Cha cha cha.....Chia Seeds

Chia in its plant stage.

I could not resist the title!  LMBO!!!  I digress......


So, most of you know, I am not a fight my way through new, undiscovered lands where the trees and bushes can only be whacked down with a 45 inch super sharp blade that is swung back and forth in front of my face and body person.  No....I am a sit back, for the most part, and watch person.  Watch for a ripple on the wide ocean that is health and nutrition before all of us.  When the ripple becomes a wave, then it catches my attention and I recognize it and do something about it.  Which... what do I do?  Research, read and write.  Three of many of my favorite things to do, the latter still leaving something to be desired. 


The funny thing is that we are all VERY familiar with Chia.  Remember those commercials we grew up with?  Chia pet?  I think they still air them around Christmas.  Yep, those little seeds that you see grow into a luscious green head of hair on tweedy bird or scooby doo.  :-)  I never knew they were sooo good for us.  Kinda funny.  Like a full circle "thing."    But don't buy the Chia pet seeds to eat.  Those are not for consumption.  Fyi.  ;-)


So......the newest ripple that has turned into a wave is Chia.  So....here we go.  :-)

Aren't these just beautiful?!

My friend Lisa, introduced me to Chia.  She introduced it to me by telling me Dr. Oz spoke about it, she bought some, put some in a glass jar, labeled it and gave it to me.  Going to be honest....until a few days ago, it set prettily on my counter-top, staring at me.  Beckoning me to research it or eat it.  Neither of which I did.


Then as I have been researching new raw recipes and nutrition on the Internet (Pinterest too!!) I keep seeing Chia as an ingredient.  Ok...the ripple is getting a little bigger.  Then I go to a mom's group and a girl who I sat down beside, August brings up Chia.  Really?!  Ok, now I am completely intrigued.  So, thank you to everyone and everything that has brought me to this point.  :-)  


So, here we go........
Chia seeds contain high levels of essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Once eaten by the Aztecs and Mayans, these black and white seeds are versatile, fitting into a number of different food dishes and drinks. According to healthy living website Your Natural Wellness, just 2 tbsp. of chia seeds pack 30 percent more antioxidants than blueberries and contain more calcium than a glass of milk.



How to use Chia Seeds
1. Add chia seeds to drinks. You can add chia seeds to water, juice or any other hot or cold beverage of your choosing, where they won't drastically alter the taste of the drink. Leave them for about two minutes before drinking so they absorb some of the liquid.

2. Crush chia seeds. You can sprinkle crushed chia seeds on salads, soups, cereal of juice. Not only will they add omega nutrients to your food but the crushed seeds also have a distinctive nutty flavor.

3. Sprinkle whole seeds onto your food and drink. Chia seeds go well with most foods, including fish, stew, vegetables and yogurt. When the seeds are whole, they have a neutral flavor so you can use them with both sweet and savory food.

4. Place the seeds in water or another beverage for at least 10 minutes. They will absorb a large amount of the liquid and turn into a gel-like substance. Add 1/3 cup of whole seeds to 2 cups of water or juice. Once you have the gel, you can eat it on its own, add it to stews or soups as a thickener, or mix it with an equal amount of jelly for a healthy dessert.

5. Add crushed seeds to your baked goods for extra nutrients. Chia seeds go well in cakes, biscuits, muffins or bread. Use them in baked foods as part of a wheat-free, gluten-free or grain-free diet and, as they are seeds, you can also add them to vegan goods, too.
6.  Wanting to lose weight.  Many people have reported that when they consume Chia seeds and water, as the seeds expand they feel fuller and eat less.  Which has in turn led to less pounds on the scale.

In a one-ounce sample, dried chia seeds contain 9% of the daily value for protein (4g), 13% fat (9g) (57% of which is ALA) and 42% dietary fiber (11g), based on a daily intake of 2000 calories.  The seeds also contain the essential minerals phosphorus manganese, calcium, calcium, potassium and sodium in amounts comparable to other edible seeds, such as flax or sesame.

