Addicted to…Chocolate Chia Pudding

Yes, I am posting ANOTHER Chia Pudding recipe. I tell you, it’s easy to make, it’s filling and it’s good for you. What more could you ask for? It also helps to alleviate those sweet cravings. You know the ones we get at night..after dinner, when we know we probably shouldn’t, but then we give in and have something we may regret in the morning? Well, you won’t feel that way with this delightful and decadent treat!

 

INGREDIENTS

• Serves about 4
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 2 cups Almond or Coconut milk, unsweetened
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 5 pitted dates
• 2 tablespoons Grade B Maple Syrup
• 2-3 tablespoons raw cacao powder (depending on your tastes)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch of Sea Salt

Place chia seeds in a medium-sized glass or metal bowl. Blend remaining ingredients together in a high-powered blender until creamy smooth. Pour over chia seeds. Stir well to combine and let sit for about 10-15 minutes or until pudding thickens. Serve room temp or refrigerate and serve cold. Top with fresh berries, nuts and a splash of coconut milk! ENJOY.

Hearty Minestrone Soup

Minestrone soup has always been a favorite of mine. It’s hearty enough for a meal with an awesome side salad. My Dad used to make a mean Minestrone, but he would put meatballs and regular pasta in it. I’ve left out both, and used gluten free pasta shells by Tinkyada as well as an untraditional addition of a garnet yam (you all know I love to cook with yams.) I also used 2 kinds of beans, so you’ll get the protein punch you need and you won’t even miss the meat.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive or coconut oil
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4″ circles
• 1 medium garnet yam, peeled and diced small
• 1/4 teaspoon of chili pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 6 cups veggie broth
• 1-15-ounce can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
• 1-15 ounce can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
• 1-15 ounce can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons of freshly chopped basil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1-1/2 cups cooked gluten free Tinkyada Shells

In a large soup pot, over medium heat, saute the onions, celery & garlic in olive oil until soft. Add carrots and garnet yams and stir to combine. Add dried herbs & chili flakes, if using, stirring into veggies. Cook for about 5 minutes to release the flavor of the herbs, stirring occasionally. Add broth, kidney beans, chick peas & tomatoes. Turn heat to high, cover and bring to  boil. Once boiling, turn to low and simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are soft. Remove from heat. Add fresh basil, sea salt, pepper & pasta. Serve in soup bowls with an side salad or some delicious gluten free bread.

Banana Chia Oat Bread – Gluten Free & Vegan

Chia seeds, bananas and coconut oil lend to the moistness in this dense and delicious banana bread creation. It’s loaded with fiber, protein and flavor! Great for a holiday breakfast morning, lightly warmed and slathered with coconut butter.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1-1/4 cups Bob’s Gluten Free Baking Mix or Sprouted Power Flour (Whole Foods Bulk Section)
• 1/2 cup oats (not instant)
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cooked quinoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3 ripe bananas, mashed or pureed in food processor
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place flour, oats, quinoa, baking soda & baking powder in large bowl. In another medium sized bowl, combine pureed bananas, chia seeds, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, apple cider vinegar and sea salt. Stir until well combined. Pour over flour mixture in large bowl. Stir well to combine. Fold in walnuts if using. Place in a lightly greased loaf pan. Bake for about 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Pumpkin Chia Pudding

This delicious pudding is a must-have for dessert at the Thanksgiving Dinner Table. It’s healthy, loaded with fiber, omegas and medium-chain fatty acids to keep your metabolism revved up! You can even throw it into a pie crust (gluten free & vegan, of course) if you want and have a Pumpkin Chia Pudding Pie!

 

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• 1 can coconut milk (full fat)
• 1 cup canned pumpkin or pumpkin puree
• 1 cup cashews, soaked 2 hours
• 5 dates pitted
• 2 tablespoons Grade B Maple Syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of Sea Salt
• fresh ground nutmeg (garnish)

 

 

A Celebration of Men!

