Picture this.  You have about 15 minutes to get dressed, 17 minutes if you put your lip gloss on in the car.  You’re standing in front of your closet, and everything you see looks like the leftovers you have from dinner three night’s ago.  The vapid articles of clothing hanging before you will do, but they’re nothing for which you’re going to do the happy dance.   You moan, “I have nothing to wearrrrrrr…” just one more time before you give up on your search.  So, you throw on the first thing you can grab (and that’s clean) and head out the door.  You’re dressed, but certainly not impressed.  Sound familiar?

Image Credit – myescapehatch.blogspot.com

Well, I’ve definitely been in that situation more than a few hundred times, and more recently, this has carried over to my choices in healthy snacking.  While my fridge has the usual suspects of apples, oranges, Greek yogurt, some carrot and celery sticks, and my cupboards are stocked with raw almonds, dried cranberries and rice crackers, I can’t help but want to utter, “I have nothing to eattttttt…!”  Enter Megafruit™.

Just when I was about to reluctantly eat yet another baby carrot, the samples from Megafruit™ arrived at my door.  They came in an unassuming little brown cardboard box, but when I opened it, I was pleasantly surprised.  My samples not only came in this vibrant and adorable packaging, but they were  safely nestled in a Megafruit™-branded wooden crate.  I’m a sucker for presentation and first impressions; this knocked my socks off!  Similar to how one would bring home fresh produce from a farm or farmers market, my Megafruit™ arrived as if it were handpicked.  Plus, I can only imagine the ways I can reuse my nifty new crate (Healthy Chow’s gotta lotta schiz that needs to be organized, if you know what I mean!).

Just a plain lil’ box…

Bam!  So surprisingly cute!

According to their website, “Megafruit™ is the next generation of Superfruits; products that have exceptional nutrient and antioxidant qualities whose benefits are not yet widely known.”  My samples of Megafruit™ came in 3 different flavors (the company’s initial product offering): mangosteen, baby pineapple and lychee.  While I’ve heard of these fruits, I must admit that I had no idea about their nutritional benefits.  Here are some of my favorite facts on each fruit:

Ever seen a mangosteen?

Mangosteen

• Called the queen of fruits
• Has been called the most delicious fruit in the world
• High level of Xanthones – considered to be the most powerful of all antioxidants

Oooh, baby!

Baby Pineapple

• Contains a myriad of beneficial minerals including:
  • Micronutrients may protect against cancer and break up blood clots
  • Bromelins that may block reduces swelling related to arthritis, sore throat, sinusitis
  • Manganese, aiding the healthy growth of tissue and bones
  • Fiber that will help in digestion and stimulate kidneys and aid in flushing toxins from the body

Lovely lychee

Lychee

• Has been claimed to be the fruit the Tang Dynasty Emperor used to woo his loved one, making it a fruit synonymous with love and romance
• Just 9 lychees or a handful of the fruit meets an adult’s recommended daily requirement of Vitamin C (contains 72mg per 100 grams)
• Contains flavonoids which have proven to be effective against the growth of cancer cells

Now that’s some fruit with some mega power!  And guess what?  The taste isn’t what I would call weak either.  Even though Megafruit™ doesn’t contain any sugar, preservatives or additives, it doesn’t mean this dried fruit is lacking in flavor.  In fact, they are delicious!  I’ve never tried a mangosteen before, so I had no idea what to expect.  The mangosteen was the first fruit I tried, and while the flavor is subtle, it is unique and has an indescribable exotic taste (sweet, yet a tad sour at the same time) that had me almost inhaling the entire bag in one sitting.  The baby pineapple is naturally sweet, not artificial tasting like some dried pineapple can taste.  Because the baby pineapple comes in large pieces, they were fun to chew and had a great texture.  This is Patrick’s favorite.  My favorite, hands down, is the lychee.  If you’ve never had lychee, please do yourself a favor and try this, NOW!  My grandmother used to serve us lychee after dinner over a bowl of ice water.  She would peel the fruit and stick toothpicks in them and I swear, I would eat at least 20 at a time.  I haven’t had lychee in years, so for both nostalgic and taste reasons, the lychee is number one for me.  A fresh lychee is crunchy like a grape, but has a much more fragrant and sweet taste.  Megafruit™’s version magically captured a fresh lychee’s essence.

If you can’t already tell, I’m a mega fan of Megafruit™.  For me, there is nothing like a piece of fresh fruit.  However, fresh fruit such as bananas, pears, grapes, etc., can get a bit mundane.  But what do you do when the not-so-common fruit that you do crave, and that tickles your palate is no where to be found?  The answer is in these little goodies that graced my taste buds the other day.  Not only are the flavors of Megafruit™ probably like nothing you’ve ever tasted, but they can provide you with health benefits like nothing you’ve ever known.  Similar to the dried fruit snack I reviewed in this post, Megafruit™ is a wholesome snack that is just the fruit in its most natural form.  There aren’t any fake colors or enhanced flavorings added to the dried fruit to make it appear more appealing.  The Megafruit™ pieces are rustic in appearance, and simply delectable.

The Terrific Trio…

If you’re looking for a quick snack that’s easily portable, healthy and unique, I highly recommend Megafruit™ (available soon on Amazon).  Reach for it the next time you’re in need of a nutritious boost, whether it be sitting at your desk at the office, after a good butt-kicking workout or when you’re on your 5th hour of running errands.  Or, maybe you can snack on a handful as you’re unenthusiastically trying to pick out Monday morning’s outfit.

Some creations I made with my Megafruit™:

Piña Colada Oatmeal – Megafruit™ baby pineapple, dried coconut and nonfat ricotta cheese

Tropical Lychee Orange Delight – Megafruit™ lychee, orange sherbet, Kashi Go Lean cereal and dark chocolate cocoa roast almonds

***If you’d like to win some of your own Megafruit™, not to mention a $100 gift card to Lululemon, check out the fantastic giveaway that Megafruit™ is having here!***

If you had to pick one, what would it be – fruits or vegetables?  What do you do to get out of a ‘wardrobe rut’? How about a ‘food rut’?

Namasté,
Nicole

I think it’s safe to say that we all want to feel good and be healthy.  We all want to be our best and thus, we eat right, exercise and try our hardest to maintain a positive and upbeat perspective on life.  I know I don’t feel any better than when I’m fueling my body with clean and nutritious foods, and staying active in both body and mind.  For that reason, when my friend introduced me to MonaVie (‘mo-na-vee’), I was mo’ than elated to give it a try.

My friend, Connie, was visiting from New York and wanted a group of us to sample these blends of fruit juices she had recently started promoting.  When she took out the product, I thought she was going to pour me a glass of wine.  The MonaVie blends come in these beautiful glass bottles with a sleek logo that would make you think you were imbibing on a fine merlot, versus a non-alcoholic fruit juice.  But after one sip, I knew this wasn’t any ordinary drink.  The blend of MonaVie that I sampled (which was the MonaVie Original), was thick and concentrated, yet delicious and refreshing.  Even with a small 3 – 4 oz. sample, I could immediately feel the potency of this drink flooding my system.  It was an immediate energy booster!  So I had to finally ask, what the heck is in this stuff?!

According to the MonaVie website:

• MonaVie’s extraordinary products feature a delicious blend of the Brazilian açai berry and 18 other body-beneficial fruits from around the world.

