***My apologies for not posting on Monday.  My computer was de-fragmenting and going through a thorough scan for most of the day, and I wasn’t able to have access to it.  Thank you for your patience, as always.***

Before you scream, “eeeewwwww, that is so gross,” please know that Healthy Chow is not losing her mind.  Do you really think I would put seafood in a baked good?!  C’mon! Have a little faith in me, people!  The thought of biting into a sweet treat like a muffin and then tasting crustacean, would be awful.  But brussels sprouts?  Now we’re talkin’!

Hey, if it’s OK to put tofu in bars, pumpkin in lasagna and sweet potato in brownies, why not brussels sprouts in muffins?  I never thought blending spinach with a frozen banana would yield such an addicting smoothie (or such a lovable monster), but we all know by now how popular that turned out.  So, I figured sneaking in another green into another one of my beloved foods would be a great idea.  After all, a baked good is still a baked good, regardless if it’s filled with sugar or a nutritious little sprout from Brussels.

C.R.A.B. Muffins (Carrot. Raisin. Almond. Brussels sprout)
Makes 10 regular sized muffins

• 1/2 cup of dry oats, ground into oat flour (dry oats ground until they reach a flour-like consistency)
• 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup of evaporated cane juice (I used Florida Crystals)
• 1/2 TBSP of cinnamon
• 1/4 of TSP of nutmeg
• 1/4 TSP of ground ginger
• 1 TSP of baking powder
• 1/4 TSP of baking soda
• 1/4 TSP of salt
• 1/2 cup of raw carrots, grated
• 1/4 cup raw brussels sprouts, minced
• 1.5 oz. of raisins
• 16 raw almonds, chopped (not sure why I selected ‘16′?)
• 1 TBSP of ground flax mixed with 3 TBSP of warm water
• 1/4 cup of lite silken tofu (I used Nasoya brand)
• 1/2 cup of Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1/4 cup of applesauce, unsweetened
• 1/2 TBSP of vanilla extract

1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2) If you haven’t already done so, make the oat flour (I used my food chopper, but feel free to blend the oats in a food processor or blender until you reach a flour-like consistency).  Also, now would also be a good time to mix the ground flax with warm water.  Allow the flax mixture to sit for 5 minutes.

3) In a food processor or blender, add the ground flax mixture, tofu, pumpkin, applesauce, and vanilla.  Blend until everything is smooth.  Set aside.

4) In a large bowl, mix together the oat flour, whole wheat flour, evaporated cane juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Then, add in the carrots, brussels sprouts, almonds and raisins.  Finally, add in the flax/tofu/pumpkin mixture.  Mix until everything is just moistened.

5) In greased regular-sized muffin trays or paper-lined muffin trays, spoon in the batter filling the cups about 3/4 full.  Bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until the tops start browning a bit and are still slightly ’springy’ to the touch.  Allow muffins to cool in the trays for 5 – 7 minutes before removing.

Hmmm, a baked good never tasted so healthy!  Similar to how zucchini seems to ‘disappear’ into muffins and/or breads, you couldn’t taste the brussels sprouts in this recipe.  In fact, all the brussels sprouts did was add a lovely fleck of green to the muffin, as well as a subtle crunch.  Because there were raisins, carrots, evaporated cane juice and pumpkin in this baked good, it was sweet and certainly not ‘veggie-esque’ in tasting.  In fact, the ground ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon gave this muffin a nice spicy kick.  Paired with a hot cup of coffee and a light schmear of buttery spread, this muffin made for a top notch breakfast.  You’ve got your vegetables, protein and omega 3’s all rolled into one little tasty treat.  Not to mention, this muffin doesn’t have any oil, eggs, dairy (it’s vegan friendly) or added fat.

So are you still thinking that adding brussels sprouts to muffins is a zany idea?  Well, yes, it just might be, but the taste will not only surprise you, but it will make you wonder what other vegetables you can sneak into your otherwise boring foods.   Now, I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with a chocolate chip muffin or fudge brownie, but when you make your baked goods multi-task for you in terms of tasting good, filling your tummy and pumping you with vitamins and nutrients, there’s nothing crazy about that.

What kind of food are you dying to try?  Or, what kind of food have you recently tried and loved/not-so-loved?

Namasté,
Nicole

We’re nearing that point in winter where all I can picture is warm weather, riding in the car (once I get mine back) with the windows down, wearing open-toed shoes and sporting less than four layers whenever I’m outside.  But that also means we’re nearing that time where the few pounds and inches that weren’t there on my body in the summer, are now making a guest appearance.  What can I say? When it’s cold and snowy outside, Healthy Chow likes her comfort food.  And comfort to me means lotsa melted cheese, fried goodness, things dipped in ooey-gooey chocolate and sugar-laden baked goods.  While those foods might be comforting to me in my time of winter depression and boredom, they really don’t make my tighter waistbands feel any more comfortable.

