Vanilla Chai Chia Pudding

You guys, let's talk pudding. Chia pudding to be exact. Chia pudding has been buzzing around the internet lately and there's no wonder why. Chia contains massive amounts of nutrition with very little calories. With 11 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, 30% of your daily value of Manganese and Magnesium, all in only 1 tiny ounce of seeds. Chia seeds are also full of antioxidants, and scientists believe that consumption of chia seeds helps you lose weight. They are also high in Omega-3 Fatty acids, and lower the risk of heart disease. 

In addition, Chia seed pudding can soothe a sweet tooth, and is so simple to prepare. When added to liquid, the seeds take on a gel-like quality, perfect for pudding! Adding different flavors to suit your taste is as easy as adding a little chocolate or a little greek yogurt. Play with the flavors and find those that satisfy you the best.

Today's recipe features a few autumn flavors (hoping for cooler weather!) and is great as a breakfast, dessert or healthy snack. 

Vanilla Chai Chia Seed Pudding

Gather:

1.5 cups of almond or coconut milk

1/4 cup chia seeds

2.5 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

.5 tsp ginger

.5 tsp cardamom

.5 tsp clove

1/8th tsp black pepper

Method:

Add all ingredients to small container or small mason jar , and whisk together until fully combined.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight

When ready to eat, divide into two bowls and eat. 

Adjust the seasonings according to taste and enjoy! Check back next week for another healthy recipe!

Mojito Fruit Salad

Fruit salads are a fixture on any respectable brunch spread. An easy way to scoop up your daily servings of fruits, in the first meal of the day. Fruits are better when eaten raw + whole, instead of juiced. When eaten as raw fruit, you are not only ingesting the sweet + tart flavors of the fruit, along with the vitamins therein, you are also benefitting from the fiber.

Today's recipe is just a simple spin on your regular, run-of-the-mill fruit salad, just jazzed up with the flavors of a mojito- (but no alcohol in this one, so perfect for all ages). This summer has been brutal so far, and a cold salad packed with anti-oxidants, vitamin C and fiber is the perfect way to keep cool and healthy with minimal effort and a lot of flavor.

The lime juice in the recipe should keep your apples from browning, so this recipe can be made-ahead of time, or in large portions and enjoyed throughout the week. Feel free to experiment with fruit to suit your tastes, as well.

Mojito Fruit Salad
Gather:
2 Granny Smith Apples
5 Kiwis, skins removed
1/2 honeydew melon (cantaloupe can be used also--it's just not in the same color scheme!)
1/2 lb green grapes, halved
2 limes, juiced.
3 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 tbsp, honey

Method:
1. Cut apples, melon, and kiwi into bite-sized pieces.
2. Combine cut fruit with halved grapes
3. Pour lime juice, honey and mint over fruit, stir gently until mixture covers fruit
4. Allow to chill for one hour before serving.

That's it! Cooling, delicious, and healthy. See you back here next week for another healthy summer recipe!

Chilled Cucumber Soup

Ok, I know we've been saying it for weeks, but this weather is ridiculous. It is so darn hot here in Houston, that it is hard to move much less drag ourselves in for a workout. And after that workout...cook? I don't think so. The idea of being near a hot grill or heaven forbid, TURN ON THE OVEN makes me feel like jumping into a cold shower. But, we all have to eat...so what to do?

How about another cold soup recipe. Gazpachos and other cold soups,as we've written about before, {Watermelon Gazpacho} are the perfect way to get in your vegetable servings without turning on a burner or igniting the grill. Cold soups are pretty much universally simple to make, and use fresh, raw ingredients. Best of all, they are COLD, which your overheated body will be welcome news to your overheated body. 

This week's recipe uses cucumbers, which contain water and fiber-both essential for healthy digestion. The water content is also a sneaky way to stay hydrated in this heat. Cucumbers are also full of B-vitamins, which are known to help manage feelings of stress and anxiety.

Chilled Cucumber Soup

Gather:

4 small/medium Persian cucumbers—3 coarsely chopped, 1 peeled and diced
1/2 cup ice cubes
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup grapeseed oil (or olive oil)
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons shredded mint leaves
Salt, to taste
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt (full fat or reduced)
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Method:

 -In a blender, mix chopped cucumbers, ice, water, grapeseed oil, lemon juice and half each of the jalapeño and min. Puree. Season with salt and refrigerate until cold.
-Pour the cucumber soup into bowls and garnish with the diced cucumber, yogurt and the remaining jalapeño and mint. Drizzle the soup with olive oil and serve.

That's it!  Enjoy the cooler taste of healthy summer soup. Head back to the blog next week for another healthy summer recipe to keep you healthy even when it's hot!

Summer Salad

Nothing screams summer like fresh vegetables and bright colors. This salad is chock full of both. 

With the weather staying hot, hot, hot, finding foods to keep you cool and satisfied is as easy as visiting the local farmer's market or checking out the newest veggies in the produce aisle. This salad is simple, absolutely mouth-watering, and contains so many different flavors that you won't get bored. And what's more, the seasonal vegetables used in this salad are stacked with vitamins and minerals. 

Zucchini: Low calorie, tons of vitamin A, folate and anti-oxidants

Red Bell Pepper: Off the charts vitamin C, vitamin B,  with anti-cancer benefits

Grilled Corn: Vitamin B3, fiber, Manganese

Feta Cheese: Calcium, B12 + Iron. 

This salad is quick to throw together, but looks like art. It is great on its own, especially satisfying due to the cheese, corn and olives, but adding a little grilled chicken will create a hearty, healthy meal that can be packed ahead for lunch, or prepared for dinner on a way-too-hot summer night.

Summer Salad

Gather:

2 cups spring mix lettuce

1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips

1 ear of corn, cooked, (grilled if preferred)

2 small zucchini, peeled into ribbons

5-6 black olives

1 tomato, diced

1/4 cup low-fat crumbled feta cheese

For Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp of dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Combine ingredients for vinaigrette, and set aside.

In a bowl, mix together all vegetables, and top with feta cheese.

When ready to eat, gently toss vinaigrette with vegetables.

Enjoy! A cool and delicious dinner option, perfect for summer. Catch us back here next week for another healthy recipe.