• MonaVie’s refreshing açai blends are products with a purpose. From powerful antioxidant support to joint and heart health, each formula delivers key nutrients to help you maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

• MonaVie is a unique and delicious nutritional beverage. The açai berry is the foundation of the MonaVie blend, but with literally thousands of phytonutrients and antioxidants found in nature’s fresh fruits, MonaVie didn’t want to focus on just one at the expense of others.  This led to MonaVie’s selection of 18 additional fruits, each selected for its unique, beneficial properties and ability to contribute a variety of phytonutrients and antioxidants to MonaVie’s premier nutritional beverage.  Together, the synergistic effect of the fruits in the MonaVie blend reaches far beyond what any single fruit could accomplish.

• Designed for easy absorption in the body, just 2–4 ounces of MonaVie per day provides you with the phytonutrients and antioxidants found in many of the world’s most nutritious fruits—including açai.

• Açai contains concentrated levels of anthocyanins—a powerful family of antioxidants that assists in neutralizing the harmful effects free radicals can have on your body.  Through an exclusive freeze-drying process, MonaVie is able to capture the vital nutrients found in this delicate fruit.  MonaVie’s freeze-dried açai powder boasts an ORAC score (a measure of antioxidant power) higher than any other fruit or vegetable tested to date, on a gram-for-gram basis.

While I love my fruits and vegetables, I have to say that I’m not a huge juicer.  The thought of throwing back a glass of orange, grapefruit or even pomegranate juice (sorry, POM) just doesn’t do it for me.  I would much rather get my vitamins and nutrients by eating the fresh produce, not drinking it.  But, sometimes, I just don’t think I am getting enough of those nutritious properties.  Knowing that I can get the antioxidant capacity of approximately 13 servings of fruits and vegetables in just four ounces of MonaVie is appealing to me.  I’ll still continue to eat my produce, but if I can drink this fruit blend a couple times a day as a supplement to my healthy eating ways, I can’t fail!

Because I practice hot/power yoga close to a daily basis, Connie gave me a bottle of the MonaVie Active to take home and try.  She mentioned that this blend contained glucosamine, which promotes healthy joint function, targets mobility and flexibility and it is designed to support joint performance and recovery.  While I don’t have bad joints, nor do I experience many aches or pains, my muscles do tend to get tired and sore from yoga.  Thus, sampling a bottle of the MonaVie Active for a week was something I gladly volunteered to do.

When I drank my first 2 oz. ’shot’ of MonaVie active (a blend of Açai, white grape, apple, acerola, aronia, purple grape, cranberry, passion fruit, prune, kiwi, blueberry, bilberry, wolfberry, pomegranate, lychee fruit, camu camu, pear, banana, and cupuaçu), I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.  I had eaten pretty lightly during the day and was on my way out the door for an evening yoga class.  I figured drinking my juice blend couldn’t hurt and if anything, it would just be a tasty treat before exercising.  But, I had this enormous burst of energy.  My mind felt clear, my breathing was smooth and I wasn’t tired at all.  In fact, I was surprised when my class came to an end.  I felt as if I could go on for hours!  However, when I took my subsequent shots, I didn’t quite get the same effect.  Don’t get me wrong, they still tasted fantastic.  But, I just didn’t feel ‘different’.  I’m not quite sure if I was expecting to feel a significant surge in energy, or if I was expecting the MonaVie Active to transform me into a whole new person.  I just thought this fancy drink was going to do more than just taste fancy.  I emailed Connie to get her opinion and she wasn’t surprised by my reaction.  Her exact words were, “I think because you are a healthy gal to begin with, your body won’t have too many changes, but I can assure you that it is getting exactly what it needs.  Sometimes it takes a few weeks to feel major changes.  Preventative care and wellness should just feel good and normal.”  So true!  I guess I just never looked at it that way.  I thought the MonaVie was going to cast a magical spell on me.  But, when you’re already doing all the right things, the magic’s already there.

All in all, I really enjoyed MonaVie.  It has a unique taste, it’s chock full of fruits I wouldn’t even begin to know where to find and it’s good for me.  While it is a bit on the pricey side, I would recommend it.  Plus, when you know you’re starting your day (I decided to drink it with my breakfast) with something that is high in vitamins and nutrients as this little drink is, it certainly sets a positive tone.  When you start off healthy, you want to continue healthy, and do all the things that will prolong and accentuate that feeling.  Whether that feeling stems from exercising in the morning, having a shot of MonaVie or perhaps a practicing a morning meditation, it all begins with just taking that first step.  And I think we can all drink to that!

*If you’re interested in purchasing MonaVie, or in becoming a distributor of this amazing product (they have some pretty fantastic business opportunities), you can contact Connie through her website or via email at conx123[at]gmail.com

What’s one beauty ritual you must do every day?  What is one food that you swear makes you feel healthy as soon as you consume it?

Namasté,
Nicole

***I wrote this post a few months back but wanted to post it after our friends, Matt and Laura, left for Italy.  As a tribute to them, I thought I would post it today.  Matt, Laura and Giulia – I hope you are having fun in Italy! ***

I have a sweet tooth.  While I think I have more of a french fry tooth (and no, I don’t have a ranch tooth.  But that would be hilarious if I did!), my sweet tooth does have a tendency to rear its ugly head more often than I would like.  So, while I try to quell it with things like dried figs dipped in honey, dark chocolate melted over strawberries and peanut butter covered apples, sometimes all Healthy Chow wants is a little brownie.

Image Credit – allstarhealth.com

Now, I’m not trying to say there’s anything wrong with craving a real baked good every now and again, but the problem is, once I start, I just can’t stop.  So instead of denying myself the pleasure of having a piece of pastry, I allow myself to have that treat.  But, I try to do it in as smart of a way as I can.  Thus, when my friend, Laura, asked if I would like to come over to her house to bake and then test the No Pudge Brownies, Healthy Chow was all in!  Plus, I had the chance to cook in someone else’s kitchen (which I love) and it was a good way to spend girls’ night in with two of my favorite ladies – Laura and her two year-old daughter, Giulia.

Laura was as excited as I to try out this product.  We had seen it at Trader Joe’s, the regular grocery stores and even at Target, and while we were both intrigued, we had both never opted for a pudge-free baked good.  Laura is one of those lucky people that just doesn’t seem to have a craving for sweets.  Unless she hides it too damn really well, I can’t remember the last time I’ve seen my friend indulge in a baked good.  She claims she just really doesn’t crave sweets.  Huh?! Is this possible?  Not in the world of Healthy Chow! Hell to the no!  But Laura and I both strive to eat well and know the importance of a well-balanced diet and exercise.  That said, we’re constantly trading health and fitness secrets and sharing tips on how to make everyday meals and the foods we love a little more figure friendly.  And we could both chat for hours on just about any topic, so our ‘bake n’ bitch’ was a perfect way to end a long week.

After getting Giulia bathed and settled into bed with one of her favorite DVD’s, we made a b-line to the kitchen to get our brownies going.  Like any other brownie mix, the instructions could not be any easier.  You simply take the mix out of the box and dump into a bowl and then mix in some nonfat vanilla yogurt (or you can substitute plain nonfat yogurt with a teaspoon of vanilla extract).  Once that is blended well, you dump it into a greased pan.  Bake and voilà!  The brownies are done!  Easy as pie (actually, pies are a lot tougher to make).

We used a food processor instead of hand mixing in a bowl – gotta make sure it’s smooth!

We used Stonyfield Farm yogurt…

with vanilla extract…thanks for modeling, Laura!

