Mango & PassionFruit Coconut Chia Seed Pudding with Cashew Cream

Blogging has not been top of my list lately. Not on purpose, I  just had some things get in the way. I'm hoping to be back for a while. What I noticed was that once I got through the life situation interfering with my ability to focus on writing and sharing recipes I still felt blocked. I never stopped cooking, I'm always in the kitchen! I just could not bring myself to sit down and type up a recipe.

I remembered the quote "the hardest part about digging a hole is picking up the shovel". So here I am picking up my shovel. Back to wanting to document the recipes that I so love. The food that keeps me nourished and able to stay strong and focused. Thank god for my Job. I get paid to make amazing food and the benefit is I get to eat really really well. 

My newest obsession has been this mango chia seed pudding. I know, I know, chia seeds are so yesterday BUT I never liked them until now. I loved the idea of them. A little seed that would provide you with massive amounts of nutrients with very few calories. Tiny seeds that pack a powerful punch of fiber, protein, calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc and B vitamins. Back in the day these little seeds were an important food for the Aztecs and Mayans. They prized them for their ability to provide sustainable energy. 

Despite their ancient health food history only recently have they become recognized as a modern day super food.

For the last few years they can be seen everywhere in health food stores sold in bulk or in little cups called "chia Pods".

 I'm all about trying anything that is good for you but I could not get myself to enjoy the chia pods at all. The consistency was gelatinous and for me not palatable. I would do my best to choke it down because it was good for me. I could not do it.
I declared myself to be that person who did not like chia seed puddings. So I put them in smoothies, muffins, pancakes and breads. Until the day I discovered this pudding. At a local cafe. I tried it thinking there is no way I would like it but I was instantly obsessed. I had to go home and make it. And Now I make it every other week. It can be a dessert but I prefer to eat it for breakfast. It is light and refreshing and also filling. Excellent before or after a run. This would also be great layered in a dish with granola or toasted nuts and toasted coconut. I make a batch at a time and pack into individual servings for the week. Even if you think you don't like chia seed pudding try this one. You might change your mind like I did.

Recipe

Chia Seed Layer
1/2 cup Chia Seeds
2 cups light coconut milk
1 Tbs of maple syrup or honey

Cashew Cream
2 cups of raw cashews soaked overnight
1/2 to 1 can of light coconut milk
1 Tbs of maple syrup

Mango Layer
Cut mango into small bite sized pieces mix with puree of passion fruit.
If you cannot find it pureed you can buy your own and make in a vita mixer. Or you can skip the passion fruit all together and just use mango. honestly you can skip mango and do berries. Do what appeals to you.

Directions

1. Mix the chia seeds together with the coconut milk and the sweetener. Mix with a whisk and then put in a bowl in the fridge overnight or for at least 4 hours.
2. To make the cashew cream add the ingredients into a vita mixer to blend. Start with half can of coconut milk but if it seems to thick use the whole can. You want it to have a yogurt consistency .
3. Layer in a bowl the chia seed pudding, cashew cream with the mango on top. Sprinkle with toasted coconut or nuts for a crunchy texture.

Hearty Lemon Chicken Soup with Quinoa and Kale

SOUP...is my absolute favorite go to meal when there is even a suggestion of cold or rainy weather. So this time of year  I will eat soup for breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

Its very cold in CT and has been snowing more than I care for but I'm happy to have a fire and some soup, so bring it on old man winter! 

A one pot meal that has tons of vegetables and some protein is a wonderful thing. One would think anyone can make great soup. This is not always the case. I have had some dreadful soup where I am left dissatisfied and  screaming "where is the love?". Nothing is more disappointing than a bowl of bland, overly salty soup, with no love.

 I can tell on the first bite if the person who made the soup has any soup talent. I guess I'm a soup snob, but so be it. My high standards for soup have made me become a little bit of a soup perfectionist. If I make it wrong I will promptly get out a Samari sword like John Belushi and throw myself on it....not really but it sounds virtuous.

So where do we start when making a perfect soup? The stock of course. Yes you can make soup with the stock in  box variety but if you want to make an amazing soup, start with your own homemade stock.   The other thing I like about making my own is that I know exactly what I am getting and I can control the salt. So many of the stocks in a box contain over abundant amounts of sodium and too much sodium is not good for your health especially if you have high blood pressure.

So take the time to make your stock, you won't be sorry! You can make a big batch and freeze for future soups.

Ingredients for the stock

1 Whole Chicken

1 large onion quartered

4 carrots peeled cut into chunks

4 ribs of celery cut into chunks

1 leek white part only

10 fresh thyme sprigs

10 sprigs of parsley with stems

2 bay leaves

10 peppercorns

2 whole cloves of garlic

cold water to cover the chicken

Directions

Put some oil in a large stock pot. When heated add your onion, garlic, celery, leeks. cook until browned and then add in herbs, peppercorns, bay leaves. Cook for another 10 min Covered on medium heat.

Place whole chicken on top of the vegetables and fill the pot with cold water enough to cover the chicken. Cook on high heat just enough to see bubbles break the surface. Turn heat to medium so that the stock maintains a gentle simmer. Skim the scum from the stock every 15 min or so for the first hour. After that twice for the next 2 hours. You can add hot water if needed to keep the chicken and vegetables submerged.

