November 22nd, 2011
Apple Butter Chia Seed Pudding (using white chia seeds)
A few people have asked me about chia seeds lately. They know that chia seeds are super healthy but just aren’t sure how to eat them. So I though I would share how I’ve been loving my chia seeds for the past few months.
For those who don’t know, chia seeds are packed with omega 3 fatty acids, calcium and iron. And yes, they are the same seeds that grew hair on our Chia Pets when we were kids!
I’m a huge chia pudding fan. It’s quick and easy to make, yummy, and incredibly healthy. There are two main ways to make chia pudding, blended and unblended. I used to be all about blended chocolate chia puddings but lately I’ve been making a plain chia pudding in the morning and stirring in different mix-ins based on what I’m in the mood for that day. I find this is faster to make and I don’t have to struggle to clean stuck on chia seeds out of my blender! The consistency of an unblended chia pudding is similar to tapicoa pudding.
For the basic chia seed pudding, put 2 tbs of chia seeds in a bowl or container. Add 1 cup of non-dairy milk and give it a good stir with a fork. If you use unsweetened milk, add a bit of sweetener. I use 2 drops of liquid stevia. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then give it another really good stir with the fork and break up and clumps. Ideally, let it sit for at least another hour before you plan to eat it. I make it in the morning before school and bring it with me for my afternoon snack.
Now it’s time to choose a mix-in. If you use a good quality non-dairy milk, the pudding will be yummy on it’s own, but it’s always more yummy with a mix-in! Here are some things that I like to mix in:
- 100% fruit jam
- left over cranberry sauce
- apple butter
- chocolate almond butter sauce
- chopped up fruit (peaches, frozen berries, bananas)
- chocolate chips or cocoa nibs
The options are really endless! I guess I sort of treat it like a plain yogurt.
Do you guys have any other mix-in ideas?
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November 6th, 2011
Well it looks like I needed a bit of a blogging break after Vegan MoFo since I haven’t posted in a week! It was a busy week and I really didn’t cook much. But I’m back with a marvelously fast and easy recipe!
We stalked up on Honey Crisp apples at the last farmer’s market of the season and, despite eating them like mad over the past week, we still have a crisper full of them. One of my favorite snacks is a sliced up apple with almond butter. The problem is that I can eat close to a ¼ cup of almond butter with an apple. And, although almond butter is healthy, ¼ cup is way too much for a snack! I remembered seeing a recipe for an almond butter dip that was thinned down with almond milk over at Oh She Glows which inspired me to make a chocolate version. The result is super rich and creamy, I think I actually like the texture of this more than almond butter on its own.
Chocolate Almond Butter Dip or Sauce
1 tbs + 1 tsp cocoa powder ( I used raw cocoa powder)
1 tbs maple syrup
½ cup almond milk
½ cup almond butter
In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, maple syrup and almond milk until combined – this may take a minute or two. Add the almond butter and whisk until combined.
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October 23rd, 2011
The Vegan MoFo Iron Chef ingredient for this weekend is coconut. This worked out great because I just discovered that my coconut butter expired in May…yes May. It still tasted fine and I think we can all agree that coconut butter is simply too delicious and too expensive to throw out, so I needed to use it up asap!
One of my favorite things to make with coconut butter is raw fudge, but I don’t really like making it as a brick of fudge because it can be pain to find the right size container and then it can be hard to get out. So I decided to make truffles!
Now, these are seriously decadent truffles, not just health food shaped into a ball and called a ‘truffle’. They can easily hold there own against their dairy filled counterparts. They are incredibly rich and chocolaty and melt in your mouth, and they couldn’t be easier to make!
Raw Chocolate Coconut Truffles
½ cup coconut butter (not coconut oil)
¼ cup macadamia nut butter
½ cup raw cocoa powder
¼ cup raw agave nectar
2 tbs maple syrup
1 tsp alcohol-free vanilla extract
extra cocoa powder and shredded coconut for rolling
Combine all the ingredients together (except the extra cocoa powder and coconut) in a medium bowl and mix with a whisk or fork until combined. Put bowl in the fridge to firm up for an hour or two. With a spoon scoop out approximately a tablespoon worth of fudge, roll in between your hands until it is nice and round then roll in either coconut or cocoa powder. Store in the fridge.
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October 9th, 2011
Well I missed two days of Vegan MoFo. Thursday was Election Day and then I spent most of Friday taking down signs. I didn’t do any cooking and ate a lot of Chinese Food take out. But the election is over now so I actually have way more time now to cook yummy vegan food!
This is what we had for dinner tonight and it is pretty much the simplest meal ever. I hesitated even posting it but I’m sure there are a lot of people out there who are looking for fast and easy meal ideas. We love to make this when we’re in a hurry but still want something that is hardy, healthy and delicious.
Salsa and Black Bean Potatoes
1 can black beans (or 2 cups cooked)
1 jar salsa
1-2 lbs potatoes
Cut potatoes into bite size chunks and boil until they are easily pierced with a fork. In a small pot, combine the black beans and salsa. Mash a little bit with a potato masher and stir frequently until heated. Put cooked potatoes in a bowl and top with bean/salsa mixture. This would be great topped with Pepper-jack Daiya. Or try with baked fries instead of boiled potatoes for a Mexican poutine.
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