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How-to Make Easy Chia Seed Jam {+ Video}
This Easy Chia Seed Jam is a wonderful way to preserve the fresh fruit of the season and enjoy delicious homemade jam without artificial colors and flavors or an ungodly amount of sugar. It’s a breeze to make, ready in about 15 minutes, plus there is no canning equipment necessary and you can control the level of sweetness leaving out refined sugar and instead using natural sweeteners like honey, maple or any other alternative you choose (or leave it out altogether and go al naturale).
Best part, this simple chia seed jam formula works with nearly any fruit you’d like, so go with the best the current season has to offer and get creative. Try strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, cherries, cranberries, apples, pears, peaches, plums, etc. Experiment with blending various fruits and if you really want to have some fun, add in vanilla bean, fresh herbs or spices, rosemary, basil, fresh mint, cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger – the flavor combos are endless, really.
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How-to Make Chia Seed Pudding {Paleo, Keto, Vegan}
I have been a long time fan of chia seed pudding and it’s become a simple dish that I recommend often as an egg-free, dairy-free snack, breakfast or dessert option to my nutritional clients, especially those I recommend blood sugar control diets or sugar detoxes to. Without sweetener (or sweetened very lightly) chia pudding can be a great, nutrient-dense alternative to the more standard grain and carb-forward breakfasts. It’s loaded with omega-3 essential fatty acids, fiber, protein, and various micronutrients and chia seeds are also high in calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.
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Coconut Mango Chia Seed Pudding
How is it Friday already? Where has this week gone? Busy weeks mean the time is just flying by. Among the usual weekly things, teaching yoga, events in LA and all that good stuff, Wednesday night I taught another free cooking demo at Whole Foods here in Long Beach. I shared 4 delicious seasonally-inspired recipes that were of course, gluten-free as well as all being plant-based and grain-free, too! It was another full room and everyone left with full bellies and I hope lots of fun tips and recipes. Thanks to all that came, it’s so fun to be able to share the message that real food heals and I love being able to cook simple, seasonal food that anyone can make in their own kitchen.
Being that mangoes are in-season right now, the final dish I created at the Whole Foods cooking demo, the sweet of the bunch, was this super simple Coconut Mango Chia Seed Pudding.
Perfect as a breakfast ready to eat when you wake up in the morning, a naturally-sweetened dessert or a quick snack, this creamy, sweet pudding is also the perfect energy boost. Chia seeds have a high density of omega-3 fatty acids (more than a serving of salmon or flaxseeds), they are high in fiber, protein, they are full of antioxidants and minerals, like calcium (surprisingly up to 3 times more than a serving of milk), and they are naturally anti-inflammatory. Chia seeds can absorb up to 10x their own weight in water, which means they are known to prolong hydration and improve our absorption of electrolyte nutrients. The best part is this also slows digestion and keeps you fuller longer, which makes these parfaits great fuel in the morning before a busy day. Talk about a superfood. Read the rest of this entry »