Strain the stock through a fine mesh stainer into a large stainless steel bowl to cool. Remove the chicken and Let cool. Once it has cooled down you can shred the chicken and reserve for your soup.

At this point you are ready to make your chicken soup!

Ingredients

oil to coat the pan

2 large onion , small dice

4 peeled carrots, small dice

4 peeled parsnips small dice

4 ribs of celery , small dice

5-10 cloves of garlic chopped

3 vegetable bouillon cubes...I like Rapunzel no salt added or with sea salt

chopped thyme about 2 TBS

2 whole lemons

8 cups of chopped kale

Meat from whole chicken

Stock from above (approx 5 to 6 qts )

Directions

In a 6 quart pot place the oil and heat over medium high

When ready add the onions, carrot, celery and parsnip

Add a pinch of salt and cover the pot to sweat the vegetables

After 10 min add the garlic, chopped thyme. stir and continue to sweat 

Another 10 to 15 min. Add in the bouillon cubes and the chicken stock. Simmer for 15 min

Next you will add in the shredded chicken and kale. Squeeze the juice of 2 lemons into the soup and season with salt and pepper. If you want when serving add some fresh grated parmesan.

serve with rice, noodles, or quinoa!

As a variation you can also add ginger, splash of tamari and some sesame oil for an asian inspired chicken soup.

Power Food Green Smoothie

 Many people start  eating lighter in january to either lose weight or simply clean house. There are all different kinds of ways to clean your body and everyone has to find the one that works for them. For me I take out added sugars, coffee, alcohol and decrease animal protein when I feel the need to cleanse . I used to buy the kits with powdered drink mixes and spend lots of money on supplements. I realized I could do it my own way with simple clean whole foods.
 The rest of the diet consists of lemon water, nuts, seeds, lots of vegetables, vegetable juices , beans, fruit and fish. Really not very different from how I normally eat but excluding sugar, alcohol and coffee gives my body the break it needs.  When I am done I feel clean and revitalized.

This green juice smoothie is a staple all year long, not only when detoxing. It is a wonderful alkalizing way to start your day and get your body on the right track. If you have had too much sugar or acid forming meals and you want to realign yourself this juice will do it. When you increase your greens intake you decrease your desire for sugar naturally. Try it, it works!

This smoothie is a power food green smoothie for a reason. Some serious health benefits in your glass. DRINK UP!

The Spinach and Kale provides great sources of amino acids(protein), calcium, vitamin k, iron, magnesium, zinc, folate, and selenium. They are all around super foods that will boost your immune system and provide important antioxidants. Also both are great sources of fiber which will really help you clean house!

Romaine contains vitamin c and vitamin a. These two work at preventing plaque formation on artery walls. Helps to regulate blood pressure, build blood and support body movement.

Cucumber is highly hydrating, full of B vitamins, silica and electrolytes that help to build clear and bright skin. Cucumbers are great at fighting puffiness and bloating in the body. Great for reducing inflammation.

Mint is a great source of vitamin c and beta carotene (vitamin a), copper, iron,potassium, magnesium, and calcium. Mint aids in digestion and helps to lower blood pressure

Lemon is extremely alkaline, high in vitamin c, traces of calcium, potassium and magnesium. lemons are a powerful detoxifying agent. They support liver function, purify the blood, destroy free radicals and toxins, flush out bacteria and rejuvenate skin. Great for long term weight loss.

Parsley is also a powerful detoxifier that aids in digestion, removes toxins from the body and purifies the blood. It contains vitamin A, C, E, folate, iron and anti-oxidants

Green Apples are full of antioxidants that improve health. Granny smiths are great for stabilizing blood sugar,  and they are high in fiber

Avocado contains a wide variety of nutrients including vitamin k, folate, vitamin c, potassium, vitamin b5, vitamin b6, vitamin e. They get a bad rep for being high in fat but avocados are source of healthy fat.

THE RECIPE...ALL ORGANIC IS BEST

1 QUART OF ENGLISH CUCUMBERS WASHED AND SEEDED SKIN LEFT ON
1 QUART GRANNY SMITH APPLES PEELED AND QUARTERED
1 PINT OF WATER
1 QUART OF ICE
1 QUART BABY SPINACH
1 QUART KALE LEAVES, RIBS REMOVED
1 QUART ROMAINE LEAVES
1/2 LEMON
1/2 BUNCH PARSLEY
1/2 BUNCH MINT
1 WHOLE AVOCADO
STEVIA TO TASTE

PLACE THE WATER, LEMON AND CUCUMBERS IN VITA MIXER TO BLEND
ADD IN THE ICE, LEAFY GREENS, APPLE, PARSLEY AND MINT TO BLEND.
THE AVOCADO SHOULD BE BLENDED LAST. STEVIA CAN BE ADDED TO TASTE.

IF YOU WANT A SWEETER DRINK SKIP THE STEVIA AND BLEND IN A FROZEN BANANA, YUM!!

This recipe makes about 4 or five of the mason jars pictured on the left. They stay nicely in the fridge for up to 3 days. Great way to drink your greens!!!