough. Also look for dull, crisp beans with taunt skin, wrinkles means the beans are old which makes them rubbery. If there are no acceptable beans to be found, peas are a nice alternative, but you will want to use a different shaped pasta (like elbow or rotini) to keep the peas from all migrating to the bottom of your bowl.


8 ounces pound whole wheat linguine
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces salmon
1 pound green beans, cut in half
½ teaspoon salt
1 inch ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, pressed
6 green onions, sliced
¼ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1-2 dashes cayenne pepper
½ cup cilantro, chopped


Cook pasta al dente. Heat oil in large pan on medium high heat, place fish skin side up in pan. Spread green beans around the fish, cover. After 3 minutes flip the fish, stir the beans, cover and reduce heat to low for 3 more minutes. Remove fish from pan, raise heat to medium and cook the garlic, ginger and onions for one minute. Mix together soy sauce, honey, lemon juice and cayenne. Add mixture to pan, combine with pasta and cilantro. Remove the skin and break up the fish with a fork, then mix in with pasta.

links; Whole Foods for the Holidays

Coconut Rice

11.7.09 I revised this recipe to involve a traditional soaking method that breaks down anti-nutrients found in whole grains, yielding a nutrient superior end result.

We have this bowl of delish for breakfast weekly. It reheats well and makes a great snack or even dessert (think rice pudding without so much pudding). I am a HUGE coconut fan and it happens to be really good for you too. In the summer I use coconut oil almost exclusively. I have been missing it, but am not going to wish hot weather on us yet. Coconut oil liquefies at 75 degrees making it pourable and easy to use. When it is below 75 degrees it solidifies and taking the time to melt before using takes too much forethought some days. I buy it in a 5 gallon bucket from Nourishing Traditions, it is great food storage since it lasts for years. Coconut oil is great for your skin, inside and out. Try using it as a natural moisturizer.

Any rice, nuts, fruit and sweetener would work here, but I am partial to this particular combination. Blueberries and walnuts are both super foods, how great to start the day like that? Frozen blueberries warmed through are my choice over fresh because they add a little sauce to the mix. The kids like the berries straight from the freezer to act as little ice cubes, they always prefer their food cold.

6 cups water

3 tablespoons kefir (lemon juice or apple cider vinegar)
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups brown basmati rice
1 can coconut milk
2 cups blueberries
3/4 cup soaked and dehydrated walnuts, coarsely chopped
½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup pure maple syrup

Soak rice in 3 cups water plus 3 tablespoons kefir overnight (6 to 12 hours). Strain and rinse rice. Bring 3 cups water to a boil, add salt and stir in rice. Pressure for 6 minutes on high, natural release or simmer 20 minutes. Stir in coconut milk. Serve up in bowls and top with blueberries, shredded coconut, and maple syrup to taste.

Clean Your Plate Recipe Challenge July; Coconut Milk

One Grain at a Time

--Quinoa--
This super grain is grown in South America and gaining in popularity. White quinoa is mild and fruity, red quinoa is more nutty and black quinoa has a stronger bitter bite. When cooked, the germ emerges as a tiny, curly tail. Quinoa is versitle, gluten free and contains a balanced set of amino acids making it a complete protein. Perfectly suited for beginner grain users and easy to find at Sprouts, The Good Apple and many other health food stores.

Varieties:
Red, White, Black

Cost:
About 33 cents per half-cup serving--$3.00 per lb.
1 lb = 2.2 cups dry = 4.5 cups cooked = 3 cups flour

To Cook:
1 cup grain to 2 cups water. Simmer 15 minutes or Pressure 6 minutes on high, natural release.

To Store:
- Dry - indefinitely in an air tight container in a cool, dry place. For long term storage freeze for 48 hours before storing.
- Cooked - refrigerate for up to 10 days, or freeze up to 6 months.

To Use:
-Dry grains give crunch to granolas and baked goods.
-Cooked grains can be used by adding to soups, salads and breads.
-Cooked grains also make great pilafs and rice dishes.
-Eat cold or hot as a breakfast cereal, great with yogurt.
-Add cooked grains to any recipe with ground beef .
-Flour can be substituted for up to ¼ of the total in a recipe.

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) uncooked
Calories 370
Carbohydrates 64 g
Dietary fiber 7 g
Fat 6 g
Protein 14 g
Vitamin E 2.4 mg—12%
Thiamin (Vit. B1) 0.4 mg--24%
Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.3 mg--19%
Niacin 1.5 mg—8%
Vitamin B6 0.5 mg--24%
Folate 184 mg--46%
Calcium 47 mg—5%
Iron 4.6 mg--25%
Magnesium 197 mg--49%
Phosphorus 457 mg--46%
Potassium 563 mg—16%
Zinc 3.1 mg --21%
Copper 0.6 mg—30%
Manganese 2.0 mg—102%
Selenium 8.5 mcg—12%

Kale Salad

Kale is one of those super foods that have immense health benefits (see chart for it’s impressive specs). The problem is that most people don’t know how to prepare it…at least not well. This recipe was inspired by True Food’s Kitchen’s kale salad that really impressed our table of food savvy women. The dressing is light and refreshing. Be sure to start with perky leaves that are not browned or wilted to ensure a crisp, fresh tasting end product.

1 bunch kale (about 8 leaves)
Zest of one lemon
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup agave
¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Tip: place cut leaves in a pasta

steamer so that you can dunk the

kale and get it out quickly and easily.

Cut tough stems from the center of each leaf of kale. Cut leaves in strips. Blanch leaves by dunking in boiling water. 5 seconds, just enough time to push all the strips under water. This will really bring out the color, while softening the texture. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Combine the rest of the ingredients and whisk thoroughly. Spin the kale dry and toss kale with dressing. Serve immediately after dressing.

links; Whole Foods for the Holiday's

Got Kefir?

Becoming more common in health food stores are various kefir drinks. Pronounced ke- (like in kettle with a short "e") fear, but I have never heard anyone say it like this. "Key-fur"drinks from the dairy cases get pricey and are made with a powdered starter culture, which is inferior to the hard to find "grains." My kids call these starter grains "plumps,"which I find more fitting.

I used to make homemade yogurt twice a week, it was delicious, thick and creamy. The recipe I was using included heating the milk up to 180 degrees. When I made the decision to switch our family to raw milk, I didn't want to pasteurize it to make yogurt. I found that yogurt made without heating to high temperatures separated into curds and whey so the taste and texture was not as appealing. In my research for a better recipe I came across kefir and set out to look for the grains to make my own at home with raw milk. I had talked to so many people trying to track some down and finally a fablous woman in my ward was so gracious to introduce me to her friend that used them. She shared with me and now we enjoy the benefits of this super food. Kefir is slightly creamy with sour flavor similar to buttermilk (in fact I use it as buttermilk in my baking.) My kids drink it straight, I prefer it in a smoothie or at least with a few drops of flavored stevia, like English Toffee.

Health Benefits

• Easily digested


• Cleanses the intestines


• Provides beneficial bacteria and yeast


• High in vitamins and minerals


• Contains complete proteins

Procedure
Milk is put in a glass jar and plastic lid with a 7 to 1 ratio of kefir grains, then left at room temperature for about 24 hours. The cultured milk is strained in order to separate, and retrieve the kefir grains from the liquid-kefir. The grains are added to more fresh milk to repeat the simple process for the next batch. This procedure can be performed on an indefinite basis... for kefir grains last forever!

For more information Dom is the kefir master. Cultures for Health is a good company that sells kefir grains online.