Ooohh, looks like ice cream!

While the brownies were baking and Giulia was still trying to find Nemo, Laura and I enjoyed a cup of tea and caught up on just about everything.  We talked about her upcoming job interview in Milan and how if things went well, she and her family would be moving as soon as the beginning of next year.  While it was sad to know a close friend of mine could possibly be moving to another country, I was happy for her and excited that she had this amazing opportunity.  Selfishly, I wish she and her family would stay in Boston because they are such great friends and support systems to both me and my husband.  Patrick and Laura’s husband, Matt, are very close friends, practically brothers, and Giulia is our goddaughter.  Needless to say, there’s going to be a void in our lives if Laura is offered the job and accepts.  But life is about exploration, growth and change and as good friends, the only feeling we can have is true happiness.

Like her mom, little Giulia likes shoes…

After about 30 minutes, the brownies were done baking and we were ready to eat.  They smelled incredible (but then again, when do baking brownies don’t?) and looked just like the any other brownies would.  And the taste?  They were quite good!  They didn’t have that velvet-y and soft consistency like a traditional fudge flavored brownie and they certainly weren’t as dense and rich, but then again they didn’t have the added oil and/or eggs either.  Considering we only added yogurt to the mix, these brownies were not dry at all and were quite chocolate-y tasting.  I’d even venture and say that they almost had a ‘dark chocolate’ taste versus a ‘milk chocolate’ taste.  Combined with our hot tea, these brownies were definitely a winner!  Although making your own ‘healthier’ brownies from scratch would not be that much more difficult than making the No Pudge brownies, this was definitely a great option if you’re looking to fix your chocolate craving in a fast and ‘less-pudgy’ way.  We both thoroughly enjoyed our baking job for the evening and savored each and every bite.

Hmmm, fresh out of the oven…

A few days ago, Laura made the announcement that she was offered the job in Milan and accepted.  While we weren’t shocked that she was made the offer (Laura is a very hardworking and talented individual), we were surprised that Laura would have to move as early as this November (the whole family would move in January 2010).  Moving to Italy was always something Laura and Matt considered doing, but when it became a reality, it definitely hit me hard.  Being able to have such wonderful friends live so close by and being able to watch our goddaughter blossom into a beautiful little girl is truly a blessing.  It’s that comfort of knowing you have your very close friends living only minutes away from you that I’m honestly going to miss.  But it’s the strength our our friendship that I’ll always value and our strong bond that will continue – no matter how many oceans apart we are.  Spending time with Laura and Giulia at our girls’ night in is something that I’ll cherish and remember, especially after November.  But like the brownies we baked tonight, life must be enjoyed and can’t be kept in a box.  We have to be open to trying new things and see the possibilities that our lives can brings us.  And when we do take the chance to venture out and spread our wings, life can be sweet and definitely worth indulging in.

Delish!

hello, sweetie…

As Sting says,

If you love somebody,
If you love someone,
If you love somebody,
If you love someone, set them free
Set them free…
Set them free…
Set them free…

So maybe in Italy I’d be called Healthy Ciào?!  I like the sound of that…!

Would you ever move to another country to take a job?

Namasté,
Nicole

When I started reading healthy/lifestyle blogs, I noticed there were some foods that these bloggers could not stop raving about and could not stop eating.  Among these foods were oatmeal, kale, spinach, pumpkin, beans and nuts.  Nuts were put on just about anything and everything.  I saw them on oatmeal, yogurt, salads, in sandwiches, baked goods, soups, paninis, and stuffed in gourds.  Back then, I liked nuts.  But, I was always afraid of their high calorie content and the fact that I could inhale a pound of them in one sitting.  Now, I’ve grown to fully enjoy all kinds of nuts and have learned to consume them without abusing them.  I’ve become quite fond of raw almonds, walnuts, cashews and even the occasional peanut.  However, pecans didn’t play a role on my grocery shopping list.  I’m not sure why?  I think I just stuck with what I liked and never moved beyond that (remember, I am a creature of habit).  A few weeks ago, that all changed.

Marta from The Pecan Store (a division of The Green Valley Pecan Company) had emailed me asking if I would be interested in sampling some of their prized pecans.  At first, I wasn’t quite sure what to say.  After all, I wasn’t much of a pecan eater.  But once I had the chance to look at their website and learn all the facts about this powerful little nut, I was sold!  Within a few short days, my package arrived from Marta and inside was a half pound of pecan halves.  Wow!  I was shocked!  It was quite a hefty bag to sample, but I certainly wasn’t complaining.  Now, I just had to figure out what I was going to do with all these pecans…

Before I ripped open the bag to sample my little goodies, I took a peek at the informational brochure that came along with my package.  Honestly, I don’t know where I’ve been because I had no idea pecans were this amazing! Check it out:

The latest research from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) confirms pecans are one of the highest antioxidant-rich tree nuts and are ranked in the top category of all foods for antioxidants.

Pecans are a good source of fiber, providing 10% of the Daily Value for fiber in a single serving.

Scientific research at Loma Linda University shows the addition of pecans to the American Heart Association’s Step 1 diet lowered LDL (bad cholesterol) levels more than twice as much as the AHA Step 1 diet alone.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has acknowledged this and related research and approved the following qualified health claim: “Scientific evidence suggests, but does not prove, that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, such as pecans, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

After reading all those benefits, I was even more excited to try my pecans.  I can’t believe I’ve been missing out.  Thank you, Marta, for sending me these amazing nuts to sample.  And while I’m grateful for the half pound of pecans, your other products don’t look so bad either (hint, hint).  In fact, they look almost too good to be true: Butter Toffee Pecans, Dark Chocolate Pecan Bark, Arizona Pecan Brittle, Oliver Pecan Amaretto Pecan Honey Butter, San Saba Blackberry Pecan Preserves, Milk Chocolate Pecan Fudge and Oil Kinloch Plantation Pecan Oil.

The pecans were delicious!  They were softer in texture than an almond or walnut but still had a nice, subtle crunch.  They’re rich and buttery in taste and complement both sweet and savory dishes.  In fact, these pecans were so tasty that it didn’t take me too long to get through the entire bag.  Aside from the few handfuls I would grab out of the bag to munch on as a snack, I made some great creations.  Take a look…

Buzzy Spiced Banana Pumpkin Muffins

Sweet Sweet Potato with Cottage Cheese, Raisins, Honey and Pecans

Pumpkin Pie Cake with Dried Cranberries, Pecans and Agave Nectar (inspired by KathEats.com)

Thanksgiving Brussels Sprouts with Goat Cheese, Dried Cranberries, Chickpeas and Pecans

Sweet Potato Brownies with Coconut, Flaxseeds, Pecans and Walnuts (Say what?  Yup, you heard right.  Stay tuned for the recipe…)

After reviewing and consuming these pecans, I’ve decided that The Pecan Store sells a good nut and that pecans must now become a staple in my kitchen.  Like all nuts, the pecan is versatile.  You can put them on and in just about anything, and whatever you’re eating will taste that much better.  Plus, it’s a great way to get some more protein and healthy fat into your diet.  Pecans have always reminded me of the more decadent desserts such as German chocolate cake, butter pecan ice cream (one of my Dad’s faves), pecan pie, pecan turtle clusters and cinnamon pecan rolls.  Perhaps that’s the reason why they’ve been void from my nut repertoire? But now that I know I can add pecans to foods and still have them be healthy, I guess I was the nut for not trying them sooner!