Image Credit – ehow.com

That said, when I was craving something sweet the other day and went to reach for a handful of my favorite chocolate covered peanuts with the hard candy shell, I suddenly stopped myself.  Realizing that when I overindulge in overly indulgent treats, it triggers my binge eating and I’m left feeling even worse.  But how can I deny my sweet tooth?  I don’t like depriving myself because I know I will end up doing even more damage down the road, our bodies don’t respond well to deprivation and it’s just not fun.  With that in mind, I started brainstorming recipes for baked goods that I could somehow ‘healthify’, pack with ingredients that would give me a boost in energy versus a sugar crash and quell the often deafening cries from my sweet tooth.

I finally came up with this…

Plenty o’ Protein Chocolate Orange Cranberry Bars
Makes 9 servings

• 1 15 oz. can of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup of lite silken tofu (I used Nasoya brand)
• 2 TBSP of Smart Balance Light
• 1/2 cup of evaporated cane juice (I used Florida Crystals)
• 1/4 cup of dried cranberries, chopped
• 1.3 oz of dark chocolate cocoa roast almonds, finely chopped (I used Emerald brand)
• 1/3 cup of oat flour (dry oats ground until they reach a flour-like consistency)
• 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
• 2 TBSP of cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s brand)
• 3 TBSP of orange juice
• zest from 1 medium-sized orange
• 2 TSP of vanilla extract
• 1/4 TSP of salt

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Lightly coat an 8×8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

3) In a blender or food processor, blend the tofu until it is completely smooth.  It’s important that there are no lumps (or else you will get chunks of baked tofu in your bars).

4) Add the rest of your ingredients to the blender or food processor and blend until everything is close to being smooth (don’t worry, it will be a thick batter).  If you want a more textured bar or one with visible pieces of nuts, orange zest and cranberry, blend the tofu and cannellini beans until smooth and pour into a mixing bowl.  Add the rest of your ingredients to the bowl and mix until everything is well-blended.

5) Pour the batter into your baking pan and bake for 15 – 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly dry and the top looks dry.

6) Let the bars cool for about 10 minutes in the pan.  Once cool, cut into pieces and then let them cool completely in the fridge before removing.

I’m not gonna lie, these bars were insanely delicious!  They were moist and pleasantly sweetened by the cocoa almonds and dried cranberries.  The flavor duo of the orange and cranberry was the perfect match for the subtle chocolate.  These bars were thick and fudgey, much like a brownie, but not as springy and cakey.  They are also pretty dense and filling being that they’re filled with cannellini beans and tofu.  You couldn’t taste either one of the ingredients at all.  I definitely believe that blending both of these very well helps to achieve a ‘bean and tofu-free’ tasting bar.  But then again, the fruit essence in this baked good more than takes over any other flavor that could emerge.  I drastically cut the amount of fat and oil in this recipe by only using a small amount of a butter substitute, along with a blend of silken tofu and bean purée.  There is more than enough moisture from these ingredients to keep this treat far from being dry and from lacking in richness.  If you haven’t tried using bean purée and/or silken tofu in your baked goods….really, what are you waiting for? Plus, because I didn’t have to use any eggs or dairy, this recipe is also vegan (note: Smart Balance Light is vegan)!

These bars were certainly a hit.  Not only did I totally dig them, but I didn’t have to twist Patrick’s arm to eat more than a few pieces.  In fact, his exact words were, “I’m not sure what you did to these, but they taste really good.  I can’t believe there’s actually bean and tofu in here.  It’s so weird, but in a good way.” HA!  I cracked up when he told me that, but totally knew it was a compliment.  Another benefit of these bars is that they will leave you feeling energized, and not lethargic as one tends to feel post-sugar high.  But while eating these bars won’t help me shed any of my winter weight, they are definitely a good alternative to some of the other ‘not-so-good’ treats I tend to find comforting.  And even though the warmer weather won’t come any sooner by eating any kind of food, perhaps my sweet tooth may finally go into hibernation…at least for a little bit.

A girlie magazine, a glass of cold milk and a sweet, but healthy, treat…my idea of comfort!

If you could compete in any Olympic event, winter or summer, which would it be?  Why?

***Speaking of sweet, check out the giveaway that Kerstin is holding on her blog right now!  If you’re a fan of crème brulee (and who isn’t?), this is for you!***

Namasté,
Nicole

I love that saying.  I love it because it’s simple and because it’s so true.  It’s a saying that I like to remind myself of whenever I am feeling challenged or whenever I begin telling myself I can’t accomplish something.  It’s definitely a good motivator and a good way to maintain a healthy mindset.