Chia's unique combination of soluble and insoluble fiber combine to slow down your body’s conversion of starches into sugars. If you eat chia with a meal, it will help you turn your food into constant, steady energy rather than a series of ups and downs that wear you out.


Because of the high level of anti-oxidants in Chia it has a shelf life of over 2 years at room temperature.  That is with no chemicals or preservatives!  


By weight, Chia has more calcium in it than whole milk.  For me, who is trying to give up dairy (and it has worked, I have not had a sinus infection since I quit drinking dairy milk) Chia will give me the calcium I need.


chia gel.  Chia only takes on the flavor of the foods it is being prepared in, so I don't have to worry about Chia changing the flavor of my recipe.  If I can bake with 50% less fats, then I am sold.  This is what I am going to try....


Chia Gel
1 tablespoon chia seeds
9 tablespoons reverse osmosis or filtered water (or any liquid)


Stir together the chia seeds and the water with a fork.  Let the mixture set on counterop for 10-15 minutes.  When you return your glass bowl will be filled with a thick gelatin, with the seeds suspended inside.  This can be used in place of butter and oil in recipes.  The gel with keep for 1 week covered in the refrigerator.  


You can substitute 50% of the oil or butter with Chia gel.  For example:  if recipe calls for 8 tablespoons of butter, only use 4 tablespoons of butter and 4 tablespoons of Chia gel.  You will notice the end result that you are baking will maintain moisture and freshness longer when preparing with Chia gel.  (very cool!)  And think about it, you are putting more anti-oxidants into your foods!!


Try this in your cookies, pancakes, brownies, cakes, breads, 


I can't wait to try this!!!


To sum it up Chia has.......

• Magnesium – 15 times more than Broccoli
• Calcium – 6 times more than whole milk
• Omega-3 – nearly 9 times the amount found in Salmon
• Fiber – more than flax seed & 2 times more than bran flakes
• Iron – nearly 3 times more than spinach
• Protein – more than soy
• Unlike fish,  Chia Seeds have no cholesterol

So, once again, this is a no-brainer!  And thank you Lisa for giving me Chia seeds!  Now I am more than ready to add them to our meals, snacks, etc.

So.....GO BUY Chia seeds and add them to your meals, snacks and desserts!!  Winding Way Farms, Amazon, Costco and Whole Foods carry them.

(There is some controversy that eating them at the table instead of cooking with them provides more nutrition to your body.  And controversy over buying Chia seeds organic.  The research I have found states that the way the Chia plant grow, spraying with pesticides is not even necessary.  The plant produces an oil that insects hate.  Therefore pesticides are not necessary.)

*How to use Chia Seed's and nutritional info from My Chia Seeds

Caramel Sauce

This is seriously THE BEST CARAMEL SAUCE I have ever tasted!  So, I had to share it. :-)


After attempting another recipe which... =equaled=...FAILED from another blog, I resorted to the place that I should have started....yes, my favorite magazine/Internet subscription in the world......Cook's Illustrated  And when I attempted this recipe, the second time using Cook's Illustrated recipe....you got it!.....perfection!!!!  I LOVE Cook's Illustrated!!  (no I do not work for them or receive perks from them....their recipes actually work the first time you try them, that's more than enough reason for me to love them!)


So here we go.....


Classic Caramel Sauce
2 cups granulated sugar (either cane or organic sugar) Meijer sells both, other sugar is GMO
1 cup organic heavy cream or organic heavy whipping cream (Horizon is what I can find locally)
Pinch table salt
2 tablespoons unsalted organic butter, cold (Meijer has their brand of organic, it's all I use)


Instructions
1.  Pour 1 cup of reverse osmosis or filtered water into a 2 quart heavy-bottomed saucepan; add sugar to center of pot to keep granules from adhering to the sides of the pot, stir with wooden spoon.  Bring to boil over high heat, covered.  Uncover pot, insert candy thermometer and continue to boil until syrup is thick and straw-colored, registering 300 degrees on candy thermometer which will be about 15 minutes (if you don't own a candy thermometer, you can check the sugar syrup with an instant read thermometer than can read temperatures in excess of 350 degrees or follow the time approximations in this recipe and watch the color of the sugar syrup; it should be a deep amber color before the cream is added.)


