Tag Archives: chia

vanilla bean chia pudding

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Well, hello May!
Can you believe in one month we’ll be half way through 2013? Craziness!

Last night I decided to make some chia pudding because I was itching to make something. Anything, really. I thought since I was already making something, it may as well be my breakfast for the next day. Less work in the morning : )

vanilla chia pudding

Vanilla Bean Chia Pudding
{serves 2-4, depending on how you eat it}

- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 2 large medjool dates, pitted (3 if you like your pudding sweeter)**
- 3/4 cup hot water (to soak dates)**
- 3/4 to 1 cup nut milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)***
- 1 tsp pure vanilla bean paste or extract
- optional: add a banana instead of the dates for a vanilla-banana pudding

**Soak your dates in the hot water for at least 2 hours or overnight. Keep the water to use in pudding.
*** Use less nut milk if you prefer a thicker pudding consistency

Place chia, soaked dates, date water, nut milk, and vanilla into blender. Blend on high for 1-2 minutes, or until everything is thoroughly combined. Pour into air tight containers and place into refrigerator to set overnight.

Should keep for about 5-6 days if stored well.

I poured my pudding into two glass containers to be kept in the fridge.

chia pudding

Overnight  it will set up and develop a thicker consistency.

chia pudding

One that goes very well eaten as is or topped with some fresh fruit and drizzled with maple syrup or honey if a sweeter taste is preferred.

My favorite way to eat the pudding is mixed with plain yogurt as I love the creamy consistency it takes on. I’ll usually throw on some fruit and additional nut butter.

yogurt chia pudding - 1 yogurt chia pudding - 2yogurt chia pudding - 3 yogurt chia pudding - 4

Perfect way to start a fiber-ific day!

And it was a nice change up from the quick, no mess breakfasts I’ve been eating the previous mornings.

banana and egg

Have a great day!

{Article of interest: health benefits of flax, chia, and hemp seeds}

Whats your favorite breakfast to make in advance?
Do you eat Chia? If so, what do you use it in?
Any plans for May?

Overcast Love

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As much as it’s nice to have sunny days to lay out at the beach or the pool, sometimes drizzly days are just as enjoyable.

It’s been overcast most of the day today, but that just means an opportunity to relax and do whatever I wish. I always feel more mellow during rainy or overcast days.

Instead of my usual workouts in the gym, I’ve taken them outdoors since I got to Hawaii, with morning stand-up paddle sessions, which I absolutely love. I don’t even consider it a workout because it’s just that much fun to be out on the water.

Plus I get to see turtles! :) I always feel like I see more of them on cloudy days.

Overcast days also make me crave oats.

Cinnamon Apple Crunchy Almond Butter Chia Oats.

YUM.

As much as I love my breakfast smoothies ;) I do love oats for breakfast too.

Something else I love to do on rainy days is bake and shop. Perhaps I’ll get in a little bit of both today.

I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

What do you like to do on rainy or overcast days?

Sunshine

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After many dark days, heavy thunderstorms and two tornado sirens last night, the sun has finally decided to come out!  I love rain and all, but too many days just gets a little depressing sometimes.  Luckily my area missed out on all the golfball to softball sized hail.  Both the cities north and south of me got the worst of the storm and we were able to get by with just some massive down pours and extensive lightning.  The sound of rain (minus the lightning) makes for a good nights sleep though.

After a solid 6.5 hours of sleep, I was up and at it.  I went to my Wednesday PiYo class followed by my favorite class, cardio sculpt.  After sweating it out, it was time for breakfast (my favorite time of the day, as you all know :) ).  I kept it fairly simple today with just an Ezekiel sprouted grain tortilla topped with cashew butter, bananas, and healthy sprinkle of chia.  On the side I had a mixed fruit bowl consisting of pineapple (all the way from hawaii!-from my awesome mama :) ), watermelon, blueberries, papaya, and the last of my cottage cheese.

This was my first time trying the Ezekiel tortillas.  I figured since I love the bread so much there would be no way I wouldn’t like the tortilla.  And right I was!  I particularly love the slight chew of these tortillas.  Gives my teeth some exercise.

When I purchased these tortillas yesterday I also restocked my stash of Barbara’s goodies…Snakimals and peanut butter puffins.  I’m already a good quarter or third of the way through the box of puffins and just from last night. I have a weakness for cereal at night.  It just tastes so much better in the evening than it does for breakfast.  Or am I the only one who thinks that?

Today’s plan: schooling…and then dinner at Houston’s for my sister’s 18th birthday!  I’m ready for the 2nd part of todays plan.  Not so much the first.  I hope your day is just as sunny as mine…Have a great one!