What’s your favorite nut?  Do you like receiving food as gifts (ex: fruit baskets, Harry & David Gift Towers)?

Namasté,
Nicole

***Have you entered my earring giveaway yet?…***

So if you read yesterday’s post, you’ll know that I was recently given samples of POMx™ Iced Coffee to taste and review.  While I really enjoyed the flavor of the iced coffees, I don’t think I’ll be rushing to replace my morning cup of black coffee with the POMx™ Iced Coffee anytime soon.  Sorry! They’re just a tad too sweet for me to have so early on in the day as my first consumption of caffeine.  Plus, I’m already sweet enough (*sarcasm*)!  So what did I do with the rest of my samples, you ask?  Did I throw them away?  Did I give them to someone else to finish (that would be a bit gross)?  Did I just drink them for the heck of it?  No.  No.  And no!  Since Healthy Chow isn’t one for wasting things, I decided to make good use of my free samples versus just letting them sit and and take up precious space in my fridge.

So, you wanna know what I made…?

Well, if I wasn’t going to be drinking these little ‘wonderfuls’ as part of my breakfast, I figured the next best thing was to cook with them!  Because I love the rich and decadent taste of each of the flavors, I imagined they would be the perfect component in my breakfast foods.  Now, I’m not right a lot of the times, but when I am, I hit the nail exactly on the head (she pats herself on the back)!

Are you ready to find out yet…?

Blueberry Cheesecake Oatmeal POM-erized
Serves 1

• 1/2 cup of dry oats (you can use quick oats or old-fashioned style)
• 1 cup of water
• 1/2 TSP of chia seeds (I used Greens Plus brand)
• 2 TBSP of nonfat cottage cheese
• 1 TBSP of POMx™ Vanilla flavored Iced Coffee
• 1/2 TBSP of chopped raw almonds
• small handful of blueberries, fresh or frozen

1) In a small pot, bring water to a rolling boil.  Once boiling, add the oats and chia seeds.  Stir to make sure the chia seeds are well-blended with the oats.  Reduce the heat to medium/medium-low and let cook for another 3 minutes.

2) Add your cottage cheese and iced coffee.  Stir.

3) Remove oatmeal from heat and pour into a bowl.  Top with blueberries and chopped almonds.

4) Eat with a spoon, but you won’t be able to stop thinking that this is a piece of blueberry cheesecake!

Yum-to-the-O!  This was incredible! The cottage cheese made the oatmeal fluffy (and cheesy) while the chia seeds added to the thickness.  The vanilla iced coffee sweetened this whole little number and the chewiness from the almonds made me think I was eating a graham cracker crust.  And of course, the blueberries accentuated the entire recipe.  If this breakfast was a whole cake, there wouldn’t be a slice left!

POM-errific Chocolate Banana French Toast
Serves 1

• 2 or 3 slices of bread (I used Trader Joe’s Sprouted Flourless Whole Wheat Berry Bread – 2 slices and 1 end)
• 1/4 cup of POMx™ Chocolate flavored Iced Coffee
• 1/3 cup of liquid egg whites
• few shakes of pumpkin pie spice
• few shakes of cinnamon
• few shakes of nutmeg
• pinch of brown sugar
• 1/2 of banana, sliced
• sprinkling of organic dried coconut (I used Woodstock Farms brand)
• sprinkling of cocoa powder

1) Mix the iced coffee, egg whites, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar in a shallow bowl.

2) Dip each slice of bread in the iced coffee/egg white mixture.  Let each piece absorb the mixture for about 1 minute.

3) Spray your frying pan or griddler (or in my kitchen, the C.G.) with cooking spray.  Turn your heat to medium.

4) Place your dipped slices of bread on the frying pan/griddler.  Heat each side for about 2-3 minutes or until the edges start turning that nice golden brown color.

5) Flip each piece of bread and cook for another couple of minutes.

6) Serve with sliced bananas, cocoa powder and dried coconut sprinkles.  Devour!

This french toast recipe was so tasty! There was just enough chocolate flavoring from the iced coffee to give this dish a unique flavor without it being overly sweet.  Coupled with the smashed banana slices (the banana was previously frozen) and the dried coconut, this french toast didn’t even need maple syrup.  I wish I had made more than the the 2.5 pieces I inhaled!

Oatmeal POM-tein Pancakes
Serves 1

• 1/3 cup of dry oats (you can use quick oats or old-fashioned style)
• 1/4 cup of POMx™ Vanilla flavored Iced Coffee
• 1/4 cup of liquid egg whites
• 1/2 TSP of baking soda
• few shakes of cinnamon
• few shakes of nutmeg
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• maple syrup or agave nectar

1) In a small bowl, mix together the oats, iced coffee, egg whites, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.

2) Pour the mixture into your blender.  Add your sliced banana.  Blend until you get the consistency of a thin batter.

3) Spray your frying pan or griddler (or C.G) with cooking spray.  Turn your heat to medium/medium-high.

4) Pour your batter onto your pan or griddler.  Let cook for 2-3 minutes.  Once the pancake can be moved without sticking, flip.  Cook the other side for another 2 minutes.

5) Serve with maple syrup or agave nectar.  Enjoy!

Ohemgee!  These protein-packed pancakes tasted more like banana bread than flapjacks.  They were so delicious and aromatic; I couldn’t believe this breakfast was actually healthy! The vanilla iced coffee and banana kept these pancakes moist and more than flavorful.  I’m glad no one was watching me eat these because I seriously was licking the plate clean.

POM-tastic Banana Coffee Soft Serve
Serves 1

• 1 frozen banana
• 2 TBSP of POMx Café au Lait flavored Iced Coffee

1) Place the  frozen banana and the iced coffee in your blender.  Blend until you get the consistency of soft serve.  You might need to stop the blender intermittently to scrape down the sides and then blend again.

2) Pour into a dish and savor your frosty treat!

Not only did I love this but Patrick seemed to be quite fond of it as well.  He kept asking me what was in his soft serve and couldn’t believe that it was just a frozen banana and a couple of splashes of iced coffee.  The coffee flavoring gave this frozen treat a more gourmet taste than the usual banana flavor.  While we ate this for dessert, it could definitely be a fun breakfast.  After all, it is just fruit and coffee!

When I first tried these iced coffee samples, my first reaction was that they were good.  They were a bit sweet for my liking, but they were definitely tasty.  However, after I began cooking with the iced coffees, I really fell in love.  I guess that goes to show that when life (or Blue) gives you slightly over sweet iced coffee, you need to make perfectly sweet breakfast!

Do you prefer cranberry sauce from the can (the kind where you can still see the indentations from the can) or do you prefer the homemade stuff?  Or are you like me and don’t like either?

***Don’t forget!  You still have until Friday, November 27th at 6pm ET to enter my jewelry giveaway.  After all, we could all use some sparkle in our lives…***

Namasté,
Nicole

I wouldn’t say I’m an addict.  But, when the aroma of a freshly brewed cup of coffee hits my nose, I just can’t resist.  And when someone offers to buy me a cup of coffee, I don’t usually say no either.  And no matter how I much I want to deny it, I don’t seem to feel quite right in the mornings if I don’t have my hot cup of joe.  For that reason, when Blue from POM Wonderful had contacted me asking if I would be interested in trying some samples of their newest product, POMx™ Iced Coffee, I immediately said yes (thanks Blue)!  Who am I to resist free caffeine?!