2.  Reduce heat to medium; continue to cool until sugar is deep amber, begins to smoke, and registers 350 degrees on candy thermometer, about 5 minutes longer.  Meanwhile, when temperature of syrup reaches 300 degrees, bring cream and salt to simmer in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over high heat.  (If cream reaches simmer before syrup reaches 350 degrees, remove cream from heat and set aside.)


3.  Remove sugar syrup from heat.  Pour about 1/4 of the hot cream into sugary syrup; stir, mixture will bubble (which is quite beautiful to watch), let bubbling subside.  Add remaining cream; stir, let bubbling subside.  Whisk gently until smooth, whisk in butter.  Let cool until warm; serve. (I poured mine into a pint glass canning jar, I could not fit it all in the pint, so recipe makes approximately 2 1/4 cups of sauce.  Can be refrigerated for up to 1 month (but trust me it will not last that long!); reheat by placing glass pint jar, uncovered, in a pan with water over low heat.)


I made this because I recently had a Pampered Chef party at my house and the dessert we chose called for a jar of store bought caramel...you know me...not happening in this house, so I made my own.  :-)  This sauce tastes DIVINE served over vanilla ice cream!  Or heck, who am I kidding it tastes great by digging your spoon into the sauce and eating it!  :-)  Enjoy!!!!  And let me know what you think!

So What is the Deal with Kale???

Everywhere I read ,there it is...kale this, kale that.  So, what's the big deal about Kale?  Well, you know me, I had to do some research.

Kale is a form cabbage.   Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin k, vitamin C, lutein, zeaxanthin, and reasonably rich in calcium.  Kale, as with broccoli contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties.  How awesome is that?!


Boiling decreases the level of sulforaphane; however, steaming or stir frying does not result in significant loss.  Fresh and organic is the best way to eat Kale.  Kale is also a source of indole-3-carbinol, a chemical which boosts DNA repair in cells and appears to block the growth of cancer cells.  (DID YOU READ THAT???!!!  Appears to BLOCK the growth of cancer cells!!!!  I'M IN!!!!!!)  Kale is also a good source of carotenoids.  And Kale is also an anti-inflammatory and does wonders for your skin.


Tender kale greens can provide an intense addition to salads, particularly when combined with other strongly flavored ingredients such as dry-roasted peanuts, tamari-roasted almonds, red pepper flakes, or an Asian-style dressing.


Kale chips are something I first saw on Pinterest and I decided to give them a go.  Not bad.  I munch on a few throughout the day.

Baked Kale Chips
Organic Kale
Wash and dry kale
Remove the stems from the Kale, the stems do not bake well
Rip into chip sized pieces
Spray organic olive oil or organic coconut oil over the kale pieces
Sprinkle with sea salt or whatever seasonings you like
Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes
Remove from oven and enjoy.


I baked a small batch and eat a few pieces every day.  I figure I HAVE to figure out some way to get this super food into my diet!!


Another idea, Kale Smoothie.


If you are used to using organic spinach in your smoothie, keep in mind kale has a stronger flavor than spinach does, so use a little less kale.  This recipe had to pass the test, my 2 year old loved it!  :-)

Kale Smoothie
Kale (to your taste, I used 3 good sized pieces)
1/2-1 frozen banana
Hand full of frozen blueberries
1 tbsp organic flax seed oil
Protein powder of your choice (if using whey, make sure it is from organic grass fed cows)
Organic rice milk or organic soy milk
Depending on your taste buds you can add some honey, agave or dried apricot for a sweeter taste
Ice cubes if you are not using frozen fruits


I use a bullet blender and blend until smooth.  And honestly Kale, like spinach can be used in a 100 different smoothie recipes.  Just use your imagination and try different fruits and vegetables.  This is sometimes what I have for lunch.  Enjoy!!