Banana Chia Seed Pudding

Chia seeds are all the rage these days. A lot of you may remember them from the old-school Ch-ch-ch-chia pet commercials, but now they are making their way into many kitchens across the country not as plant heads & pets, but as a high-nutrient ingredient that is keeping people healthy & providing energy. They are the highest source of Omega 3’s on the planet and they also contain protein, fiber and so many other great nutrients. They help to lower cholesterol and have heart-healthy antioxidants. I love to bake with them as they can be used as an egg substitute in a lot of recipes, they have the same binding properties. You can also throw them in smoothies for a little extra nutrient kick!

This recipe is simple to make and has only 6 ingredients and all you need is a high-powered blender, such as a Vita Mix or Blend-tec. You won’t miss the dairy in this awesome recipe, and you don’t need to use tofu either, as most vegan puddings do these days.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 3 large ripe bananas
• 1-1/2 c. almond milk, unsweetened
• 1 tbs vanilla extract
• 1/3 c. pitted dates
• 2 tbs chia seeds soaked in 4 tbs water for 10 minutes until gelatinous
• 3 tbs raw cashew butter

Place all ingredients in high power blender and blend until thick and creamy. Pour into bowls and refrigerate to firm up for 2 hours. Serve with fresh berries.

Here are some of my favorite resources for Chia Seeds

Mila by LifeMax – 3 varities of the best chia seeds you can find in the world all blended together!

Nutiva Brand – different organic varieties of Chia

Black Bean Brownie Bites

Brownies are everyone’s favorite, so I wanted to come up with a healthier version that was just as tasty. These bites are loaded with fiber yet still maintain the chocolatey goodness of a regular brownie! Your kids will love them too!

I make them in a mini-muffin pan, but feel free to use an 8×8 brownie pan. Just adjust the cooking time to longer in the oven by about 10 minutes.

 

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups black beans (freshly cooked is best, but canned is ok- drain & rinse if canned)
• 1 ripe banana
• 1/3 cup of raw blue agave nectar or Grade B maple syrup
• ½ cup date paste* (see recipe below) *allow 1 hour soaking time for date paste
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• ½ cup raw cacao powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ cup oat or almond flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup grain sweetened or vegan chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Grease mini muffin tins with coconut oil or coconut spray.

In a food processor with S-blade, combine black beans, banana, agave nectar, date paste, coconut oil, cacao powder, vanilla, cinnamon & sea salt until combined well and smooth. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.Stir in the remaining ingredients. Fill mini muffin tins about 2/3 full and bake 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 10 minutes and transfer to a wire rack.

To make Date Paste: Pour 2/3 cup of hot water over 1 cup pitted dates and then soak for about an hour. Throw all ingredients into a blender and process until a smooth, thick paste is formed.

Yield: Makes about 30 mini muffins

Raw Vegan Lime Cheesecake

This little beauty is perfect to make for a Valentine’s Day bash. Who has valentine’s day bashes you ask? Well, all the single peeps of course!!! This is a decadent and healthy treat to share with all your friends…and family as well! Even the kids will love it!

Making desserts with cashews is one of my favorite things to do. They are so sweet and creamy that you won’t even miss the cream cheese, which is the normal and fatty ingredient in all regular cheesecakes.

Recipe & photo created by one of my very talented cleansers!

 

INGREDIENTS (CRUST)

• 2 c. raw pecans or macadamias
• 1/2 c. dried coconut
• ¼ c. agave nectar
• dash sea salt

In food processor, pulse pecans or macadamias, agave and coconut together until sticky. Press into a 9-inch spring form pan. If it’s too sticky you can wet your fingers and press into the pan.

 

INGREDIENTS (FILLING)

• 3 c. cashews, soaked for 4 hours
• 1 c. dates, pitted and chopped, soaked for 2 hours (save soaking water)
• 6 TBS. coconut oil, melted
• ½ c. lime juice
• ½ c. agave nectar
• 6 TBS date soak water
• 2 tsp vanilla or one vanilla bean

In a strong blender, blend cashews, coconut oil, lime juice, agave, date soak water, vanilla & dates until smooth. Pour into crust and freeze for 1-2 hours until firm. Remove from freezer and let sit for 15 minutes. Slice and serve immediately. Serve with berry sauce or fresh berries.