When Elizabeth posted about the Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge, I knew it was something in which I had to participate.  Elizabeth, along with Jessica, Janel, Corinne, and Lindsey, all decided to create a breakfast challenge involving five main ingredients.  For each day of the five day challenge, a certain ingredient would be highlighted.  Participants are asked to create a breakfast dish/recipe with the star ingredient and enter it into their contest.  At random (using random.org), the winner will be selected and thus will be rewarded with fabulous prizes.  In addition, the winner of each day/ingredient will be highlighted on all five of the bloggers’ blogs.  Again, there are five ingredients in this challenge, therefore giving participants five separate chances to win.  And, participants get to come up with a creative and fun recipe and a new way to incorporate a healthy ingredient into their breakfast.  So, you really can’t lose!

Image Credit – zazzle.com

The first ingredient in the Super Bowl Breakfast Challenge is an ingredient of which I can never seem to get enough.  The ingredient is avocado.  Because I’m a fan of savory versus sweet foods for breakfast, it didn’t take me too long to come up with my entry.  But instead of making this creation as I normally would, I gave it a little twist.

Colorful Tofu Scramble
Serves 1

• a little less than 1/2 a brick of lite silken tofu (I used Nasoya brand)
• a big handful of spinach
• 1/3 cup of tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/2 avocado, chopped
• few shakes of Adobo powder
• s&p

1) Lightly coat a medium frying pan with cooking spray.  Turn the heat on to medium/medium high and begin cooking the tofu.  It will be very soft and will crumble easily.  With a spatula, begin moving it around and breaking it up a bit.

2) After a few minutes of cooking, add the Adobo powder, salt and pepper to the tofu.  Mix everything around a bit; it will start looking like scrambled eggs.

3) Add your spinach and mix everything around until the spinach leaves begin to wilt.  Add your tomatoes.  Mix everything around again for another couple of minutes.

4) Add your avocado and gently mix again.  Try not to mush your avocado too much.

5) Once everything is warm, eat!

For the second ingredient in the Super Bowl Breakfast Challenge, I decided to vamp up a classic breakfast food.  I figured it would be fun to ‘healthify’ and spiff up a breakfast staple that tends to get a bum rap.  I decided to make pancakes with flax, the second challenge ingredient.  I figured if I could combine a nutritious item such as ground flax with a food that tends to lack nutrients, how could it not be a winner?  Plus, I also wanted to come up with another way to eat my beloved oats.

Banana Flax Pancakes
Serves 1

• 1/3 cup of oat flour (dry oats ground until they reach a flour-like consistency)
• 2 TSP of flax meal
• 1/8 TSP of baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 cup of liquid egg whites
• 1/3 of a ripe banana, sliced (the more ripe, the better)
• squirt of agave nectar or maple syrup for topping

1) Grind your dry oats until you get the consistency of flour.

2) In a medium bowl, mix your oat flour, flax meal, baking powder, salt, egg whites and banana slices.  Mix until everything is well-blended and the bananas are completely mashed into the oat flour mixture.

3) Let your pancake mixture sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.

4) Coat a frying pan with cooking spray.  Turn the heat onto medium/medium high and pour your pancake batter into a giant circle/pancake.  Or, you can make 2 or 3 smaller pancakes.  I made one giant pancake.

5) Let the pancake sit untouched for 5 – 7 minutes.  The batter will be quite thick if you are making just one pancake.  Once you can move the frying pan around and the pancake easily moves off of the pan, you are ready to flip.  Be careful as the inside may still be a tiny bit soft.

6) Once flipped, allow the other side to cook for another 5 minutes.

7) Place your pancake on your plate and top with agave or maple syrup.  Enjoy!

I had a blast creating both of these recipes.  Participating in this challenge gave me the chance to get the wheels of my imagination turning and to get my competitive juices flowing.  And while I know winning any of the contests in the Super Bowl Breakfast Challenge doesn’t have anything to do with who can come up with the better recipe, I definitely wanted to give it my best shot.  Unfortunately, random.org was not in my favor for either of the first two ingredients.  I may have had creativity going for me, but not dumb luck.  No worries, I certainly didn’t mind, nor was I disappointed.  Whenever I have the opportunity to challenge myself, learn something new and be creative, I can’t lose.  And as Mother Healthy Chow always told me whenever I would come home complaining about some of the mean elementary school kids, “I don’t care what you say.  You’re always a winner to me!“  Awww, thanks MHC!

