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Chia pudding

strawberry vanilla
chia seed pudding

Unless you've been living under a rock you know that in order to be one of the nutritional "cool kids" you gotta include chia seeds in your way of eating.

Here are a few things that make chia seeds a nutritional powerhouse ...
A 1 ounce (28 grams) serving (about 2 Tbsp) of chia seeds contains:

• Fiber: 11 grams.
• Protein: 4 grams.
• Fat: 9 grams (5 of which are Omega-3s).
• Calcium: 18% of the RDA.
• Manganese: 30% of the RDA.
• Magnesium: 30% of the RDA.
• Phosphorus: 27% of the RDA.

They also contain a decent amount of Zinc, Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Potassium, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

and Vitamin B2, making it one of the most nutrient dense foods.

Given my life-long desire to be "cool", I have tried to get in on this. Up until now, I have struggled to find a Yummy! way to make this happen.

Here is the basic recipe I "follow" ... 1 cup of milk to 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) chia seeds, sweeten to taste. Okay, it's not much of a recipe, more like a basic ratio. I use whole Milk as I want all that good fat, but any of  the nut waters ... you might call them milk, but I ain't never seen nipples on an almond or a coconut ... and I am thinking about trying this with kefir, but the cost would be a deal breaker for me. I sweeten with aspartame, and yes I'm aware of the "risks" so spare me, sometimes in combination with a sugar-free flavored syrup (Torani, DaVinci, etc.). Additions/flavorings might include cocoa, cinnamon, fresh fruit, chopped nuts ... you get the idea.

I tried throwing the mix into our Ninja bullet-style blender but did not care for the results. I found small, 16 oz. Mason jars work really well. I stir everything into the jar shake really well and stick it in the fridge. It is key to go back regularly during the first hour or so and shake vigorously (cocoa generally will need stirring). Let set in fridge overnight at a minimum. The seeds swell, absorbing the liquid, turning the concoction into a tapioca-like pudding that, if you flavored it well, can be quite delicious. note: leave "headroom" as the seeds do expand, particularly if left for more than a day.

A normal desert serving would probably be 1/2 cup although I tend to eat the whole thing as a meal with a tablespoon or two of uncooked rolled oats stirred in just before eating.

Enjoy!

Vegetable soup

My basic soup base loaded with bok choy, bean sprouts, snow peas, bamboo shoots, carrots, celery, and tofu. Topped with green onion, cilantro and Spam (can't help it, I'm from Hawaii).
So good I may just do it again tonight!

Soup II (electric boogaloo)

It seems I have had a "thing" for Asian style soups lately. Last night it was egg drop soup with green peas and tofu. I make these soups fresh, usually single servings. I don't follow (or make) recipes; In fact, I seldom even measure anything. I have actually received some culinary training*, so it's not as though I am unable to follow, or even write recipes, I just prefer "improvisational" cooking (more on that in the future).
So, for those that are curious about my soup "recipe" ...

Most all start with pretty much the same base (measurements are estimates)

• Chicken stock 2 cups
• 1 Tbsp chicken "Better Than Boullion"
• Finely diced fresh ginger 2 tsp
• Finely diced scallions 2-3 (depending on size) white in the soup, dice the tops for a garnish just before serving
• Finely diced garlic 1 clove
• Chili paste (NOT Siracha! photo of what I use below) depending on how daring you are and how hot the chili paste you get is a couple tsp is probably a safe starting point,
• Shoyu (aka soy sauce) 2 Tbsp
• Sesame oil 5-6 drops 
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• Black pepper and Chinese 5-spice to taste

Combine all ingredients in a pan, bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer for 20 - 30 minutes. If I am doing a soup with fresh vegetables I'd add them as soon as the base was boiling. For this soup, I then added frozen green peas (1/2 cup) and some diced firm tofu returned the base to a full boil then lightly beat 2 eggs in a measuring cup and poured them slowly into the boiling soup. Immediately shut off the fire and cover the pan. I let it stand for maybe two minutes as I get my bowl ready with a bit more shoyu and sesame oil. Pour the soup into the bowl, top with the diced green onion top (cilantro is good too). Do not overcook the eggs or they will be "rubbery" ... and no one likes "rubbery" eggs.
You can keep this very low carb and with the tofu, it has a good amount of protein. I find it very filling ... in fact as I post this it is the 23rd hour of my fast since eating the egg drop soup. Tonight some sort of vegetable soup ... stay tuned.

Enjoy!

I'll try and remember to post other soups I make with the list of ingredients that go with the basic broth. 

 

*I worked for a number of years in the food and beverage industry and at one point was the "chef" of a small restaurant ... head cook would be more accurate ... and eventually restaurant manager

... doing this reminded me of why, and how much, I hate recipes

Soup

chicken stock

garlic chili paste

scallions

ginger

cilantro

sesame oil

shoyu (soy sauce to you haoles)

rice vinegar

black pepper

five-spice

napa cabbage

white mushrooms
shirataki noodles

mung bean sprouts

tofu

topped w/ spam and green onion

virtually zero carbs, high protein, and all kinds of Yummy!