If you have other recipes for smoothies or any food dish with spinach or kale please comment below so they can be shared with others.  As I continue doing my own research and trials in the kitchen with kale I will post as I find "post worthy" recipes.  :-)  We have to find ways to include this amazing food into our lives.  Thanks!


*Baked Kale recipe adapted from Delighted Momma blog.
*Smoothie idea from my beautiful friend Lynda Fassa.

Homemade Sweet Cinnamon Biscuits

This is a quick, Saturday morning breakfast treat.  It does not require yeast, so there is no waiting for your dough to rise.  Don't expect the same texture and flavor you get from a traditional cinnamon roll. But these are still the bomb!  And I got to sleep in and still made sweet biscuits for breakfast...win win! :-)


My boys love cinnamon rolls, but I will not buy Grands anymore, knowing what I know.  I don't want to give them anymore junk in their diet than I need to.  So, we occasionally buy the Immaculate Baking cinnamon rolls from Whole Foods, but they cost a bit.


So, I found this recipe in my 2 inch "A-L" binder and thought I would give it a try.  It was super easy to make.

Sweet Cinnamon Biscuits (or any filling you prefer)
2 cups sifted organic-all purpose flour (I love King Arthur)
1 tablespoon baking powder (always buy aluminum free and non-gmo if you can)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup organic canola oil
3/4 cup buttermilk (or buy the Organic Valley dry buttermilk blend, use 2.5 tbsp and 3/4 cup water.  LOVE this stuff!!!)
2-3 tablespoons organic butter (Meijer organics is great.  Softened.)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
(I have a bunch of Pampered chef sprinkles, Sweet mocha hazelnut sprinkle and sweet caramel sprinkle that I am using instead of the 3/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon.)


Icing
1 1/4 cup confectioners sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons organic milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (not artificial)


1.  Combine sifted flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl and mix well (I used my kitchenaid bowl).  Stir in organic canola oil.  Add buttermilk or buttermilk blend and water and stir just until blended.










2.  Place bread kneader attachment on your kitchenaid stand mixer and let place on 2nd speed.  Let the machine do the kneading for you.  Sprinkle a little bit of flour in the mixing bowl as the attachment is kneading, until you see the dough pull away from the sides, cleaning the bowl.  Dough should look smooth.  Remove dough and roll out on a lightly floured surface making a 15 x 8 inch rectangle.  (If you do not have a kitchenaid stand mixer knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth.  Then roll dough into a 15 x 8 inch rectangle.)  













3.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a cast iron skillet or a 9 inch round baking pan lightly with organic olive oil.  (Aerosol Pam is bad.  You can buy a mister from Pampered Chef and make your own spray oil!)

4.  Spread softened butter over the dough with a pastry brush.  Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and mix well.  Sprinkle over butter.  Or sprinkle your Pampered Chef sprinkles over the butter. 


Roll up rectangle, jelly roll fashion, starting from one long side.  Pinch seam to seal.


5.  Cut the roll into 1 1/2 inch slices.  Arrange the slices in your prepared pan.  Bake until lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes.  Remove from the oven.  The recipe says you call pour milk over the top, never heard of this.  So, I made the icing above.  

They taste great and are quite beautiful!  I had mine with a glass of vanilla rice milk (I have almost given up dairy), sooo good!

Enjoy!

A Safe Way to Thaw Meat

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Cook's Illustrated magazine!  

I have watched America's Test Kitchen on PBS for a long time.....I LOVE this cooking show and have wanted a subscription to Cook's Illustrated magazine but did not want to spend the money.  


So, Cook's Illustrated finally sent me an offer that I could not resist.  And now I can't wait for each magazine to arrive in my mailbox.


Have you ever wondered if the way you thaw meat for dinner the next day is the best way to do it?  You are not alone.


Cook's Illustrated wrote the following "Kitchen Notes" that I want to share with you.


"A Hot (Water) Trick for Thawing Meat"
When meat is thawed overnight on the counter top harmful bacteria grows on the meat.  (So, if you have cooked dinner, had a stomach ache a few hours later, this might have been the culprit.)


There are 2 ways to thaw meat that will prevent the growth of harmful bacteria.