Losing the Weight of Your Emotions

When I begin working with new clients and I hear from them that they have tried every diet known to man with no “success,” I always know there is something deeper happening than their desire to lose weight. Of course their desire is valid, but usually it’s not just about the weight that they are carrying and they want to shed. They’ve struggled with yo-yo dieting and cleansing and many other avenues that they thought would get them healthy and lean, but they ended up back where they started or even further back.

The reason I became so interested in food and nutrition, is because I have struggled most of my life with emotional eating and a distorted body image. I must say, it hasn’t been an easy road at all and I have done so much work around deeper healing and looking into why I have this “issue”. Some days I have intense feelings that keep me up late into the night obsessing over the bag of rice chips I ate, or the ½ pint of coconut ice cream that I downed when I wasn’t even hungry.  I can also tend to obsess over body image issues…that my jeans are tighter today than they were yesterday, or my belly is not as flat as it was the day before, or if every calorie I put in my mouth is going to make me fat.  These times come much less frequent these days and I am not going to say that I have totally healed, but I have definitely dug into deeper parts of myself to see what is running these parts of me and learned how to give myself what I really need in those moments to move through them much more gracefully than in the past.

Eating is something we need to do to stay alive. It’s not like other addictions where we can give up said substance and still survive, even though it may feel like we are going to die without it. Food is our nourishment, our vitality, our life. If we don’t know how to relate to food and our bodies in a healthy way, then we will have issues with weight, overeating, under-eating and so much more. I think you get the picture.

Our emotions and feelings play such a big role in our lives. It’s so important to look deeper into these feelings we have around our body, eating and food as they will give us messages of what our bodies and our souls really need. It’s not about the next quick fix diet, or cleanse or fast. It’s about really going inward and asking your body what it needs, or asking your soul what it needs and most of the time that answer is – Love.

Loving ourselves is such a huge part of learning how to live with emotional eating. I don’t think this “addiction” ever fully goes away, but the more we learn to love ourselves, the more this little, or big, monster will calm down and take the proverbial back seat. I know that some of you may be thinking that you are not ready to look at what it is that is driving your overeating, or emotional food choices or body image obsession, but I am here to tell you that the only way out of this, is through this.

If you struggle with any of the things that I have mentioned, seek out help with a professional, start to write in a journal, begin to really get in touch with “WHEN you are eating, WHY you are eating and WHAT you are eating.” Start to notice what you put in your mouth and why. Is your body really hungry or are your emotions screaming out to you for something else? Are you craving love, attention and affection? If so, how can you give this to yourself? Maybe you could call a friend, or stop and take a few deep breaths – whatever it is that will help you really tune into what is going on internally, before you fill your mouth with an unhealthy food that will not nourish you in any way except to feed your “in the moment” craving for something else bigger.

Begin to really notice those moments when you have a craving and see if you can stop, take a breath and check in with yourself. Do you really want that sugary donut, bag of chips or chocolate bar? Or do you really want a hug from someone?  So many of our food cravings are brought about by memories of comfort when we were kids. So it’s normal to want certain foods if we are feeling down or sad, but the wise thing to do in a situation like this is to skip the food and find a way to comfort yourself. I know this sounds strange, but the love we give to ourselves and feel for ourselves is the most important love of all. So where and how can you start to love yourself more so that you don’t become slave to your emotional eating, which can lead to extra pounds, depression, shame and self-loathing?

Just one small, positive action can start to break the cycle…what will yours be?

Labels: Do They Help Us or Hurt Us?

I have been a vegan for quite a while now and I am also a vegan chef, so being vegan is part of my livelihood and I believe in it. For most of my life I have gone back and forth between the labels of vegetarianism and veganism. For a long time, these labels fed my ego and helped me to feel “powerful” in a sense. I felt better and “smarter” than others, because I was doing the “right’ thing. I was making healthy choices and saving animals at the same time. I would even go to the extent of preaching to others how they should be vegetarian and I judged them if they weren’t or if they ate unhealthy.