***BTW, there are still two ingredients left in the Super Breakfast Bowl Challenge.  You have until the end of today to submit a recipe and pictures for quinoa, and you have until Thursday to submit a recipe and pictures for walnuts.  For more details, you can go here.***

Are there any words of wisdom you remember from your childhood that your parents or family members may have passed down to you?  Do you have a favorite quote or saying that motivates you?

Namasté,
Nicole

Avocado Entry HealthyChow X Reply | Nicole Chow to thesuperbreakf. show details Feb 14 (2 days ago) Hello, It’s Nicole from HealthyChow.com!  I hope I’m not too late to submit my entry for avocado.  Here goes… Colorful Tofu Scramble a little less than 1/2 a brick of silken lite tofu a big handful of spinach 1/3 cup of tomato, chopped 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 avocado, chopped few shakes of Adobo powder s&p 1) Lightly coat a medium frying pan with cooking spray.  Turn the heat on to medium/medium high and begin cooking your tofu.  It will be very soft and will crumble easily.  Begin moving it around and breaking it up a bit. 2) After a few minutes of cooking, add the Adobo, salt and pepper to the tofu.  Mix everything around a bit; it will start looking like scrambled eggs. 3) Add your spinach and mix everything around until the spinach leaves begin to wilt.  Add your tomatoes.  Mix everything around again for another couple of minutes. 4) Add your avocado and gently mix again.  Try not to mush your avocado too much. 5) Once everything is warm, eat! This is SO tasty and fast to make.  It tastes just like scrambled eggs (but it’s vegan!)!  It’s filling and the colors are just amazing.  It’s a great way to start the day! Thank you, Ladies! Regards, Nicole www.healthychow.com 3 attachments — Download all attachments View all images February 2010 43 blog photos 140.JPG 1438K   View Download February 2010 43 blog photos 144.JPG 1490K   View Download February 2010 43 blog photos 176.JPG 1402K   View Download Reply Forward Super is not available to chat Super Breakfast Hi Nicole! This looks so tasty! unfortunately, random.org was not in your fav… Feb 15 (2 days ago) Reply | Nicole Chow to Super show details Feb 15 (2 days ago) Oh boo!  Well, I’m glad I wasn’t too late then!  I’ll work on my entry for flax right now.  Thanks again. Enjoy the day -Nicole - Show quoted text - On Mon, Feb 15, 2010 at 9:15 AM, Super Breakfast <thesuperbreakfastbowlchallenge@gmail.com> wrote: Hi Nicole! This looks so tasty! unfortunately, random.org was not in your favor today-sorry about that! There’s still time to submit other recipes though!! thanks for entering the contest and enjoy this free Monday! cheers! elizabeth On Sun, Feb 14, 2010 at 11:56 PM, Nicole Chow <healthychow@gmail.com> wrote: Hello, It’s Nicole from HealthyChow.com!  I hope I’m not too late to submit my entry for avocado.  Here goes… Colorful Tofu Scramble a little less than 1/2 a brick of silken lite tofu a big handful of spinach 1/3 cup of tomato, chopped 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped 1/2 avocado, chopped few shakes of Adobo powder s&p 1) Lightly coat a medium frying pan with cooking spray.  Turn the heat on to medium/medium high and begin cooking your tofu.  It will be very soft and will crumble easily.  Begin moving it around and breaking it up a bit. 2) After a few minutes of cooking, add the Adobo, salt and pepper to the tofu.  Mix everything around a bit; it will start looking like scrambled eggs. 3) Add your spinach and mix everything around until the spinach leaves begin to wilt.  Add your tomatoes.  Mix everything around again for another couple of minutes. 4) Add your avocado and gently mix again.  Try not to mush your avocado too much. 5) Once everything is warm, eat! This is SO tasty and fast to make.  It tastes just like scrambled eggs (but it’s vegan!)!  It’s filling and the colors are just amazing.  It’s a great way to start the day! Thank you, Ladies! Regards, Nicole www.healthychow.com Reply Forward Super is not available to chat

“You’re once, twice, three times a layyyydddddddeeeeeeeee….”

Image Credit – east-side-patch.livejournal.com

I love reading blogs, whether they be healthy food, healthy lifestyle, yoga, cooking, baking, shopping or DIY, I love them all.  I enjoy reading how people create things, how they come up with these ideas and what the end result turns out to be.  Essentially, I love learning new things and reading blogs is one of the best ways for me to do so.  For example, I was fascinated by Kath’s Pumpkin Pie Cake (I demonstrated that here) ever since I read about it months and months ago and most recently, I’ve been consumed (some pun fun) by Tina’s 3-Minute Oatmeal Raisin Cookie.  Both of these recipes are so easy and seem so tasty that I had no choice but to give them a try.  Plus, they literally take minutes to assemble.  And the less time I have to wait and the faster I can eat means the sooner I’m a happier Healthy Chow.  That said, I kept these two recipes in the back of my mind (there’s actually an echo back there – hahahahaha!) and started doing some experimenting in the kitchen.