Within a few short days, my POMx™ Iced Coffee samples had arrived.  I received all three of the available flavors – chocolate, café au lait and vanilla, along with some additional information on POMx™.  I really had no idea what to expect.  I had never seen or heard of this product and usually get my iced coffee at local coffee shops and franchises.  Thus, I had nothing with which to compare these bottled coffees.  I figured if POM Wonderful was the company behind these free samples I just received, they had to be good and they had to be healthy.

According to the POMx website, their iced coffees contain a super-ingredient, POMx™, which is a 100% natural blend of polyphenol antioxidants that contain all the health benefits of POM Wonderful pomegranates.  In other words, you can get your healthy on as you’re getting your buzz on!  And the coffee that is used in this drink isn’t from just any old beans.  POMx™ only uses “premium Italian-roasted Arabica beans for a delicious, intense, full-bodied coffee.”  In addition, the coffee beans are from “ethically sourced, shade-grown environments, which means the trees haven’t been slashed and burned.  And therefore, the wildlife hasn’t been disrupted.”  So let me get this straight, this coffee is good for me, will give me the boost I need to help get me going and is kind to the environment?  Why am I waiting to try these little goodies?

Chocolate

• Ingredients – nonfat milk, organic cane sugar, POMx (POM Wonderful Pomegranate Antioxidant Extract – patent pending), brewed Rainforest Alliance Certified™ coffee (water, coffee), erythritol (natural sweetener), cocoa, natural flavors, natural caffeine, carrageenan.
• Nutritional Facts – Serving Size: 1 bottle (10.5 oz), Caffeine: 175mg/10.5 fl. oz, Calories: 190, Calories from Fat: 0, Total Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0g, Sodium: 160mg, Total Carbohydrate: 49g, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 30g, Sugar Alcohol: 10g, Protein: 10g, Vitamin A: 0%, Vitamin C: 0%, Calcium: 30%, Iron: 8%

The chocolate flavor reminded me of chocolate milk, something I haven’t had in ages.  I remember as a kid I used to squirt chocolate sauce into my milk and make chocolate milk (mine was usually more chocolate than milk).  This iced coffee tasted just like that!  I felt like a kid again drinking this beverage.  I really didn’t get the sense that I was drinking coffee as this tasted more like milk.  It was quite sweet and very dessert-like.  I think this is a coffee I would have as a post-dinner drink versus for my morning shot of caffeine.

Café Au Lait

• Ingredients – reduced-fat milk, brewed Rainforest Alliance Certified™ coffee (water, coffee), POMx (POM Wonderful Pomegranate Antioxidant Extract – patent pending), organic cane sugar, natural caffeine.
• Nutritional Facts – Serving Size: 1 bottle (10.5 oz), Caffeine: 175mg/10.5 fl. oz, Calories: 170, Calories from Fat: 30, Total Fat: 3g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 15g, Sodium: 130mg, Total Carbohydrate: 29g, Fiber: 0g, Sugars: 20g, Protein: 7g, Vitamin A: 0%, Vitamin C: 0%, Calcium: 25%, Iron: 0%

With the chocolate flavor, I could barely taste the coffee.  With the café au lait flavor, it was all coffee.  Actually, I was quite surprised with the rich coffee taste that was in this beverage.  It tasted like a gourmet iced coffee drink that one might purchase at a coffee shop.  It was smooth and creamy, just what an iced coffee should taste like.  When I first started drinking iced coffee, I would add whole milk, sugar and maybe even a splash of cream.  This reminded me of those days.  It felt very decadent drinking this little delight!

Vanilla

• Ingredients – nonfat milk, brewed Rainforest Alliance Certified™ coffee (water, coffee), organic cane sugar, erythritol (natural sweetener), POMx (POM Wonderful Pomegranate Antioxidant Extract – patent pending), natural flavors, natural caffeine, carrageenan gum.
• Nutritional Facts – Serving Size: 1 bottle (10.5 oz), Caffeine: 175mg/10.5 fl. oz, Calories: 180, Calories from Fat: 0g, Total Fat: 0g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 0g, Sodium: 160mg, Total Carbohydrate: 49g, Fiber: 2g, Sugars: 30g, Sugar Alcohol: 10g, Protein: 10g, Vitamin A: 0%, Vitamin C: 0%, Calcium: 30%, Iron: 8%

The vanilla flavor was also delicious! The coffee flavoring was there, but it wasn’t overly potent.  I felt as though the vanilla tasted like a scoop of melted caramel/vanilla ice cream.  Similar to the chocolate, this drink was again very dessert-like.  I almost wanted to add it to some ice and frozen yogurt and blend it in my blender to make a vanilla milkshake (I just might do that!).  I really enjoyed this flavor and while they were all yummy, this one was my favorite.  It reminded me of the General Foods International Coffee my mother used to buy when I was young.  She would always bring it out whenever company was over, and I would take a sip when she wasn’t looking.  Those sneaky sips of coffee were scrumptious then, and this iced coffee is just as scrumptious now.

Overall, the POMx™ Iced Coffees are very tasty.  Knowing that these little bottled wonders (or ‘wonderfuls’) are not only going to give me the little extra kick I need, but that they are also healthy for me, makes me give this product a thumbs up.  I’m all about killing two birds with one stone, so if I can get my antioxidants in while I’m caffeinating myself, it’s a win-win situation.  However, I do need to state that because I’m a black coffee drinker and a skim milk only iced coffee drinker, the POMx™ Iced Coffees are not something I would normally drink.  They’re a bit too sweet to drink for me as my main source of coffee for the day.  I usually have my coffee as soon as I wake up or right after a sweaty morning yoga class, and having such a sweet beverage as the first thing to consume in the day would not be my choice.  However, I wouldn’t mind drinking this as part of a dessert or to curb my late-day sweet tooth.  Just a few sips is enough to perk me up and to make me not want to go on a cookie hunt.  And that’s always a plus in my book!  I also liked how these coffees allowed me to reminisce my childhood.  I’ve been fascinated by coffee ever since I was a young child, and these iced coffees took me back to those days.  Oh, and in case you were wondering, these iced coffees do NOT taste like pomegranate at all!

While I probably would not replace my usual morning hot coffee or iced coffee with POMx™ Iced Coffee, that doesn’t mean that I won’t have some of these little guys for breakfast.  Huh?  That doesn’t make sense, Healthy Chow!  If you say you’re not going to drink the POMx™ Iced Coffee to start your day, how are you going to have some for breakfast? Easy.  I’m going to cook with the POMx™ Iced Coffee!  I’m going to use it as one of the key ingredients in my breakfast foods.  But just what in the heck are you gonna make, Healthy Chow?

Well, you’re just going have to wait until tomorrow to find out…

Muahahahahahaha…..! (that’s evil laughter, in case you’re wondering…)

What are you looking forward to most this holiday?  What’s your favorite thing to eat on Thanksgiving?

Namasté,
Nicole

I don’t know about you all but when I’m hungry, I’m hungry! If I don’t have something quick to reheat or make in the fridge when the dinner bell (or the breakfast, brunch or lunch bell) rings, my fingers start getting itchy and I reach for those crunchy snacks (and I’m not talking about the baby carrot or celery kind either!).  And then I figure if I can’t whip up something that’s quick and healthy, I might as well just eat snacks for dinner or get some greasy easy takeout (there are way too many convenience options when you live in a college area).  I wish I could say that this doesn’t happen too often, but that wouldn’t be honest.  And then one day as I was doing some blog reading, I came across a post from The BroccoliHut.  If you aren’t already a reader of Caroline’s blog, you should check her out!  She’s quite creative in the kitchen and makes some killer hummus.  But what caught my eye that day was Caroline’s fast and hearty soup.  Not only did it look and sound delicious, but it was something that I could totally put together in that instant.  I had the exact same ingredients in my cupboard and fridge and yet, the idea never came to me.  That’s why I love all you creative and expressive bloggers! You always know how to inspire me and you always know how to shake some sense into me!

