Basic recipes for chia puddings

Another chia pudding post from me in just a short time, but what can I say I love chia seeds and use them quite often. This is why, chia seeds are mini powerbombs filled with more calcium than milk, more antioxidants than blueberries and more Omega-3 than Salmon, google it if you do not believe me 🙂

The texture of these pudding can be similar to a tapioca pudding, gelatinous. For some this can take a little getting used to and for other like me who are used to tapioca “dis is da bomb”. These seeds are so versatile and are a great protein-packed addition to many recipes because of their ability to thicken and gel. Best of all you can cook with them too.

Mango and strawberry yoghurt chia pudding

Chia seed pudding is a simple and delicious way to easily get the benefits of chia seeds. It takes minutes to prepare and fill  up on proteins and nutrients. Fill small mason jars, old baby food jars or even squeeze pouches to have on-the-go breakfast, snack or everyday dessert option.

There is no hocus pocus to make chia pudding. You need a gelling agent, a liquid of some kind, you need seeds and you need flavouring and maybe sweetener. You need a few minutes to prepare and then a little patiens, the seeds need a few hours to gel. The best thing is to make the pudding before you go to bed and enjoy it in the morning. If you do not want the little gelled pearls, you can blend the mixture in a blender.

Chiapudding made with almond milk, sweetened with agave syrup

Here are some basic recipes, and what you do with it is up to you.

Ingredients for milk based:

2 cups coconut milk (homemade or natural), soy milk, regular milk
1/2 cup Chia Seeds
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavouring
dessired amount of sweetener  natural or artificial.

Made with coconut and chocolatemilk from Alpro

Ratio forsmoothie based:

2 cups Smoothie
1/4 -1/2 cup Chia Seeds, depending on the thickness of your smoothie

Made with three different smoothies and topped with oatmeal yoghurt pudding

Ingredients for yoghurt based

2 cups yoghurt, plain or flavoured
1/4 cup Chia Seeds

If you are using plain yoghurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavouring
dessired amount of sweetener  natural or artificial.

Blueberry and strawberry yoghurt chia pudding topped with vanilla yoghurt overnight oats

Blueberry and strawberry yoghurt chia pudding topped with vanilla yoghurt overnight oats

Instructions

For Blended/Smooth Version:  Place all ingredients in blender and blend on high for 1-2 minutes until completely smooth.
For Whole Chia Seed Version:

Blend all ingredients except chia seeds in a blender until smooth (including any added flavors, fruits or chocolate). Whisk in chia seeds.
Pour mixture into a jar or glass container and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight to gel. I prefer to make this at the evening before I go to bed to have it ready for a fast breakfast the next day. It is also great to make in the morning for a delicious pre-made dessert after dinner.

Topp the pudding with desired fruit and toppings.

 

 

 

 

Skin hydrater, apple pie in a glass

Hydrate your skin with The Hot ‘n’ Spicy

It may not look like the best drink in the world, but this is like apple pie in a glass and it is perfect for those who like to look after their skin. Apples are one of the finest health promoters available and this little gem will help flush your body of any nasties, keep your skin hydrated and plus added benefits from the cinnamon. Click HERE to read about the what good cinnamon does for you.

For this recipe you need a juicer

Ingredients:

3 apples

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

In my family we enjoy cut apples sprinkled with cinnamon as a snack.

Healthy treats and juices with a slow juicer

Post contains link to test product

I have been making a few healthy juices and frozen treats while testing a Panasonic Slow Juicer MJ-L500. This little wonder of a machine can prepare  juices and frozen treats from fruits and vegetables, while preserving valuable enzymes and nutrients.

MiniMe and I have been drinking immune boosters and body cleansers, plus making frozen treats this past week.

 

In the past I have been making nice cream in a blender and I have to confess that with a blender it is a bit inconvenient, you have to push down the frozen fruit all the time and the blades get stuck quite often. Another thing that is a minus with a blender is that it takes to long and the fruit melts.

This machine is fast working and grinds everything to a pulp in a blink of a moment. 500 g of frozen cut fruit and berries turns into a yummy treat in less than 2 minutes maybe 3.

We made two different nice creams, a vegan ice cream that is sugar free and lactose free. One with frozen pineapple, papaya and mango. The machine crushes everything so you make use of all the goodness in the fruit, no waist.

Healthy green smoothie

Have you ever had trouble getting your young ones to eat enough vegetables?

I have and my solution is to hide the veggies in their smoothies. I have tried many different combinations with different results, but this smoothie is the one that has been the most successful. The kiwi and the banana camuflages broccoli and spinac quite well. So even if my youngest one only want to eat carbs and proteins it does not really matter as long as she drinks this smoothie with her meal.

Smoothie enough for two glasses

---

1 banana

2 kiwi

Broccoli equal the amount of 1 banana

Spinach equalthe amount of 1 kiwi

1 cup almond milk

As you can see there is a lot of vegetables in this smootie.

Put everything in a blender and blend to a smooth mixture, then pour it in to glasses and decorate with some colorful straws.

 

Fruit roll ups

 

I have not been able to find fruit roll ups in Norway, so when ever we are traveling I stack up on these sweets.

One day I was surfing on the net I came across this Norwegian blogger Fleksitarianerliv and she showed how to make fruit roll ups. Hers look alot nicer, mine are to thin, but they tasted good and you can see from my youngest smile she likes it. Next time I’ll make them a little thiker.

When I read her blog, I thought this was a good idea, but the problem was I do not have a dehydretor or an oven that run as low as 140 degrees Farenheit, bummer:(

Yesterday I was looking at this drawer that we put in when we remodeled the kitchen, I was a little irritated “why did we put that in, we never use it” I said to my husband “don’t look at me” was the ansver I got back.

If you are wondering what it is, it is a drawer to heat up plates and sausers befor serving, silly right.

Then I got this brilliant idea that I could use it as a dehydrateor.

I put a baking rack in the drawer so when I put my tray in with the pure it will not come in direct contact with the heat.

Then I did this

I soaked

6 dried apricots 

drained and put them in a blender with

14 oz. berries( used 7 oz strawberries and 7 oz blueberries)

1 banana

 blended to a smooth pure and added

2 tbs chia seeds

I then poured it on a tray with bakingpaper and let it dry for about 1 hour on 140 degrees F, and turned it down to about 104 F. for the rest time between 7 to 10 hours.

after an hour it got a little darker because of the blueberries.

When it is finnished it is a little leathery and you can peel it fairly easy from the baking paper, cut it in to strips and store in an air tight container.