Image Credit – tumblr.com

My first foray into the world of microwaveable healthy sweet treats went pretty well.  I used a 1/2 cup of pumpkin, 1/4 cup of liquid egg whites, 1 TBSP of whole wheat flour, 1/2 TSP of baking powder, 1/2 TSP of cocoa powder, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice.  I plopped that all into a bowl I covered with cooking spray, mixed it all up and then microwaved on high for 2 1/2 minutes.  I topped it with some nonfat ricotta cheese and it tasted pretty good.  However, it seemed a bit ‘wet’ and didn’t have the cake-like consistency that I was looking for or for which I was craving.  Not bad, but not perfect either.

The next stab was kinda meh.  I decided I would use the same ingredients as in my first try, but added in some finely ground almonds (I chopped up 10 raw almonds in my food chopper until I got a finely ground consistency).  For whatever reason, the extra kick of almonds made this recipe taste weird.  Plus, it was a bit too pumpkin-y for my taste (le horror!) and still a bit too wet.  If at first you don’t succeed (and at second), try, try again!

Ding!  Ding!  Ding! The third time was a charm (or a lady)!  This time, my results were spot-on.  I achieved the consistency I was striving for, in addition to the flavor I was hoping to create.

Fee-Fi-Faux-Yum! Pumpkin Cake
Serves 1

• 1/4 cup of Libby’s 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1/4 cup of old-fashioned dry oatmeal, finely ground (I measured out a 1/4 cup of dry oats and then ground them in my food chopper – it might be a tad less than a 1/4 cup after it’s been ground )
• 1/4 cup of liquid egg whites
• 1 TBSP of whole wheat flour
• 1/2 TSP of baking powder
• 1/4 TSP of cocoa powder (I used Hershey’s brand)
• a generous sprinkling of cinnamon, plus more for garnish
• a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice
• cooking spray
• agave nectar or maple syrup (optional)

1) Coat the bottom and sides of a shallow bowl with cooking spray.

2) Mix together the pumpkin, the ground oatmeal, the egg whites, the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice in the coated bowl until well-blended.  Spread the mixture down evenly at the bottom of your bowl until you get something that resembles a pancake.

Dry oats

Presto!  Finely ground oats…

In the mix…

Ready for baking (or microwaving…)

3) Microwave on high for 2 1/2 minutes, covered with a paper towel.  Be careful when taking the bowl out of the microwave as it will be extremely hot!

Hot!

4) Allow the cake to cool for about a minute.  Remove to a plate or eat straight from the bowl.  Top with a drizzle of agave nectar or maple syrup.  Sprinkle with a bit of cinnamon and devour!

It’s like magic…!

Incredible!  It’s a good thing I have a bit of stamina or this little diddy may never have come to fruition.  While my first couple of tries at this were less than stellar, the final attempt was a huge success.  This tasted just like a piece of carrot cake, even though there wasn’t a speck of carrot in it.  Plus, the combination of the cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and the agave nectar made this healthy treat taste more ‘treat’ than ‘healthy’.  The addition of the ground oatmeal helped to give this dish the much needed fluff factor.  My other attempts fell sort of flat (more pun fun) because there wasn’t enough substance to the recipe.  Plus, I reduced the amount of pumpkin in order to make this more cake-like versus bread pudding-like.  There was just the right amount of sweetness and protein to make this dish both appetizing and filling.  This is definitely going in the rotation for both breakfast and dessert!

Can’t wait to dig in!

What a cake walk!

“Hello?…Is it me you’re looking for?” – yes, my Fe-Fi-Faux-Yum! Pumpkin Cake, you are what I’m looking for!

Is there any music you remember from your childhood that you now love?  My mom used to always play Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Barry White, etc. in the house and they have now become some of my favorites.  What are some of yours?

Namasté,
Nicole

Let’s just call this an online holiday party, shall we?  For the past two weeks, I’ve been doing something I don’t normally do.  Instead of staying within my comfort zone, I’ve been stepping outside of it and doing my best to ‘meet’ new bloggers.  There are so many wonderful and interesting people out in the blogosphere and it never ceases to amaze me how many things I can learn from them.  I’m really enjoying this challenge and I encourage all of you to do the same, if you haven’t already.  Tis’ the season to mingle and be merry…so go for it!

