Do You Chia?

Are there any Chia lovers out there? Hello hello? Until 3 days ago I was not one of you.

I know, two posts in one day, it's what happens when my husband leaves me.

I've mentioned how my mom researches things - mainly health food - and then she breaks the info down so her children can process and possible learn from it, we mostly gag and scoff, but now and then something gets through, like Ezekiel bread, coconut oil, and now chia seeds!

My mom and my husband have been loving chia for some time now but I have steadfastly resisted the gagalicious super food. A few days ago I latched onto a copy of a book called Going Raw by Judita Wignall (hich belongs to my mom and which she urged me for days to crack open, and I wouldn't) and came upon the process of making your own almond milk - which we love to drink. I also found a recipe for Chia Pudding - made with almond milk!

So first I made two batches of almond milk, the beginnings of which I posted about a couple of days ago. Then I found the chia seed that I'd been scoffing at for probably two (TWO!) years and decided it would probably taste very close to tapioca pudding - which I l.o.v.e! So, following the book's concept stored safely in my mind, I combined chia, almond milk, cinnamon, and a smidge of honey. Honey, because I haven't bought any agave since I heard it might not be as amazing as it sounds(ultra processed and some other stuff that might not be malarky). I stare longingly as I pass it in the grocery aisle. I'll probably go ahead and get more because I think it's still better than honey and lower on the GI scale either way.
So there, haters.
Anyway, back to the chia pudding, right away it was runny and loose and kinda nasty but soon it started to thicken so I ate it, and then I ate a lot of it. Then I hid the rest in the back of the fridge hoping to forget about it until the next day so there'd be some left for later (dudes, I made 2 cups of it, saving some should have been no problem but I tell you, it just kept getting better and better!). Okay, grammatical problems aside here, I did save some for the next day and it was super thick and oh so delicious that now I am going to buy more chia seeds and make more almond milk. TODAY.

Also, chia is filled with protein, gives you hydration for long time, and absorbs carbs.

End.

PS, Do it.

Food!

I have recently posted a couple of one pot dinners on another blog, which I host with my mom. Check them out if you're looking for inspiration.

Veggie Spaghetti or Cheesy Potato Soup!

Fried Eggplant

My dear friend came to visit the other day and arrived bearing gifts from her garden, and from the produce department as it turns out. Gifts of jalepenos, limes, grapefruit, and ... eggplant! I love eggplant yet I rarely purchase the stuff. So it sat, looking like treasure, in my fruit basket for a day or two until today, when I was inspired to fry it.

I wanted to try this without getting my hopes up. I wanted to see what would happen if I wasn't shooting for spectacular. So I tossed together some whole wheat flour, some italian seasonings, garlic, and salt. I sliced the eggplant very thin, splashed it into some egg and dipped it in the flour mixture. Once it was in the skillet I left it just long enough to cook the breading and to crisp up, then I piled it on a plate and sampled the results. After that I sang the Hallelujah chorus and called in my resident taste tester who agreed that it was delicious.

1 Eggplant, sliced thin - approx 1/8 inch slices
1 c whole wheat flour
1/4 c pizza or Itallian seasoning
1 t garlic - more if you love it
Pink Himalayan salt, use your best guess here since I didn't measure the salt.
2 eggs, beaten
Coconut Oil for frying - I didn't deep fry it, just enough to pan fry.

Now then, put your eggs in a bowl and beat them, next to that put your flour mixture on a plate or in a bowl, use about 2 teaspoons of oil for a med skillet. Between batches I wipe my skillet out with a folded paper towel to keep the burned crumbs from making the next batch gross.

Happy chomping!

You Need To Try This at Home

This post is about Coconut Chicken, broccoli, cooked (or fried or sauteed) apples, and Ezekiel bread. All cooked in coconut oil, and all delicious!

Make some today.

The post is from my other blog called Café de Santé, enjoy.

Harvest Skillet

Oh man. Dinner tonight was stinkin' awesome.

I thought we were going out for HOT WINGS but I guess that was supposed to be last night and I blew it because I thought it was tonight! Both nights were early anyway since our anniversary isn't until Friday (yes, we're eating hot wings for our anniversary, I can't help it, it's the only thing I want).

So, Captain America calls on his way home talking about how starving he is and I'm like "uhhh, no hot wings?" and he's like "you blew me off last night I thought you didn't want to go out to eat with me". Dang it!

So, I pulled out some chicken and a sweet potato that I baked earlier today while something else was in the oven. I sat the two items next to one another on the counter and said "hmmmm". Then I poured some slurpalicious coconut oil in my pan, tossed in the chicken, chopped it up right in the pan, tossed in the potato, chopped it up right in the pan, and voila!It needed something.

Salt.

Still needed something.

Something SPICY! Powdered red pepper, the cayenne kind.

Bingo!

Delish.

For good measure I threw in about 1/4 of an apple, diced small. At the very end we agreed that corn sounded really good and I had some of that already heating. Perfect addition. It was great!

Sweet and spicy.

Happy Ending.

Coconut Oil

I know I've mentioned the benefits of coconut oil but I'd like to say a little more. Before I tell you much about it let me defer to a couple of websites. They are so full of great information and are much more thorough than I could achieve.

The 1st website I have read is here. It lists the major benefits of eating or using coconut oil.

Another site that I feel has a lot of the same information, as well as some new, is here. You'll need to scroll past the advertisements to get to the good stuff.

Something else that has to do with coconut oil is called "Oil Pulling" or "OP". Here's a link to a site that describes that very well. Read the Introduction, the Instructions, and the Notes, then scroll to about 1/3 of the way down the page to Sandy's Oil Pulling Compilation for a list of oils and their benefits (as associated with oil pulling).

To summarize the information that's listed on the benefits sites I'll tell you this: coconut oil is comprised of Medium Chain Fatty Acids (MCFA) as opposed to the Long Chain Fatty Acids (LCFA) found in almost every other fat or oil, so our bodies process coconut oil in a way that is much different from almost every other fat or oil. This has many benefits for weight and cholesterol management because our bodies process it as energy rather than fat to be stored.

Coconut oil is also known to be anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, it works as an anti-inflammatory, and is also high in anti-oxidants. This is not to be taken as a cure for anything, but can help your body prevent much sickness and disease.

You can use this oil on your hair, on your skin, and I even use it on my face. You can use it on an owie too, I got on a blister on the back of my heel while mowing the lawn, I put a little chuck on there, covered it with a bandaid and went to bed. The next morning it had healed right up. Never had to feel it again. The spot was still there, but it was pain free! There is no limit to what you can do with this wonder food.

Coconut oil can be used for cooking, obviously. I use only coconut oil (or real butter) when cooking because it has a high heat tolerance and when heated does not become a carcinogen. Other than real butter, all other fats/oils become toxic when heated. When you smoke a cigarette, you are inhaling carcinogens, these are cancerous, and any oil other than coconut oil or real butter has these same properties. I encourage you to use every other kind of healthful oil you can find, and to put it on your food, but do not heat it.

Coconut oil can be eaten in place of butter, with a little added salt (I like Himalayan) it will taste no different. I love butter and have not missed it a bit. I would miss coconut oil everyday if I didn't have it. Just last week two little gals were quite impressed with how delicious an egg becomes when fried up in a little coconut oil and topped with a dash of pink salt!

Peanut Butter Jelly Time!

This snow really brings out the food lover in me! If there was one (or two) food items you'd never want to be snowed-in without, what would it (or they) be?

I asked myself that question while I was at the grocery store the day before the big white-out. I walked out of the store with bottled water, cheese, and peanuts. I already had broccoli in my freezer. Be right back, I have to grab a cheesy peanut butter sandwich.
Just kidding.
I've be snacking on the granola today, and I had a hankering for some Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup. Yes, it's true. I still have the munchies though and I've just remembered the broccoli, so I think I'll have that. Hmmmm, yes I will. Yum. I like to over cook it in coconut oil. It comes out a little crunchy and keeps some of that coconutty flavor. Oh so good!
Anyway, I came here tonight to tell you about peanut butter. I read on a blog a while ago that you could pop some peanuts into a food processor and hit go for a minute or two and voila! Peanut butter! I've done it twice now and it is so so good! It tastes just like the peanut butter my mom used to buy in bulk from the food co-op in Iowa City. It was my favorite until we moved to MO. Anyway, that's all there is to it. You put the peanuts in the food processor and you turn it on. You might have to scrape it down a couple of times but I have an extra big bowl on mine so the blades don't quite reach.

Now, I suppose there are those of you who will want some sort of sweetener in your peanut butter. Just use honey, okay? Do it. Honey is the best stuff in the world. Eat your honey! If you wont, then I don't know what to tell you. Try agave. I love that too.

I use the 16 oz great value brand of salted party peanuts. I haven't tried the dry roasted yet and I don't know if I will. I'd like some peanuts that don't have salt, but also aren't dry roasted. I am sure I'll wind up using organic but for the first couple times I just wanted to try it out as cheaply as possible. Whoa man, it's good.

Granola

I made granola today and I documented the whole process for you! By the time you finish reading this you'll realize how easy it is and you'll be inspired to make your own!
In a sauce pan on low heat combine brown sugar, honey, peanut butter, vanilla, and coconut oil. Melt it together and remove from heat.

Next I measured out the dry ingredients: I used a 9 grain oat type blend, slivered almonds, dark chocolate chips, cinnamon, and salt. Though I am positive the salt could have been tossed out.

I always think the salt is unnecessary.


Mix it all up - except the chocolate chips.

Now pour the sugary mixture over the dry mix and stir it up.

Here I am just-a-stirrin'. I wanted you to get a chance to see my new hair! Maybe I'll give you a step-by-step post on that too! Anyway, onto the chocolate. (PS, that's blouse #2!)

After you stir it you can add the chocolate chips. I waited to add them because I didn't want the warm stuff to melt them all away. Mine melted anyway.


Maybe you can't see it here but there were some obvious chocolate streaks on my bowl when I poured it all into the lined 9 x 13 dish. I would recommend a cookie sheet instead of the dish and skip the lining if you're oiling your pan, which I suggest that you do.

Spread it all out and stick it right in to your pre-heated oven. Give it about 15 to 25 minutes depending on how deep your pile of crunch is and pop it out. It wont be crunchy just yet though, that will come after it cools. It will still be delicious! Go ahead and taste it!


This isn't burnt, do you notice there are no chocolate chips? I stirred them all in. I had to, I'm a compulsive stir-er. Anyway, I really liked the affect it had on the granola, or is it effect? That gets me every time. The melted chocolate made for bigger chunks and a chocolate-all-over kind of flavor. Which I liked.


I made a second batch without the chocolate chips, and added some coconut flakes. It turned out great, but not as chunky. I really loved the flavor so the missing chunks weren't a deal breaker. I'll be making this again. Either way, or both ways!

Would you like the recipe?

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 c peanut butter

3 T virgin coconut oil*

2 T honey

1 T vanilla

2 c oats

1/2 c slivered almonds

1 t cinnamon

1/4 t salt (or not)

3/4 c chocolate chips

Combine the wet ingredients in a med sauce pan and stir over low heat just until melted. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a med bowl combine the dry ingredients. Include the chocolate chips if you don't mind them melted or exclude them if you'd like to have whole chocolate chunks in your cereal.

Once the dry ingredients are combined then add the wet and stir it all in.

Pour mixture onto a greased baking sheet and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. As the granola cools it will also become crunchy, so don't over cook it just because it's soft. If you'd like to keep your chocolate in the chip form, then don't stir the granola until it has cooled completely.

I found that the only ingredients I didn't have on hand were the oats and the almonds. I almost always have oatmeal but we use it up quickly. Nuts don't stand a chance in this house so I wasn't surprised that I needed those. Since this was so easy to make and calls for such common ingredients I was happy to make a double batch. I'm happy that I did!

Enjoy!

*If you need information about the benefits of coconut oil and where to find it, leave a comment below with your e-mail address and I'll send it to you.

Coconut Oil

Have I ever told you about the benefits of coconut oil? Well I'm not going to, not here anyway. Let me direct you to my other blog, Café de Santé.

This is a blog that my mother and I have just started, in order to answer the many questions that we receive about food as related to health, or health as related to food, and questions about natural remedies. We believe that everything natural was made by God with a purpose. Sometimes the purpose is for healing, sometimes for preventing, even sometimes just for enjoying.

Thanks for reading about the miracle of Coconut Oil! I hope you dare to try it and I hope you fall in love.