Method 1
If you are wanting to thaw a thick cut of meat (1 inch or greater) place the cut of meat in the refrigerator.  If it is a thinner cut of meat, place the meat on a heavy cast-iron or steel pan at room temperature.  The metal's rapid heat transfer will safely thaw the meat in about 1 hour.


Method 2 (the better one  :-)  )
Place the cut of meat you are wanting to thaw (chicken, steaks, chops, cutlets or fish fillets) in a glass bowl or dish.  Bring 4-5 cups of water to a boil in a tea kettle or on top of the stove (more depending on what size of a water pan you are using).  Use a stainless steel soup pan or dutch oven, pour the boiling water in the soup pan or dutch even.  Then place the glass bowl or dish in to the boiling water.  Cover with lid.  I think it took these 2 pretty thick chicken breasts about 20 minutes to completely thaw, which was a little too long as the chicken slightly started to cook.

Note:  Large roasts or whole birds are not suitable for hot thawing because in the time it would take them to thaw bacteria would begin to grow.


Information from Cook's Illustrated magazine January/February 2012 pg 30.

Clothes Line in your House

So, I have never been a "hang your clothes out on the clothes line because they come back in smelling oh so good" girl.  Nope.  My grandparents always did.  I hated how stiff my clothes felt (we never threw the clothes back in the dryer to soften them, don't know why).  I would cringe would my grandmother would bring the clothes in the house, knowing how much I as going to dislike that feeling of super stiff clothes.


Me personally, now that I am and adult, I don't want a bird pooping on them.  I just washed them, I don't want to wash them again.  Plus, there is snow on the ground right now.  Not exactly the perfection situation for hanging clothes outside, right?  :-)


So, we came up with another idea.......

We found these at Wal-Mart.  We had to do "site-to-store" to get them.  We could not find them in the store.  I am giving you the link for 2 different ones.  They look different than mine, so I hope they are as durable as mine.  


1.  This one is 20 feet. Choice 1.
2.  This one is 40 feet Choice 2.

Just make sure you lock the rope in well, making it as tight as you can, otherwise you will hang your clothes and they will touch the floor instead of staying up in the air like they should.  


Initially we bought one clothes line.  After hanging it and using it I decided I needed a second one.  :-)  I LOVE my indoor clothes line.  It saves us money when it comes to time our clothes spend in the dryer and if you are like us and have a lot of clothes we like to air dry, this method eliminates the 20 pieces of clothing lying all over the house.


Note:  I have found that if I place my clothes in the dryer on 5 minutes dry and 5 minutes cool and then hang them on the line they are not stiff.  Or you can hang them straight from the washer and toss them in the dryer on air fluff if they are stiff. 


(Additional side note: now that I am making my own Homemade Laundry Detergent my clothes are not as stiff as they used to be in the first place.  I have read that most commercial laundry detergent and softener stay behind in your clothes deteriorating them and making them stiff.)


Happy clothes line and clothes hanging!  :-)

Turkey Breakfast Burrito from The Biggest Loser

I thought this recipe looked pretty good.  Let me know if you try it.  I'm planning on trying it for our Saturday morning breakfast.  

BREAKFAST BURRITO AND BEYOND

Makes: 8 servings 
Prep time: 10 minutes 
Total time: Under 30 minutes

Burrito Turkey Mix 

Ingredients: 
1-1/4 pounds extra lean ground turkey breast
1/2 cup wheat bran, if desired
1-1/2 cups canned black beans (Eden Organic brand if using canned or use dried beans....NO BPA this way.)
1/2 cup unsweetened organic apple sauce
1/2 cup organic green bell peppers, diced
1/2 cup organic red bell peppers, diced
1 egg + 1 egg white, free range and organic if you can
1 teaspoon chili powder
1-1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1-1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1-1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt, if desired
1/2 teaspoon black pepper 

*Optional Convenience Tip: Replace all spices with Annie's Eats Homemade Taco Seasoning Recipe (another great blog!) 