Image Credit – laist.com

Week 3 of Healthy Chow’s-a-Makin’-Some-New-Friends

• I Have Two Feet Ten Toes – I have to confess.  Astrid isn’t someone I just met.  She actually found me a few weeks ago and we’ve been buddies ever since.  But since this is an exercise in meeting new and intriguing people, I thought I would mention her because Astrid did what I am setting out to do.  I’m so glad she introduced herself to me.  First off, Astrid is a Geology Masters student.  While she’s not spending time researching  or studying, she paints, cooks, bakes, takes walks with her dog and practices yoga.  To say Astrid is talented would be a huge understatement.  Check out her gingerbread house.  It was the very first one she’s ever made from scratch by herself.  Uh yeah, Astrid, I think you hit the nail on the head on your first try!  And do yourself a favor and check our her recipes for homemade mint oreos, pomegranate lemon tea cakes with pomegranate frosting and honey butter pork tenderloin with smashed potatoes – you definitely won’t be disappointed!  She makes her own wheat noodles, too.  Thank you, Astrid, for introducing yourself to me!

• CookinFanatic -This cookin’ fanatic is Stephanie, a CPA residing in the Richmond, VA area with her boyfriend and Black Lab/Irish Setter mix, Lucy.  Like Astrid, Stephanie likes to get creative in the kitchen and isn’t much of a recipe follower, as she likes to put her own personal touch on her dishes.  And while Stephanie likes to workout, she would rather take a kickboxing or cardio class versus your conventional running/elliptical (I agree, Stephanie!).  And who doesn’t love sugar cookies?  Well, you’ll love Stephanie’s cookies even more once you see how pretty they are – wow!  And then check out her reverse deep dish pizza – it looks mouthwatering!  I just love her recipe names and categories; this gal is a riot!

• hungry, hungry, hippie – Love this blog name!  Elise is originally from Northern California but is now living in Manhattan with her fiancé, Kyle.  She is a cardiac ICU RN, is 94.6% vegan and played soccer at a highly competitive level until college.  Fitness is very important to Elise as she feels the natural high from endorphins is the best high.  She calls herself a ‘hippie’ because she tries to be as green as possible: she recycles, uses energy efficient appliances and buys products that are all earth friendly.  This hippie is another lady that cracks me up!  Check out how she described her sauna experience!  Elise loves her music and like me, can’t get enough of Mr. Timberlake!  And how does she make homemade seitan?!

• Angela Loves Food – Angela is another nice blogger who introduced herself to me a few weeks ago.  She’s the sweetest thing; I love her honesty and her smile.  Angela is a student living in San Diego, CA and is currently balancing studying, working as a lifeguard, finding time to exercise and eating right.  I love her recipes for spelt cookies – they look delicious and so healthy!  Way to go!  Check out how she tried to make her own version of Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte – so creative!  Like me, Angela has a soft spot in her heart for her newly purchased George Foreman grill.  And also like me, she can’t leave home unless it’s clean!  For such a young lady, Angela is quite profound and has experienced so much in her young life.  She has great positive energy and a wonderful outlook on life.  I’ve learned some important things from you, Angela, and for that, I thank you!  Actually, we could all learn a thing or two from this lovely gal!

• healthy, hott, housewife… - Another great blog name and another one with 3 H’s!  This healthy, hott, housewife is Therese, a newlywed (congrats!) living in Orlando, FL with her husband and their Black Lab puppy, Daisy (who loves to nibble on remote controls).  Therese works in financial services and loves running, spinning, Greek yogurt, her dog, college and pro football, a good glass of wine, cooking up healthy meals, dancing, partying and reading blogs.  Therese and her husband challenged themselves to do a three-month Body for Life challenge and they just finished.  Check out her amazing results! Congratulations!  Like me, Therese loves her oats – both sweet and savory.  I just love her spicy oats with tilapia.  Awesome idea!

Another extraordinary group of ladies that I may not have met if I didn’t take the chance to introduce myself and if they didn’t take the chance to introduce themselves to me.  Each person is so unique and has so much to offer and yet, they all share one common thing.  They share the love to better themselves, to stay healthy and to have fun doing it.  I can’t believe there are so many people like this, and I’m so glad I have all the time in the world to meet each and every one of them.  As  I said earlier, it’s like an online party.  But at this party, the night never ends and the crowd just keeps getting bigger and better.

Image Credit – tmagazine.blogs.nytimes.com

Go ahead, give this challenge a try…what do you have to lose?

What’s your favorite holiday song?  I used to not be a fan of Christmas music, but now I’m starting to like it.  My favorites are ‘The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)’ and ‘This Christmas’.  Do you like holiday music?