I love Trader Joe’s Soups: Carrot Ginger and Latin Style Black Bean

The nutritional facts

Not bad, huh?

Spicin’ up my soup!

My The Broccoli Hut-Inspired Soup (thanks Caroline!)
Serves 1

• 1 cup of Trader Joe’s Carrot Ginger Soup
• few dashes of curry powder
• few dashes of cumin
• 2 TSP of freshly grated ginger (I love fresh ginger – but this can be omitted)
• 1/4 cup of chickpeas (I used canned)
• 1 cup of frozen cauliflower florets
• 1 cup of frozen cubed butternut squash
• handful of spinach leaves
• salt
• white pepper

1) In a medium saucepan, heat the carrot ginger soup on medium heat.  Add the curry powder, cumin and freshly grated ginger.  Give the soup a stir to get the seasonings well-blended.

2) Once the soup starts to heat up, add the chickpeas and frozen vegetables.  Stir the soup well to make sure all the frozen veggies get heated.

3) Add the spinach to the soup and stir.  Once the spinach starts to wilt, cover the saucepan with a lid.  Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the soup simmer for another few minutes.

4) Eat immediately!

I’m so happy that this soup came together in a hurry because my appetite was growing by the second!  But instead of my usual mindless snacking (OK, I admit I had a few raw almonds), I saved my appetite for this hearty soup.  And boy, was it worth the wait!  Similar to the soup I made a few weeks back, the seasonings and ginger were the show stoppers of this soup.  The curry powder and ginger added a nice warmth to the soup without it being spicy.  But having chunks of cauliflower and butternut squash to sink my teeth into while eating this soup (versus drinking/sipping) made me feel fulfilled and satisfied.  Adding the chickpeas to the soup was a great way to get some protein into this meal.  Plus, I love the way chickpeas taste with spinach.  Is that just me? Being a visual person, I also enjoyed seeing the orange, dark green, beige and white colors mixed together.  It’s so much more interesting when your food looks good, in addition to it tasting good!

I’m not quite sure why I have a tendency to feel a healthy meal can’t come together in a few minutes.  It’s really not that I don’t think it’s possible, it’s that I don’t think I will have the ability to pull it all together.  I tend to rely on recipes and ideas that I see online and in magazines and cookbooks, so when I have to pull something out of thin air, it’s not as easy as I would like.  But, I’m learning and I thank all you healthy living/food bloggers for always pushing me to do so in your own special ways.  Those Trader Joe’s boxed soups are a staple in my house and I tend to just eat them as they are.  I never dreamed that these little boxed wonders could be transformed into a speedy and simple meal.  But that’s the beauty of cooking!  You can take something as plain as soup and with a bit of creativity and experimenting, you can have something as wonderful as this meal.  There are no right’s or wrong’s; if it tastes good, you win! No one ever told me that ‘cooking’ meant having to slave over a hot stove for hours upon hours, for some reason, I just had this preconceived notion.  But after being inspired by Caroline and realizing that there is magic in simplicity, I know there’s a whole other world to explore when you can think outside of the box.

Speaking of  ‘my soup in a box’ (or that famous skit brought to you by JT and Andy Samberg), what’s your favorite SNL skit?

***Do you like sparkly things?  Well, if you do, you’re in luck!  Check out my giveaway!***

***BTW, if you like natural sodas, go and check out the Zevia giveaway on Morgan’s blog.  Better hurry up, it ends tomorrow, 11/20!***

Namasté,
Nicole

The other day while I was chatting with my new family member, Greg, he mentioned that he noticed from reading my blog that I got a new griddler/panini press (the same one he owns) and asked me how I liked it.  I couldn’t stop raving about my new Cuisinart Griddler.  I just kept saying how amazing my new kitchen gadget was and how much I enjoyed cooking with it.  But then it hit me.  I suddenly felt as if I was betraying a loyal friend.  I felt as if I was dissing on my pal, George (my George Foreman Grill), and I just had to rectify the situation.  That said, I decided to put together this little ode to my Georgie (thanks for the inspiration, Sarah.  I hope I made you proud!) I hope it does you justice, my good buddy.  Because Georgie, you saved me when I was at my lowest.  And when I say ‘my lowest’, I mean my hungriest of hungers!

You came into my life as a gift, when I was in college and oh so young,
I didn’t have a clue on how to cook and club songs were the only music I had sung.

When I cooked my first turkey burger, I watched the fat and grease drip onto that oblong tray,
I said to myself, “There’s not a chance this food is going to taste good.  No how, no way!”

I wasn’t aware of the power you contained, nor the magic that you held inside.
When I took a bite of that burger, to be honest with you, I practically cried.

You won me over with your sizzle, your speed and your semi-simple cleaning process,
You’ve been so good to me over the years and for that reason, I feel I have to confess.

This is something I’ve avoided saying, and certainly is not going to be easy.
But I bought a new griddler/panini press, and to say the least, it’s off the heazy.

You were starting to look a bit long in the tooth.  I’m afraid to say it, but it’s true.
I had to listen to Beyoncé when she so appropriately sang, “Lemme upgrade U…“

I didn’t want to keep this from you, Georgie.  It’s not fair to leave you in the dark.
While my new love is making me quite happy, you’ll always be king of the sexy grill mark.

So please don’t be mad at me.  I’m not saying goodbye, for I know I will see you soon.
My love for you runs deep, even if everyone reading this thinks I’m one hugh jass loon!

To complete my ode to George, I thought I would include some pictures of Georgie in action and the magic he recently created for me.  And, I thought that now would be a good time to formally introduce you to my new friend, C.G. (short for ‘Cuisi Grid’).  Thank you, George for all your wonderful years of service to me.  It’s been real but when Williams-Sonoma has a sale, how can you deny it?

What was the first kitchen gadget you fell in love with?  What kitchen gadget is on your wish list?

***Wanna know what a peanut butter baby is?  Go visit Chocolate Covered Katie to find out and you can help this blogger do some good.  You can help Katie spread the word and some chocolate-covered kindness!***

Namasté,
Nicole

When I first started reading healthy food/lifestyle blogs, I noticed that people really seemed to like their chia seeds.  I had never heard or seen such a thing, except for those Chia Pets, and was puzzled as to why the chia was all the rage.  Then, I read on Allie’s blog that if I was interested in trying some samples, she would put me in touch with the person that could arrange it.  I was sold! This Chow needed to try some chia!

Within a few days, Allie had put me in touch with Diane from Greens Plus and my samples were on their way to Boston.  I couldn’t wait for my goodies to arrive in the mail.  I mean, who doesn’t like getting packages in the mail? Plus, who doesn’t like getting healthy food samples to try in the mail?  Healthy Chow is all over that!

Finally, my Chia seeds arrived! I couldn’t believe what a generous sample Greens Plus had sent me.  Thanks Diane! In addition to the canister of Chia, Diane also sent me a sample of the Greens Plus dietary supplement powder, a Chia single serving stick and a brochure filled with any information I would need to know about Chia seeds and about Greens Plus’ products.  It was like Christmas for your girl.  I was jumping up and down like a child for Chia…hehehehe!