But, what I am finding now, as I live a healthier life and work closely with others to assist them in finding a healthy lifestyle that works for them, is that these labels do not matter and in a way, I am discovering that they can actually hold us back. When we label ourselves, we set ourselves up for minimal growth and also scrutiny from others.  I cannot tell you how many times I have been scrutinized by people when I eat out or when I make a decision to eat an egg, and listen to my body vs. following my label of vegan.  And, how many times I have looked over my shoulder to make sure no one sees me eating an egg or a bite of goat cheese! Our ego needs to give almost everything we do a name, and most of the time that doesn’t serve us. Think of any kind of label, even designer labels. Some people will spend thousands of dollars more on a designer label so that they can get attention or feel good. I personally know people who are addicted to designer labels and feel unworthy if they are not donning some expensive purse or piece of clothing. I am not saying this is a bad thing, yet it’s definitely an ego-based decision and doesn’t seem to allow for much internal growth.

When we live in a world of black and white, right and wrong, good and bad, I can understand labeling, but if we want to grow as a society and in our own personal lives, labeling leaves much to be desired.  Labeling can pigeonhole us into ONE way of being and thinking. Even political labels can do this. Yes, we all have our beliefs and there is nothing wrong with that, or, in fact, even right with that, they are just beliefs. And as human beings we get to make new choices and have new beliefs any time we want and that is the beauty of free will.  I have found that labeling myself a vegan has, at times, brought me much discomfort in the eyes of others. I understand that this discomfort is my own, and I also understand that I get to call myself whatever I want without buying into the judgments of others.

To me what matters most is that I am healthy, energetic and I am eating whole, plant-based, unprocessed foods and listening to my body by giving it what it needs. Also, that I am being of service to the world no matter what my label. For me veganism was a choice for many different reasons, which started with health reasons. As a kid I suffered from allergies, digestive issues and the like, yet it was also a natural progression that happened as I started to care more and more about what I put in my body and how I wanted to feel. The cleaner I ate and the more I cut out the processed foods, the better I felt. But I could’ve just cut out processed foods and continued eating meat, yet for me, my body really didn’t like it. Honestly, it grossed me out and I just didn’t want it anymore. So I decided to become first, a vegetarian and eventually a vegan.

What I realize now is that I don’t want to label myself as a vegan anymore. I know how much it means to me, but if I am following the “vegan guidelines” of how to be a “proper” vegan, I fall way short. Why? Well, because I still eat honey (something vegans frown upon), I still wear leather (and I am mindful not to buy new leather products), I will on occasion eat an egg if my body wants it, or even have a bite of creamy burratta mozzarella when I am in Naples, Italy where Buratta originates…When in Rome. I don’t want to be under the scrutiny of the vegan label anymore, and that doesn’t

mean that I won’t still claim I eat vegan, cause I do, but what I am leaning toward now is that I am a person who loves vegan food. I am a person who loves to eat plant-based, whole foods and I am a person who cooks vegan food for others and teaches others how to have more plant-based foods in their life.

Vegan, Vegetarian, Flexitarian, Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian, Pescetarian, these are all just labels that we use to describe the way we eat. One thing to know is that these descriptions of eating lifestyles don’t necessarily mean that we are healthy! And they definitely don’t always mean that we know what our bodies need or want. The key is to listen to what you really want and what resonates with you in your heart, not what others do. It’s about your own wellbeing and no one else’s.

I have learned that the way to teach is to lead by example and not from a place of preaching and self-righteousness, but from a place of my own authentic experience and how it has changed me for the better.

And on another note, I love, love, love animals and don’t think that they should be mass produced as they are and killed for food. I love the Earth and I know how the meat and dairy industry negatively affects the earth.  I became a vegan chef so that I could do my part and teach people how to eat healthier, while helping to save the planet as well and I am also aware that preachy vegans or people who judge others for their choices are not helping themselves or others. Everyone has to find their own path in their own time and we get to give them the dignity of that!