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

If you’ve read my previous posts, you’ll know that I’ve been sampling POMx Iced Coffees and you’ll probably think that I’m getting obsessed with finding new ways to consume these little bevvies.  Hehe, I don’t have OCD or anything!  Well, I really don’t, but sometimes I wonder… Anyway, in my last post, I cooked with the iced coffees and put a new twist on some breakfast favorites.  While I was experimenting with my breakfast, I realized that I was missing something.  I had made oatmeal, pancakes, french toast and a frozen treat but I didn’t make the one thing that all you lovely bloggies seem to keep pumping out and tempting me with on your wonderful blogs.  Any guesses as to what it is?  And no, I didn’t make iced coffee covered tofu (although that does some quite interesting)!  I finally made my first batch of pumpkin muffins of the season!  But I decided that they weren’t going to be any ol’ pumpkin muffins.  Nope.  That’s not how Healthy Chow rolls…I gave my muffins a kick, or maybe I should say, a buzz!

Buzzy Spiced Banana Pumpkin Muffins
Adapted from Cooks.com
Makes 12 regular-sized muffins

For the muffins:

• 1 medium sized banana, ripened
• 1/2 cup of canned pumpkin (I used Libby’s brand)
• 1/2 cup of evaporated cane juice (I used Florida Crystals, feel free to use dry sweetener of your choice)
• 1/4 cup of POMx Chocolate flavored Iced Coffee
• 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce
• 1 TSP of Greens Plus Omega³ Chia seeds, mixed with 2 oz. of water
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour
• 2 TSP of baking powder
• 1 TSP of pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 TSP of salt

For the topping:

• 1/3 cup of brown sugar
• 1/3 cup of dry oats
• 1 oz. of pecans, chopped (I used Green Valley Pecans)
• 1/2 TSP of pumpkin pie spice

1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2) Mash your banana by hand or mix in a blender until you get a 1/2 cup.

3) In a bowl, combine your mashed banana, pumpkin, evaporated cane juice, iced coffee, applesauce and chia seeds.  Mix until everything is well-blended.

4) In a separate bowl, combine your all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix until everything is well-blended.

5) Combine your wet ingredients with your dry ingredients. Again, mix until everything is well-blended.

6) Spoon the batter into greased muffin tins or liners (I used aluminum foil liners).  Make sure the batter is evenly distributed.

7) Top each muffin with 1 tablespoon of the spiced topping.

8 ) Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

9) Let muffins cool in tins on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

10) Remove muffins from tins and eat!

These muffins were surprisingly good! Sometimes, when I make ‘healthier’ substitutions in my cooking and baking, I tend to get worried that the flavor will be lost.  Not true in this recipe!  The muffins were moist from the banana, pumpkin purée and applesauce.  You couldn’t tell that there wasn’t a hint of butter or oil in these little guys.  Also, the chia seed replacement for the egg worked amazingly.  It’s great to know that you can have the taste and efficiency of an egg without the added cholesterol.  In addition, you can add some omega³’s and some soluble fiber to your breakfast.  The brown sugar in the topping mixed with the chopped pecans and pumpkin pie spice was what really made these muffins sing!  I loved how the brown sugar got caramelized in the oven and made this recipe perfectly sweet.  While the POMx Chocolate Iced Coffee flavoring wasn’t very apparent, it did add a subtly unique flavor.  Plus, who doesn’t like getting an added punch with their breakfast?

As you can see, there are a number of ways you can incorporate the POMx Iced Coffee into your cooking and baking.  And, did you know you can make cocktails with these iced coffees?  Just check out what the ever-so-creative Kerstin cleverly made! Insane!  At first I had no idea what I was going to do with all my free samples and now, I’m wishing I had more (Blue – hint, hint)!  The possibilities are endless! Just as the POM Wonderful company was able to turn regular iced coffee and pomegranate juice into something extraordinary, with a little creativity and thought, one can turn a simple baked good into something un-POM-mon.  Buh-duh-bump!

Did you get a jumpstart on your holiday shopping and take advantage of Black Friday?  Or, are you going to wait around like me and procrastinate?

***Today’s the last day to participate in my jewelry giveaway.  You have until 6pm ET tonight to enter!  The winner will be announced on Monday, November 30th.  Good luck!***

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 don’t know about you but when I’m at a coffee shop, local or franchise, and the aroma of the freshly brewed hits my nose, I immediately want a cup.  And as soon as I take my first sip, I have this undeniable desire for something sweet.  Perhaps it’s because I now drink my coffee black and I need that sugary taste to curb my craving? Maybe my stomach feels better when I eat something while drinking my black coffee?  Who knows?  Maybe I just like to eat? Yeah.  It’s definitely more than likely the latter answer.

But whether I’m at the coffee shop or I’m at home, the idea of sitting down with a big mug of joe is comforting to me.  And having a soft and chewy cookie, a buttery muffin or a thick and crumbly piece of coffee cake just accentuates that comfort.  However, I’m trying to cut down on my refined sugar and processed foods intake and that means those yummy baked goods I mentioned are not going to help my cause.  That said, I’ve decided to do some more baking.  With the remaining apples from that Sunday at Smolak Farms and my newest found love, the Omega³ Chia seeds, I decided to bake up something healthy and hearty that would not only give me the chance to do some more experimenting with the Chia seeds, but it would also give me something to dip into my coffee.

Image Credit – Susty.com

After perusing some recipe sites online and not being able to find something that met my standards (they are high, you know), I decided to make up my own recipe.  I know; hold onto your socks! I was a bit nervous since baking tends to need to be more exact than cooking.  But, with my apples being on their last leg and my longing to bake something with the Chia seeds, I knew it was go time.  Plus, if you don’t try, you can’t win, right? After much deliberating in the kitchen, I finally came up with a winner.

Hearty & Healthy Apple Oatmeal Bread with Raisins & Chia Seeds (aka Your Coffee’s Partner in Crime)
Makes 1 loaf, 10 servings

• 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal (old fashioned oats), uncooked
• 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 TSP of baking powder
• 1 1/2 TSP of cinnamon
• 1 TSP of pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup of agave nectar (I used Trader Joe’s brand)
• 1/2 cup of unsweetened vanilla Almond Breeze
• 1/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce
• 2 egg whites (or 1/3 cup of egg whites)
• 1 TSP of Greens Plus Omega³ Chia seeds, mixed with 2 oz. of water
• 2 small-medium Granny Smith apples, unpeeled and diced (about 1 1/2 cups diced)
• 3 TBSP of raisins

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2) Coat a 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.  Make sure to do a good job coating – get the corners and the entire sides of the pan.

3) In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients: oatmeal, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.  Set aside.

4) In another bowl, combine your wet ingredients: agave nectar, almond milk, applesauce, egg whites and Chia seeds mixed in water.  Beat this mixture with a fork until blended.

5) Add your wet ingredients to your dry ingredients and mix just until the dry ingredients are moistened.  Please note that your batter will not be smooth; resist the urge to over mix.

6) Gently fold in your apples and raisins.

7) Spoon your batter into the greased loaf pan.  Try to make the batter as level as possible to ensure even cooking.

8 ) Bake for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.

9) Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes.  Once cooled, carefully remove the bread from the pan and let sit on a wire rack to cool for an additional 5-10 minutes.

This was scrumptious! Once out of the oven, it felt like it took forever to cool.  The smell of the baking apples, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and agave nectar filled my condo and made me feel like Susie Homemaker.  There is truly something satisfying about the scent of your own homemade baked goods.  And while the aroma of the bread was enough to put me on cloud nine, the taste was even better.  The bread was moist, thick, soft and chewy.  While it wasn’t overly sweet, it was enough to fix my sugar craving.  The natural sweetness from the apples and raisins gave the bread a wholesome flavor, something which paired quite nicely with the oatmeal.  Because I used egg whites and Chia seeds instead of whole eggs, and applesauce instead of oil, this bread was not greasy at all and yet, there wasn’t a hint of dryness.  I would say that this recipe was like having a bowl of oats in a bread/bar form.  It was great as is, but equally as wonderful with a light schmear of buttery spread, a dollop of Greek yogurt or a thin layer of fruit preserve.

And not only did I think this bread recipe was pretty darn good, but my sister and husband both agreed.  I shared a piece with Michelle this past Saturday morning at Panera Bread after our yoga class.  She noted that it was dense, but that she favored that texture for a breakfast food.  She, too, liked the fact that it wasn’t overly sweetened by sugar and enjoyed the big chunks of apple and raisin pieces.  But she didn’t notice the Chia seeds until I told her what I used to make the bread.  I told her the Chia seeds were high in soluble fiber and she was digging that.  Michelle <3’s her fiber, if you know what I mean! Patrick couldn’t believe that this bread was actually healthy.  He didn’t miss the butter, whole eggs or sugar.  He said, “whatever you put in it, you need to remember and write it down because you need to make this recipe again!  This is so good!“  And like my black coffee, my days are always better when they’re paired with something sweet.

Do you prefer baking or cooking?  What is your hot beverage of choice? Do you drink it because you ‘need’ the caffeine or do you just like the ritual of it?

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