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!

Vegetarian Weekend

Sometimes you just gotta change things up.

"Breakfast" today (at 5 pm):

• Romaine heart
• Celery
• Radish
• Baby Crimini mushroom
• Broccoli
• Cucumber
• Cherry tomato
• Sugar snap peas
• Red onion
• Creamy poppy seed dressing
• Croutons

'twas off the charts ...

"Dinner" tonight? I'm thinking a baked sweet potato and a zucchini / mushroom / onion saute with a glass or two of a nice Syrah.

Sounds like a plan and a half.

Enjoy!

When you just can't decide ...

... Mixed plate!

It was time to eat and I just could not decide what to have so I put this together. It was wonderful, very filling.

1 medium avocado, 2 hard-boiled eggs, cucumber slices, some broccoli florets, a couple teaspoons of mayo and a generous sprinkle of Tapatio hot sauce.

nutrition

calories - 460 kcal

carbs - 17 grams

fiber - 11 grams

fats - 38 grams

protein - 17 grams

and significant amounts of B vitamins 

and vitamins A, C, and K 

Yummy!

Soup is good for the soul

Vegetable soup specifically.
This started by making vegetable stock from the veggie trimmings/peelings from our cooking for the previous week. Stuck them all in the crockpot with seasonings and about two quarts or so of water and cooked on high all day ... strained, put in the fridge overnight. Next morning chopped  yellow onion, celery, carrots, red bell pepper, green beans, cabbage and zucchini ... then because we had them added some frozen pearl onions, chopped spinach and green peas. Added a bit more water and some salt and cooked for 6 hours in the crockpot.  Right there would be good a very low carb meal, but I added a 1/2 cup of barley and a can of great northern beans to kick up the nutrition a bit and cooked for 2 more hours.
I love making soups and stews. They are always very "improvisational" and dictated by whatever is on hand. I never cook from a recipe and never more true than with soups. If it sounds good ... throw it in!

(here's a picture of the finished product)
Yummy!

Tacos

Perhaps not what you think of when you hear "tacos" but ...

Low "net" carb, high in fiber, protein, and healthy fat ... these were yummy! and very satisfying.

La Tortilla Factory whole wheat, low carb tortillas (3)
Avocado (1/2 large)
Roma tomato (1)
Red cabbage (1/2 cup shredded)
Coarse sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
Frank's Red Hot

Nutrient totals for 3:
Carbohydrates: 41 grams
Fiber: 28 grams
Protein: 18

At 41 total grams  (13 'net') this may not be what many consider "low carb" ... but the proof is in the postprandial test. At 1 hour after eating my blood glucose measured 95 mg/dL. Which is pretty close to my "walking around" number.

(after I made these I had thought that adding a strip of bacon to each would have been awesome and would have added another 12 grams of protein to the meal... and virtually zero carbs).

enjoy!

I don't like curry ...

... but this ...
My son crafts some of the most interesting (and delicious) meals.
I have maintained for much of my life a dislike of curry which started as a child. My mom made chicken curry and curried rice. Come to find out, it's not curry I don't like ... it was HER curry.
Couple weeks back Jason threw together this 'curry' with chickpeas, zucchini and served it with riced cauliflower and quite honestly it is one of my favorite meals he has made (and that's saying something)
Low carb, high fiber and super yummy! ... pretty much everything I ask for in a meal.

Keep it simple

Fresh veggies and some pickled peppers (Peter would be so proud) with bleu cheese dip

Enjoyed this with a glass of sangria (low carb, of course)

Okra ... it ain't jes fer rednecks no more

In my ongoing quest for 'super foods' I occasionally get a surprise. Tonight I was both surprised and delighted to find that okra, slimey ol' southern okra, could be considered a 'super food'. I found it via a post in a diabetes forum I frequent. It was being touted as a possible 'cure for diabetes' ... of course it's not. What it is, besides being yummy, is a little vegetable packed with all manner of good stuff.

Popular around the world, it is common in Indian and Pakistani cuisine, in fact India is far and away the worlds leading producer of Okra.  Many English speaking countries call them lady fingers.

Here are some of okra's claim to fame:

• Okra Promotes a Healthy Pregnancy - An extremely important B vitamin for producing and maintaining new cells, folate is an essential compound for optimal pregnancy. The vitamin helps prevent birth defects like spina bifida and helps the baby to grow sufficiently. Vitamin C is also essential for fetal development. Okra is rich in both folate and vitamin C.
• Helps Prevent Diabetes – Thanks to fiber and other nutrients, okra proves beneficial in normalizing blood sugar in the body, helping with diabetes.
• Helps with Kidney Disease – One study published in the October 2005 Jilin Medical Journal found that regular consumption of okra can help prevent kidney disease. In the study, “those who ate okra daily reduced clinical signs of kidney damage more than those that simply ate a diabetic diet.” This also ties in with diabetes, as nearly 50% of kidney disease cases are caused by diabetes.
• Supports Colon Health – Okra is full of dietary fiber, which is essential for colon health and digestive health as a whole. The fiber Okra provides helps to clean out the gastrointestinal system, allowing the colon to work at greater levels of efficiency. Additionally, the vitamin A contributes to healthy mucous membranes, helping the digestive tract to operate appropriately.

Pretty impressive, huh? One thing though ... don't negate the health benefits of okra by deep frying it ... please. (I am adding okra to my vegetarian chili recipe)

Beans, beans are good for your heart ...

Yes, you know that poem from childhood . Or perhaps you are of the "musical (or magical) fruit" school.
Legumes, if you please, are an amazing source of fiber and protein as well as packing a whole lot of nutrients into a small package.

 My favorite, and one of the most common, are kidney beans. One of my favorite ways of eating kidneys is with garbanzo's in salads ... a quick and easy way to kick up the daily protein intake.
Kidneys are also a great source for some hard to get micro-nutrients like folate (supports red blood cell production and helps prevent anemia), copper (an antioxidant and required for collagen production) and potassium (helps control blood pressure and promotes kidney health). Due to their high fiber content kidneys are a great benefit in controlling cholesterol and blood sugar levels (two things very near and dear to me).
Couple kidneys with whole grains and you have a complete protein source. Try simmering a can of low-sodium kidney beans with garlic and black pepper until they are soft enough to mash slightly with your potato masher.  Stir in a couple ounces of pepper jack cheese and make burritos with whole grain flour tortillas ... add some sliced onions and avocados and you got some good healthy eats!

... the more you eat the more you fart

the more you fart the better you feel

so eat you beans at every meal

Spicy Baked Jicama Fries

• 1 medium jicama

• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

• ½ teaspoon cumin

• ½ teaspoon turmeric

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

• ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon onion powder

• Pinch cayenne or chili powder (or more, to taste)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper set aside.
Peel the jicama and cut into skinny fries. (do not make them thick)
Place in a microwave-safe bowl with a tablespoon of water. Cover and microwave for 6 minutes
If there is any water left pour it out.
Mix spices in a bowl
Drizzle the jicama with the tablespoon of oil and sprinkle on the spices. Toss until evenly coated.
Spread the fries out on the baking sheet and bake for about 35-45 minutes, or until they begin to brown in spots, tossing once
100 g (about 4 oz) serving
38 kcal
9 g carbs
5 g fiber
Jicama nutrition facts: