What I Ate Wednesday ~ 1.0

Okay... so I've been meaning to join the fun for weeks now but with school starting back up and especially with it being my LAST semester of college (Ah!)... I've had other things on the mind... can you blame me?

Let me tell you just how nerdy I am... I set a reminder on my phone to go off this morning, at lunch time and dinner time to remind me to take my WIAW pictures... yea, go ahead... laugh it up##

Anyway... On to the fun!



BreakfastChia Banana Hemp Pudding, topped with fresh delicious strawberries and flax cereal for that all important crunch! (This is a spin-off version of my Divine Chia Breakfast Pudding - quickly becoming my new favorite breakfast!)

Morning SnackIn the midst of a lot of reading for classes I took a break and enjoyed this delicious Chocolate Banana Bread (recipe from The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen) with a small glass of V8 juice.

LunchToday's lunch was simple yet fulfilling ~ my homemade Savory Herb Amaranth Crackers, a healthy serving of homemade cashew butter (recipe coming soon!) and a perfectly ripe golden delicious apple.

DinnerA perfect combo of leftover grilled salmon, sauteed bell peppers and caramelized onions, homemade kale chips and puffed millet for a little more substance. Delish!

Evening SnackToday was a long day at school, getting there at noon and not getting home until 8:30pm. I ate my lunch in class at 1:00pm and then had a killer hour and a half workout around 3:00pm. Needless to say I was starving at 6:00 and ate an earlier dinner than I was planning on. Point being - I was definitely ready for a snack when I got home. Nothing says "it's finally time to relax" like a bowl of cinnamon chex, dried blueberries and vanilla hemp milk - mmmmm mmmm good.

Happy (halfway through the week) Wednesday!

Divine Chia Breakfast Pudding

Happy Birthday! Since today is my golden birthday... turning 22 on the 22nd day of January in the year of 2012... it seemed appropriate to give you a gift today. That's right... I'm giving you two recipes in this post. Yeah, it's happening.

I have seen several recipes for some variation of chia pudding, but the true inspiration came from Leanne over at the Healthful Persuit. I've mentioned her blog before and have recreated a few of her incredible recipes... that just goes to show that when you have an amazing blog, inspiring recipes and the most beautiful photography - you will get repeat visitors ;-)

I've long known the benefits of chia seeds and decided that eating them more frequently might help with my digestive issues. While I'm back in school for my final semester (yessss!), it has been a challenge to remember to add chia to my food on a daily basis, which is why incorporating a full serving at breakfast is the perfect way to go!

Okay... enough babble? Here are the two recipes as promised...

Banana Almond Chia Breakfast Pudding
1 banana
1/4 c vanilla almond milk (or use plain if you prefer)
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp sunbutter

optional toppings:
fresh blueberries
granola
cinnamon
dried fruit
nuts

*Prepare the night before you plan on eating.
In a small bowl, mash half the banana (reserve the other half for the morning, store in the refrigerator overnight). Add the almond milk, chia and sunbutter and mix until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight. The next morning, slice the other half of the banana on top of your pudding, add some fresh blueberries and a few dashes of cinnamon. Enjoy cold or briefly heat in the microwave.

Chocolate Banana Chia Breakfast Pudding
1 banana
1/4 c chocolate soymilk (Silk is my go-to brand)
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 tbsp cashew butter


optional toppings:
fresh berries

granola

cinnamon

dried fruit

nuts

*Prepare the night before you plan on eating.

In a small bowl, mash half the banana (reserve the other half for the morning, store in the refrigerator overnight). Add the soymilk, chia seeds and cashew butter and mix until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight. The next morning, slice the other half of the banana on top of your pudding, add your other toppings of choice and enjoy! (I added dried cherries, cinnamon and a bit of flax cereal - delish!) This was delightful cold but feel free to heat briefly in the microwave if you are more of a warm breakfast person.

I hope you enjoy these two variations and please have fun creating your own versions! My next upcoming pudding will be made with vanilla hemp milk and perhaps a mix of nut butters.. keep checking back for that recipe ;-)

Blackberry Syrup Cornbread Muffin

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day... and it just so happens to be my favorite meal of the day. Which is why I've decided to start posting more of my breakfast concoctions for your enjoyment :-)

This breakfast's inspiration came from my amazing boyfriend :) I made these cornbread muffins to accompany our Beef & Butternut Tagine dinner last night but the muffins came out a little... crumbly and not super special...hmmm :-/
Now I'm not blaming the original recipe, I know it is because I only made half the recipe and cooked them as muffins which only took half the suggested cooking time (true cornbread should take some time to cook so the cornmeal completely breaks down and softens). However.... my boyfriend used his family's tradition of mashing up the cornbread with butter and syrup and poof, just like that, the not so special cornbread muffin was like a dessert!

That gave me the idea for this breakfast - blackberries... real maple syrup... cornbread muffin... butter... banana chips...

So simple yet so delicious! Feel free to add additional fruit and perhaps a real banana, but the combination of the sweet-tart blackberries, the sweet cornbread and the crunchy banana chips is an absolutely delightful way to start any day - especially a Sunday morning before 2 hours of yoga ;-)

Strawberry, Orange, Carrot Smoothie

Settle down now... I know seeing "carrot" in the name for a smoothie threw you a little off-guard. Rest assured that this smoothie is sweet, delicious, and ever so good for you!

Here are the simple ingredients that I'm sure you already have on hand!

5-6 fresh strawberries
5-6 baby carrots or 1 regular sized carrot
1 cup orange juice (I used Tropicana, less sugar and only pure ingredients)
1 small ripe frozen banana

First, you'll need to steam (or microwave - I'll admit this is how I did it because I wasn't patient enough for steaming!) the carrots until tender and can be pierced with a fork. Run them under cold water and let sit a few minutes. Place all ingredients in the blender and process until smooth. Add more fruit or more OJ to get the smoothie to your preferred thickness. That's it!

I enjoyed this smoothie as a post-workout snack along with Soy Crispettes from Whole Foods. (One serving of these light delicious crisps gives your body 8 grams of protein!) Enjoy!

Revamped Morning Cereal

This breakfast is so simple but it is so delicious, filling, and oh so healthy! Some mornings you just feel like cereal... it is comforting and something that almost never upsets your stomach. This mixture of cereal can be varied, using any berries or fruit you have on hand and using any non-dairy milk (or if you can tolerate dairy, regular milk!) Personally, I think the combination of tart raspberries, sweet dried mango and creamy vanilla hemp milk is the perfect match - but feel free to experiment!

The cereal I eat 99% of the time is Enjoy Life Crunchy Flax Cereal. It is filled with fiber and protein, has a great crunch and actually stays with me until lunch time!

Top this with fresh raspberries and chopped dried mango (any dried fruit you have will also work), and add  your preferred amount of Pacific Foods Vanilla Hemp Milk. Enjoy with a large cup of green tea and your morning will be transformed! Okay maybe that is a little dramatic but.... it is a great way to start any day :-)

Sunday Pancakes with Strawberries & Sunbutter

It has become a rare occasion when my boyfriend and I enjoy the same big, hearty Sunday breakfast. Ever since late May of this year, when I found out about my many food intolerances, breakfast is a lovely time we share but not a meal we share.

Knowing that this coming week is crazy for the both of us, I decided last night that today's Sunday breakfast would be something we could enjoy together.

I have tried two other gluten free pancake recipes, one from a box and one from another blogger. I highly recommend making your own!! The blogger pancakes were delicious but more of a crepe like breakfast, very light and kind of melted away in your mouth. I was yearning for a more 'typical' pancake, one with substance, not too dry and stays with you for the majority of your Sunday activities (for me it is studying...)

I found this recipe from Ginger Lemon Girl, and made only a few small changes. Here is the recipe...

Dry Ingredients
1/2 c. millet flour
1/4 c. sorghum flour
1/2 c. potato starch
3 tbsp GF Oats
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients
1 tbsp ground flax seed + 2 tbsp very hot water
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
3/4 c. vanilla hemp milk + 1/4 c. water (or use all hemp milk)
1 tbsp canola oil

Toppings
Fresh cut strawberries
Sunflower seed butter
Real Maple Syrup

To Prepare
Mix the flax seed and hot water in a small bowl or teacup and let sit while you mix all other ingredients.
Place all dry ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk until thoroughly mixed.
In a small bowl mix together the wet ingredients, adding the flax seed mixture at the end.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until most chunks are gone (make sure to do this otherwise you'll have some dry flour chunks in your pancakes!)
Warm a large skillet and spray with canola oil or butter the pan, add about 1/4 c. batter to the pan (trust me this is the perfect size). Flip when the edges begin to look cooked and the middle shows some bubbles. Cook for 1-2 minutes on the other side.
*This recipe yields 11-12 pancakes. They are not too sweet but with the suggested toppings they are wonderful :)
*I am planning on using two pancakes as "bread" for a lunch sandwich.. I'll let you know how it turns out ;-)

I hope these bring smiles to your Sunday morning as they did to ours!

Simple Fulfilling Rice Toast with Sunbutter & Banana

I'm not sure if I can really call this a recipe, but what I can call it is happiness, filling, healthy and such a wonderful way to start any day.

If you've ever been able to have regular bread (that is, bread with gluten, yeast & dairy) and peanut butter you know how delicious a  peanut butter, banana & honey sandwich can be. This is an allergy free spin off of that but made for breakfast.

The bread I use for this is Food for Life Yeast Free Brown Rice Bread. It is very dense and has a taste similar to sourdough bread. It is so dense that it really only works if it is toasted, and even then I'm not sure I would use it for a sandwich. However, for morning toast, especially toast topped with sunbutter and a banana it is perfect.

This breakfast is very simple to prepare - Toast the bread (I always make two pieces), when it is ready top with your sunbutter of preference (I use Once Again Sunflower Seed Butter), add a sprinkle of cinnamon to both slices, cut up the banana and add to toast, top with a drizzle of honey and enjoy with a large cup of green tea :)

I know it is simple and may not seem like much but to me it is one of those comfort foods that always sounds good and always satisfies.

I hope this brings a fresh idea to your mornings, enjoy!

Summer Quinoa Salad

As usual, I had my whole week of meals and snacks planned out… I was eating last night’s dinner of baked sweet potatoes, onions & garlic with apple-chicken sausages. The sides were sautéed yellow squash and quinoa. It was absolutely delicious and I thought it would be perfect for tomorrow’s lunch.

I woke up this morning feeling sort of… heavy… I wanted a light summery lunch… and VWALLA! It came to me…

What you'll need:

Cooked quinoa (as much as you are hungry for)

Sliced carrots (I used one large carrot sliced into rounds)

Dried cherries

Sautéed squash (zucchini would work well too)

Spinach (pack on the nutrients!)

Walnut oil

I love this recipe because it is so easy to throw together, and you can substitute or add any veggies/fruits/nuts you wish! I heated up the quinoa through squash until hot, then added the spinach and walnut oil and mixed everything together. It is light, summery, filled with flavor and leaves you feeling ready to take on the afternoon. Enjoy!

Spicy Pork Chops with Apple Chutney & Caramelized Zucchini

I found this recipe and after the first time making it I knew it was one to keep in the rotation! It comes from the wonderful Cooking Light magazine and guess what... it's already allergy free! You can modify it and incorporate different fruits along with the apple, or leave as is and let it melt you away... You can find the original recipe on My Recipes.

Chutney:

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 5 cups (1/4-inch) cubed peeled apple (about 3 apples)
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
• 
  
• Pork:
• 3/4 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (4-ounce) boneless center-cut pork loin chops, trimmed
• Cooking spray
• 
  
• To Prepare:

• 1. To prepare chutney, melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple; sauté 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add cranberries and the next 6 ingredients (through allspice); bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes or until apples are tender; stir occasionally.
• 2. To prepare pork, while chutney simmers, heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Combine chipotle and next 4 ingredients (through black pepper); sprinkle over pork. Coat grill pan with cooking spray. Add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with chutney.

*I usually only use two apples, cut into small pieces. This time I used only one and substituted two ripe plums for the raisins (delicious!) Prepare the chutney as usual but wait to add the plums until the end to avoid them becoming to mushy. 

Caramelized Zucchini

2 medium zucchini (cut into rounds about 1/4 inch thick)

1/3 c sliced onion

salt, pepper, garlic (and any other of your favorite seasonings)

Warm a large skillet and add a small slice of butter to coat the bottom of the pan. Dump in the onions and let cook until translucent and have browned. Set aside. Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan and place your zucchini flat on the pan, add your spices, then layer on the rest of the zucchini adding more spice to the top. Let cook on medium heat until you begin to see browning. Toss and turn until all zucchini are evenly cooked. Enjoy!

Green Smoothie - YUM!

I got home from a good swim and was craving something filling, good for me and oh so delicious! I got out a banana and thought okay this is good but I want something crunchy... I took out a piece of celery and took a bite... yummy and healthy... keep going... SMOOTHIE! I've never just thrown together my own green smoothie before, I've always looked up recipes but they never seemed to suit me. Most suggest only water but it seems to take a lot of the flavor away. Here's what I settled on:

1 banana
1 celery stick (roughly cut into pieces)
handful of raw (shelled) sesame seeds
handful of romaine lettuce or spinach
fresh or frozen mango
1/4 c. vanilla hemp milk (I use Pacific Foods Vanilla Hemp Milk) + a little water

Blend until smooth and enjoy! I was literally scraping it out of the bottom of the glass to get every last drop!


[You can add more liquid if you like... this was pretty thick but I must admit it makes the smoothie stick with you long enough until your next snack ;)]