According to my vat of seeds:

Chia (pronounced chee’ah) is the richest and only unprocessed, whole food source of pure Omega³.  A member of the mint family, Chia is native to Central America and has been used traditionally for over 3,000 years.  Ancient Aztec warriors prized Chia as an endurance promoting Superfood, eating it in bread just before battle, and drinking it in water before running long distances.

Due to its high fiber content, Chia seed absorbs up to ten times its weight in water, making it an excellent source of hydration.  Omega³ Chia’s soluble fiber forms a gel that slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream, binds it to toxins in the digestive system, and helps eliminate waste.

Omega³ Chia is especially rich in essential fatty acids and high-ORAC antioxidants like quercetin, caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid.  As a result, Omega³ Chia seeds maintain a 99% sprout rate and have a shelf life of up to 5 years.  Omega³ Chia seeds are rich in calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, many trace minerals and biologically complete protein, making them the perfect survival food.  Omega³ Chia is organically-grown, certified kosher and is pesticide, herbicide, gluten and GMO-free.

Holy smokes!  For something as small as the head of a pin, Omega³ Chia seeds really give you a whole lotta bang for your buck.  When I was reading the facts and benefits of the Omega³ Chia seeds, I was overwhelmed by how wonderful these little creatures are and finally just had to try them.  For something as powerful and healthy as the Chia seed, I thought there was no way that they could actually taste good.

Gong! I was wrong again!  These seeds don’t taste bad and they don’t taste good.  Actually, there really isn’t a taste to the Omega³ Chia seeds.  They are a tad crunchy and may get stuck in your teeth, but there really isn’t a taste or an aftertaste.  Being that they are a blackish-grey in color and resemble little bugs, I was a bit nervous to try my new food sample.  I knew I wanted to test the Chia seeds in something safe and something that I knew had already been tried in the blogosphere.  While my selection was unoriginal, it certainly was a traditional one.  For my first meal/recipe made with my Chia seeds, I chose the green monster smoothie.

Green Monster Smoothie with Chia Seeds - 1 frozen banana, 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk, a handful of baby spinach and 1 TSP of Omega³ Chia seeds

I figured whirling them in my blender along with my smoothie ingredients would be a pretty risk-less first way to try these little guys out.  I couldn’t taste the Chia seeds at all.  Like the spinach in a green monster smoothie, all you can taste is the banana and a hint of the almond milk.  But knowing that I was getting a good dose of antioxidants, nutrients and omega³’s was enough for me to want to add these seeds to my list of staple ingredients for smoothie making.  It was delicious and gave the smoothie a thicker than usual consistency.  Because I let the Chia seeds sit in the almond milk in the blender for a few minutes before blending, the seeds began forming their gel and added to the chewy consistency of the smoothie.

My next dish I made with the Chia seeds was another blogosphere favorite.  I decided to make protein pancakes.  I love breakfast, anytime of the day, and oatmeal takes the crown.

Protein Pancakes with Oatmeal and Chia Seeds - 1/3 cup of dry oatmeal (quick oats), 1/4 cup of egg whites, 1/2 of a mashed banana, 1/2 TSP of baking powder, 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond breeze, 1/2 TBSP of Omega³ Chia seeds, cinnamon and salt.  Add everything into a bowl and then let it sit for 5 minutes.  Add the mixture to your blender and blend until smooth.  Cook on stovetop like a pancake.

I mixed my usual ingredients for my protein pancakes and then added a sprinkling of Chia.  The result was fabulous! Again, the seeds didn’t add any additional flavor to the pancakes.  However, you could see some subtle black specs.  But the best part was that these pancakes kept me full for four hours – which is rare in Healthy Chow’s world.  I topped my pancakes with some maple syrup, but you could also use nut butter (for more protein), applesauce or fresh fruit.  Delicious, nutritious and filling – that’s a winner in my book (or blog)!

After seeing pics of fruit paired with Chia like here, here and here, I knew I just had to give it a try.  Fruit is one of my snacks I try to turn to midday or after dinner when I am craving something sweet.  Why not make a healthy snack even healthier?

Chia Seed Topped Apple and Ricotta - 1 sliced Gala apple, 2 TBSP of nonfat ricotta cheese and 1 TSP of Omega³ Chia seeds

I’ll admit my version wasn’t as fancy (or labor intensive) as the versions I mentioned previously, but it tasted great.  I made this one night as I was craving something cold and sweet but didn’t have want ice cream or frozen yogurt.  This was a fantastic and nutritious call! The Omega³ Chia seeds served as a crunchy topping to my apple and was a nice contrast to my creamy ricotta cheese.

And what kind of a food blogger would I be if I didn’t incorporate Chia seeds into a bowl of hot oats? I love oatmeal (I think I’ve said that already, more than once) and I could have it for every meal, every single day of the week.  It’s just such a comforting and simple food to prepare.  I like to say it’s like a hug for my stomach !

Asian Inspired Chia Oats – 1/2 cup of oatmeal, 1 cup of water, 1 heaping TBSP of freshly grated ginger, 1/2 TBSP of Omega³ Chia seeds, 2 TSP of soy sauce and a handful of frozen peas

I whipped this little diddy up the other day as an homage to my Chinese grandmothers.  Also, I knew my sister would love it!  When we were growing up, our grandmothers would make us oatmeal (but in a more porridge-like consistency) with thin slices of beef, ginger and soy sauce.  It was one of our favorites and brings back so many fond memories.  We were often given this dish to eat for lunch but I could really eat it any time of the day.  It’s a great snack and a quick hot and healthy dinner.  The freshly grated ginger is the star ingredient in this dish; be sure to use the fresh stuff.  My oats were so fragrant and warmed my belly from the inside out with the spiciness of the ginger.  I added some frozen peas to give this dish some sweetness and to give it some color.  The Omega³ Chia seeds made the oatmeal thick and chewy and gave it the gelatinous texture that I love.  While a bowl of sweet oatmeal is always welcome, savory oats really seem to take me home! Wouldn’t you agree, Sarah?

After making all those fast and easy dishes with the Omega³ Chia seeds, I decided to kick it up a notch and bake with my Chia.  Since I still had a bunch of apples left from my apple picking adventure, I decided to bake something that involved both apples and Chia.  I decided to make a hearty apple oatmeal bread.  Again, I had to involve oatmeal, because really, I feel it is the perfect food.  So why not incorporate it into everything?

Hearty and Healthy Apple Oatmeal Bread with Raisins and Chia Seeds - oatmeal, whole wheat and AP flour, apples, raisins, Omega³ Chia seeds, egg whites, applesauce and agave nectar

According to the Greens Plus Chia Seed bottle, “one tsp. of Chia seed mixed in 2 oz. of water becomes the perfect egg substitute.”  Instead of using a whole egg in my bread recipe, I used a teaspoon of Chia seeds mixed in water.  It helped to make the bread moist and added to the already chewy oatmeal texture.  This truly was a healthy bread!  It was thick, hearty and delicious.  I warmed a slice in the microwave and added a schmear of buttery spread and it was a heavenly breakfast with my cup of hot coffee.  I’ll post the entire recipe for this bread tomorrow…so stay tuned!

If you couldn’t already tell, I <3 oatmeal and I <3 these Omega³ Chia seeds! Thank you, Greens Plus and Diane for sending me the samples and thank you, Allie for hooking this up!  I really enjoyed how the Chia could be mixed into anything and everything and really wouldn’t affect the taste of the food.  Plus, being able to sprinkle the Chia seeds right from the canister and not having to grind them (like flaxseeds) is another benefit.  The seeds are rich in nutrients and really do pack a punch.  Not to be too graphic, but after having a hot bowl of oats with a teaspoon of Chia, I am ready to go, if you catch my drift.  The fiber in these little babies really work fast and seem almost magical (I guess that’s part of their ancient mystique!).  The gel that forms may seem a bit odd for some, but I actually quite liked it.  It gives foods a thicker and richer consistency without adding the extra weight.  And to think the only thing I could associate with the word ‘chia’ was those terracotta heads, makes me think I have an ex’seed’ingly amount of things to learn.

What’s your favorite superfood?  Do you take any supplements or vitamins?  Do you remember the first food blog you ever read?

Namasté,
Nicole

Yup.  It’s really official now.  We’re on the downward spiral.  I know as a Bostonian, I should revel in the fact that the blustering cold will be here soon and the ice and snow will only be a hop, skip and a jump behind.  But, I don’t.  I don’t like winter and I really don’t like winter-esque weather.  This past weekend, we set the clocks back an hour and that means it will be dark at 2 o’clock in the afternoon.  OK, that’s a lie.  But that’s what it’s going to feel like!  Can you tell Healthy Chow isn’t really a fan of winter?

That said, in order to keep my heart and soul warm and my mind sane, I have to do things that remind me of the days of summer and that trick me into thinking it’s really not close to freezing outside.  Hot yoga is one way to keep warm but what else can I do?  I guess I could be a snowbird and fly south, but I can’t run away until April.  I could fake and bake and surround myself with heat lamps, but that’s really not my style.  And then I realized something.  I realized that as a healthy food blogger, it is my job to find ways to keep my body and mind well, in addition to finding ways for food to assist me in that mission.  Since I love food and I love the joy it brings me when I can make something healthy and delicious and then eat it, why not put these passions into warding off my disdain for the cold weather?

With that notion in mind, I began flipping through my bookmarked recipes (thanks Lauren!) and did a little searchin’ online.  Finally, I came up with an idea for a dinner that would not only warm my taste buds, but would also help me find that tropical island in the midst of a nor’easter.

Getting Tropical Coconut Chicken & Pineapple Orange Couscous
Inspired by SayWhatYouNeedToSayBlog.com and Cooks.com
Serves 4

For the coconut chicken:

• 1/3 cup of orange juice
• 1 TSP of salt
• 1/3 cup of egg whites
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 6 oz. each)
• 1 cup of whole wheat panko crumbs (I used Ian’s Whole Wheat Panko Breadcrumbs)
• 1/2 cup of organic shredded coconut (I used Woodstock Farms brand)
• 1 TSP of curry powder
• 1 TBSP of Smart Balance Light, melted
• few dashes dried thyme
• few dashes of crushed red pepper
• few dashes of paprika
• few dashes of salt

Egg wash/marinade for the chicken

The makings for something tropical…

1) In a large bowl or pan, mix the orange juice, salt and egg whites.  Add your chicken breasts and let it marinate for about 15-30 minutes in the fridge.

Soakin’ it up…

2) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Once your chicken is done soaking up all the goodness, remove the chicken (place onto a plate) but reserve the marinade.

3) Mix the panko breadcrumbs, coconut, dried thyme, crushed red pepper, paprika and curry together in a shallow dish.

Look at all those colors!

All mixed up!

4) Take each piece of chicken and dredge it into the breadcrumb mixture, being sure to press the breadcrumbs mixture into each piece of chicken.

5) Place the breadcrumb coated chicken onto a foil-lined baking pan coated with cooking spray.

Ready for the oven!

6) Mix your melted butter with your reserved marinade and then pour this entire mixture over your chicken.

7) Cover the chicken with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Then, uncover the chicken and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes.

For the dipping sauces:

• a few TBSP of Trader Joe’s Peanut Satay Sauce mixed with a little water (enough to loosen it up)
• a few TBSP of dijon mustard mixed with honey (to taste)

Dippity, dippity, do!

For the pineapple orange couscous:

• 1 cup of whole wheat couscous, dry (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
• 1/2 cup of pineapple juice (from the canned pineapple)
• 1/2 cup of water
• 2 TSP of Smart Balance Light
• 1/3 cup of orange juice (plus another few splashes, if needed)
• 4 pineapple rings, chopped (8 oz. can)
• 1 TSP of cumin
• 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro, just the leaves
• juice of half of a lime
• s&p

1) Combine the water with the pineapple juice in a medium-sized pot and bring to a boil.

2) When water/pineapple mixture comes to a boil, pour in the couscous.  Stir the couscous and drop a lid on the pot.  Remove the pot from the heat.  Let the couscous sit covered for 5 minutes.

3) Once the couscous is cooked, add the Smart Balance.  Give the couscous a stir to melt the Smart Balance and then add the orange juice to loosen. Give the couscous another stir.

4) Add the pineapple, cumin and cilantro.  Keep stirring until well-blended and add more orange juice if still dry.

5) Add the lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.

If you look real close, you can see the pineapple chunks! I swear!

There you have it!  While the wind chill factor outside is dropping faster than the pounds on The Biggest Loser, you can have the taste of the tropics in your home.  Because the chicken has been baked in panko breadcrumbs and dried coconut, it tastes as if it’s been deep fried.  There’s just enough crispiness from the breading to add a nice texture to the chicken without making it taste too heavy.  I was quite impressed with Ian’s breadcrumbs.  It was the first time I had ever tried (and bought) one of their products and I was pleased with the results.  The ingredient list in the breadcrumbs is pretty short and recognizable.  Another plus!  The reserved marinade along with the melted Smart Balance helped to keep the chicken moist and lock in the citrus flavor.  And combining the citrus with the coconut really emphasized the ‘island-y’ feel to this dish.  I kinda wished I made myself a fruity umbrella drink to accompany this meal!

Nothing crumby about these!

The ingredients…

And what more can I say about couscous? Couscous takes about a hot minute to cook and soaks up the flavor of whatever you cook it in so well.  I love it’s versatility and the convenience of it.  While I boiled the dry couscous in pineapple juice, the pineapple taste wasn’t overwhelming when cooked.  Plus, the pineapple chunks and orange juice gave the recipe a subtly sweet flavor.  And having fresh cilantro in the couscous was a definite plus. Since cilantro is often used in dishes originating from warmer climate countries, it accentuated the ‘anywhere-but-the-Northeastern-US’ feel. The cumin complemented the cilantro by bringing some much needed warmth to the couscous.  It’s like having heat in a bottle!

So perhaps cooking this dish in the dead of winter or at the very end of fall won’t make the snow on your doorstep or the frost on the windshield of your car disappear, but it certainly will bring a little sunshine to your stomach and mind.  And just maybe for a few moments while you’re eating this meal, you’ll be able to feel the sand between your toes, versus your thick wool socks.  Now the only thing missing is a cabana boy…

Getting Tropical Coconut chicken

Pineapple Orange Couscous

Side of steamed broccoli

All together now…

What do you think of my plate?

Now there’s some Chow!

How do you cope with the winter blues?  Or, do you love the ‘colder’ months?

Namasté,
Nicole