Directions:
Mix all seasonings really well into turkey breast. Then put in the egg, egg white, apple sauce and the wheat bran, and stir very well. Let it sit for half an hour or overnight covered in the refrigerator, minimum 15 minutes. Spray the pan, add the ground turkey mix, brown it and break it up into pieces with a wooden spatula while in the pan. Add chopped bell peppers and sauté with meat for about 5 minutes, continuously breaking up the turkey into smaller pieces. Drain the beans, and then add to the pan. Cook for another 2 - 3 minutes. 

Optional Add-ons:

• 1 ounce shredded light cheddar cheese (45 - 60 calories) (no Rbgh in the cheese)
• Fresh Salsa (Meijer makes a great organic salsa in glass)
• Guacamole
• Lime Juice
• Hot Sauce to taste

Next: 
Spray pan with cooking spray and scramble 2 egg whites. (34 calories, 7grams protein) 

Serve with one of the following:

• 2 organic corn tortillas or 1 large whole wheat tortilla (80 calories, 5 grams fiber)
• 1 piece whole grain toast (80 calories, 5 grams fiber)

Side: 
Add 1/2 cup fresh raspberries (32 calories, 4 grams fiber)


TOTAL for the entire dish (Burrito, side of egg whites, raspberries):
296 calories, 14 grams fiber, 29 grams protein 

Nutrition Label per 1 serving of burrito filling:

Versatility and Portability of this Recipe

• This turkey mix recipe is a protein-packed staple with great versatility and portability. Make a batch, use half for the breakfast burrito and save the rest for other quick and easy meals. Or cook half as burrito mix and make turkey patties with the rest. The possibilities are endless!
• Wrap a patty in tin foil, pair it with a fruit and you've got the perfect on-the-go snack solution. (Same thing people do with string cheese).
• Use the turkey patty as a healthy protein to add to a green salad for lunch.
• Pack some of the turkey mix in tupperware and also use it to top a salad for a quick and healthy lunch.
• Make patties in bulk in advance and freeze them, wrapping each one separately, so you have several quick prep on-the-go meals on hand. A few minutes in the microwave and they're ready to be eaten on your way out the door.
• Keep some leftovers for dinner. Add some brown rice and cooked vegetables, and you've got a perfectly balanced, healthy and delicious meal.

Adapted from The Biggest Loser NBC Website (My changes are use organic where you can.  And know where your meat comes from.)

Homemade Cheddar Cheese Soup

Ok, so I will have to admit it......I Kerri, have not gone 100% can free in my house. 


Whew, that feels better to get that off of my chest.  I have tried and failed.  I should not say fail, there are less cans in the house, but there still are cans.  So, yes I still have a few cans of things in my pantry.  And half of them are BPA free.  I found the line Eden Organic.  All of their cans are BPA free.  Pretty cool, huh'?  But after tonight, there will be one less of the bad cans, for sure.


So, I was planning to make this cheeseburger pasta dish that we all love.  I went to the pantry and I could not find a can of condensed cheddar cheese soup.  I panicked, crap, this was the plan, now what was I going to cook?  Then I remembered a recipe I had found a long time ago and had done nothing with it, except for file it away in my binder labeled Healthy Recipes.  I am laughing, I am not sure cheddar cheese soup is "healthy" but my goal in starting this binder was to find ways to replace the foods we were eating with ones that were healthier for us, here not buying this soup in a can was healthier to me.  


So, anyway, I dug out this recipe, made it in no time and it is delish!


Here it is....


Homemade Cheddar Cheese Soup
3 tbsp organic butter (Meijer makes organic butter that we love)
3 tbsp unbleached organic all purpose flour (King Arthur is my fav)
1 cup organic milk
1 cup organic or at least rBGH free shredded cheddar cheese


Melt butter in a stainless steel saucepan over medium-low heat; add flour and whisk until smooth and bubbly.  Remove form heat; gradually add milk, whisking to keep smooth.  Return to heat and bring to a gentle boil, whisking constantly until thickened.  Add cheese and stir until melted.  Add salt. Sooo easy and sooo much better than from the can.  Enjoy!!