Strawberry Chia Jam (no pectin)

Sep 19, 2015

It’s really only been three weeks, but it feels like it’s been a year since I posted! It’s not that I don’t have anything TO post…on the contrary, I have quite the backlog. But crazy workload plus travel has kept me away.

I’m easing back in with this no-fuss strawberry jam recipe. Why jam, you ask?

Well, I just got back from spending a week and a half in the Scottish highlands and a number of the islands, plus a day in Edinburgh, which meant tons of pub food, breakfast fry-ups, and sticky toffee pudding. But one of my absolute favorite things when traveling in the U.K. is a plain scone with butter and strawberry jam. Their scones have an unreal crumb…my mission in life is to somehow recreate it. And it’s perfect with just some simple butter and jam. Boy, I ate a ton of these!

This jam isn’t quite the same (for that, you can use my super easy balsamic strawberry jam recipe, also no pectin). But it’s got the interesting addition of chia seeds for texture and thickening, it’s a little less sweet (I barely put any sweetener in), and it’s super easy. You can get it started and then focus on making dinner or baking something, just stopping to give the jam a quick stir every so often.

Peanut Butter Quinoa Granola

Jun 8, 2014

As I’ve mentioned here before, granola’s never really been my thing. That was, until I tried this maple nut quinoa granola recipe, and was instantly hooked on the light, crispy clusters. Gone are the days of tough, chewy oats. It’s a new granola day.

So my second attempt at this granola was a peanut butter one, which is right up my alley flavor-wise.

I had picked up pepitas, and added some ground flaxseed and chia, plus some walnuts and almonds. The flavor was awesome, though the clumps weren’t quite as crispy since the peanut butter changed the texture.

Quinoa Nut Maple Granola

Feb 23, 2014

Granola is one of those things I really WANT to love. I do.

I have all the best intentions of loving granola, and then I pour my milk in and try to eat it, and I chew. And chew. And chew. And then my jaw and teeth hurt. But this granola is pretty special.

While it has a traditional base (oats and nuts, some coconut), it brings in a number of interesting flavors and textures. Chia, quinoa, and sunflower seeds provide extra crunch and protein, craisins and dried cherries substitute for raisins (which I’m not a huge fan of), and maple syrup and coconut oil hold it all together. I threw in some flaxseed, wheat germ, and hazelnuts, for good measure, since I didn’t have the pumpkin seeds or buckwheat the recipe called for.

The result is a delicate, crunchy, cinnamon-y obsession. If you want to see the original recipe click here, but I’ve outlined my version below.

Almond Apple-Cinnamon Breakfast Smoothie

Feb 11, 2013

So, we’re back to smoothies…

I’ve been doing my best, despite an insane work schedule and a house search, to eat just as healthy as I do when I have time and energy. I get to work quite early, and I’m a big believer in breakfast (plus my blood sugar can go wonky). But oatmeal at my desk can get kind of boring. So lately I’ve been jumping on the smoothie merry-go-round (coconut milk smoothie, spinach & pineapple smoothie, pear mango kale smoothie).

Coconut Milk Smoothie (healthy, fat-burning breakfast)

Jan 26, 2013

I’ve definitely been on a smoothie kick lately, and trying combinations that are way outside of my normal smoothie-zone. This whole past week I’ve been trying an apple-cinnamon shake (recipe to come), and then today I tried a shake with raw eggs for the first time ever.

I know, raw eggs. Lots of people have an automatic “EWWW!” response to the thought of eating or drinking raw eggs. First thing—consuming raw eggs is not inherently dangerous. The only real danger is salmonella (also a danger from raw meat and various fruits and vegetables). By the most recent estimates, only maybe 1 in 30,000 eggs has salmonella, so those odds are fairly good in my book, but for children, elderly, and those with compromised immune systems it may be safer to stay clear. And eggs are incredibly healthy—they’re full of protein, vitamin B, and choline, and they provide lots of energy and repair your body at a cellular level. Nutritionists and scientists still argue about whether or not raw eggs are actually healthier than cooked, but they made a nice protein addition to the shake…better than weird, chemical-y protein powder, at least.

A lot of people are also worried about how the eggs will taste in the smoothie, but I didn’t taste them at all. The only really strong taste is from the coconut milk and coconut oil. While I’m not the biggest coconut fan, I didn’t mind it too much. The only real change I made to the original recipe was throwing in some chia seeds for some added omega-3s.

Some like it hot (Sweet Brown Rice Porridge)

Sep 24, 2012

I’m kind of at a loss for what to call this dish. At its root it’s “sweet rice”, a lightly-sweet breakfast dish my mom used to make occasionally with leftover rice when I was a kid. But it’s a couple steps beyond that, too, because I went on one of those sprees where I start throwing whatever else healthy I can think of into the pot.

Basically it’s an alternative to oatmeal. It’s really filling, easy to make ahead and bring to work, and very healthy as well.

Fiber-full brunch (Whole Grain Buttermilk Pancakes)

Sep 16, 2012

I. Love. Pancakes. Give me a fluffy, whole wheat buttermilk pancake and I’m in brunch heaven. Slather it with peanut butter and some syrup? Divine.

To me, pancakes mean a lazy Saturday morning, Sabbath brunch with my family, music in the background, with me flipping pancakes while everyone chows down.

Problem is, I don’t really get pancakes much anymore. It’s just me, so I typically have a lot of strong coffee for weekend breakfast and not much else. However, I went for a run a few Sunday mornings ago, and when I got home I was absolutely ravenous. I mentally ran through my meal options and decided I was craving pancakes, but needed to make them as healthy as possible. So I took my family’s buttermilk pancake recipe, and swapped in mostly whole wheat flour, wheat germ, flaxseed, and some chia seeds for good measure. And it was delicious!

Healthy smoothie variation (Pear, Kale, & Mango Smoothie)

Aug 1, 2012

I posted an awesome pineapple spinach smoothie I’d been trying out for breakfast every day a couple weeks ago. On a few of the smoothie websites I’d read that you should mix it up, not just always do the same fruits and veggies, to get the most out of the nutrients. So I switched up a few of the ingredients for the past week.  Just as good, though I think I prefer the spinach one from a texture standpoint.

What I’ve been doing is making this in the morning, drinking part of it on my way to work, then putting it in the fridge while I have my normal coffee and such. Then I pull it out of the fridge around 10:30 and have breakfast part deux.

It’s actually way better than it sounds… (Spinach Pineapple Smoothie)

Jul 20, 2012

I’ve been feeling the need to detox a little. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not doing any of that crazy stuff like drinking only lemon juice and cayenne pepper or anything. It’s just that between the long work hours, lack of sleep, some weekend trips, and general meh-ness, I’ve been feeling pretty blah lately. I was browsing Pinterest for recipes and found a bunch of different smoothies, which just struck my fancy for some reason. This one in particular jumped out at me, which is weird because I’ve never had a green smoothie. And I know the spinach makes it looks so weird, but it’s actually really good. The pineapple and banana are plenty sweet and you don’t taste the spinach at all. So I’ve been drinking it every day for over a week, and am loving it.

And now for the good news:

When blended really well, the combination of low calorie foods mixed with fiber and antioxidant-rich ingredients means your body doesn’t need to work as much because the food is already broken down. This allows key nutrients to flood the body better than if the food were eaten whole and separately.  Additionally, spinach is a nutritional powerhouse full of vitamins A and K, as well as iron, folate, calcium, and lutein. The pineapple is a vitamin C star, which helps the body absorb the iron in the spinach—which for someone like me who is always low on iron & vitamin C, it’s a 1-2 punch of awesome. Sign me up!