Chocolate Chia Pudding

I've finished my fourth month of Project Health. I'm down 20 pounds, have tons of energy, and feel stronger than ever (strong is the new skinny). All of this afforded me the opportunity to go shopping in my own closet — clothes from my pre-Katy days are no longer zipped up in a bag on the top shelf. My pre-baby jeans finally fit, and some are actually loose! Most of all, it's been great to feel like myself again.

All that said, I haven't deprived myself for the past four months — I hardly feel deprived at all in fact. I eat tons of veggies, lean protein, and whole grains. And for the times when I know I need something sweet, I try to plan ahead to have something made in the fridge so I don't go scrummaging for treats.

Enter the ch-ch-ch-chia seed.

I know I'm probably a little slow on the uptake of this wonderful ingredient (I never claimed to be current!). Just recently, I discovered chia pudding, and it's been a favorite sweet treat of mine since. The texture is a lot like tapioca pudding, which I love.

Touted a super food, chia delivers a load of nutrition (e.g., fiber, omega fatty acids, calcium, antioxidants, protein) for not a lot of calories. Plus, chia can absorb up to 12 times their own weight and expand — making for a more satisfying treat compared to something full of carbs/sugar.

I've experimented with both chocolate (recipe below) and vanilla chia pudding, and they both have their place. For both I used the same foundation of unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or whatever flavor unsweetened almond milk you prefer). For the vanilla version, I added a little cinnamon and sweetened it a little less. Play. Experiment. Enjoy!

If you're interested in trying Shakeology, please contact me (see "Contact" tab). I would love to tell you more about it!


Chocolate chia pudding (makes 2 servings)
Adapted from Free People blog

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or your unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice)
1/4 cup chia seeds
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp. honey (or use sweetener of choice and sweeten to taste)
Dash kosher or sea salt
Garnish (optional, I loved crystallized ginger)

Directions:
Add all of the ingredients to a mason jar, stir to combine, and then put the lid on. Shake the jar for about 20 seconds to mix everything up. Refrigerate until thickened (at least 4 hours or overnight), shaking or stirring occasionally. Serve chilled w/garnish of choice (e.g., crystallized ginger, pomegranate seeds, dark chocolate shavings).


Click here for a printable recipe! 

Avocado Toast

So far, 2014 has been a year of recommitment for me. Recommitment to good health and positive thoughts. Big on the positive thoughts!

The one thing that I'm trying to remember throughout it all is this phrase: small consistent changes.

Small consistent changes…
Small consistent changes…

I've challenged myself to consistently eat a clean and balanced diet and to exercise regularly. As a full-time working mama, this means a lot of meal planning on the weekends and organization during the week. It means prepping my snacks and lunch each evening, even when all I want to do is vegetate and watch the shenanigans of Real Housewives. I've been drinking Shakeology each day for breakfast too, and I love it! It's easy, it's tasty, it's nutritious, and it's really helped me to work towards my goals.

I've also been waking up at 4:45am a couple days a week to go to the gym and keeping up with my weekly kickboxing class. And then a little yoga sprinkled in between for good mental health.

Have you ever had avocado toast? I was in need of a good, hearty snack, and I thought I would give it a try.

I had heard mentions of avocado toast here and there and couldn't quite picture how it would taste. Well let me tell you — it's so good!

Here's what you do…

Into a small bowl add the following:

• 1/3 of an avocado
• pinch of kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper to taste
• juice squeezed from about 1/4 of a lemon

Mash it together with a fork (I highly recommend leaving some chunks). Then use your fork to spread the avocado mixture on a toasted piece of good whole wheat or whole grain bread (something with a backbone). Lately I'm loving Vermont Bread Company bread — no preservatives or high fructose corn syrup.

This is a feel-good snack, thanks to the healthy fat from the avocado, the whole wheat, and the satisfying combo of creamy avocado and hearty toast.

Amazing Beef Barbacoa

A-brisket a-tasket
A green and yellow basket…

Isn't that how it goes?

We know the Superbowl can make us do crazy things. People splurge on ginormous TVs. Companies pay $4 million for a 30-second commercial. Americans eat 10 million pounds of guacamole. Danielle buys a brisket (gasp!).

It was my very first brisket. I saw a recipe for barbacoa nachos, which I decided must be our Superbowl grub. The nachos were complete with tender, tangy brisket, homemade cheese sauce, pickled red onions, and more. And even after the nachos we had several pounds of barbacoa leftover to make dinners throughout the week. You can use the meat in quesadillas, wraps, tacos, over polenta, etc.  Or you can eat it cold with a fork like my husband!

A before shot of my $20 slab of brisket bathing in its marinade:

An after shot, ready to be pulled:

Cooking meat like this (low and slow) is as easy as it can get — and you can eat for a week off of it! A little work goes a long way on this one...


Beef Barbacoa (makes a LOT — how's that for exact?!)
Adapted from Serious Eats

Ingredients:
3-4 pounds beef brisket, trimmed of fat and shiny silver sinew
16 oz. diced tomatoes, undrained
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. ancho chile powder
1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 whole chipotle chile en adobo
1 tbsp. adobo sauce
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
2 bay leaves

Directions:
The night before: Place brisket in a large resealable bag. In a blender, combine tomatoes with juice, cumin, chile powder, cocoa powder, oregano, vinegar, chipotle chile, adobo sauce, salt, and pepper. Puree until smooth. Pour marinade into the bag over brisket, making sure that all sides are coated. Seal bag tightly, removing as much air as possible, and place it in a baking dish (in case anything leaks). Place in the refrigerator overnight, turning at least once.

The next day: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place brisket and marinade in a Dutch oven. Add bay leaves. On the stove, bring just to a simmer over high heat. Then cover and place in the oven. Cook for about 4 hours, until meat is fork tender and shreds easily.

Remove meat from the cooking liquid (reserve), discard bay leaves, and allow meat to cool for about 15 minutes. Shred the brisket with two forks, and transfer to a bowl. Skim any fat off of the top of the cooking liquid and then pour about 1 cup of the cooking liquid over the meat to keep it moist.

Click here for a printable recipe!

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Brownies

Let's address the elephant in the room. It's been a year since I've posted anything. Yeah, so there's that. During that time, though, I have been happily preoccupied with this little cutie...

…my sweet little girl who is now a budding, running, talking, giggling toddler.

It's not that I stopped cooking. It's just that I've been leaning more on the "old reliables" rather than experimenting with new ideas and recipes. I've also been working hard to shed the last of my pregnancy pounds, so I've tried to fall out of love with food just a little. Just for a minute.

So the brownies.

It was my dad's birthday. I wanted to make him something delicious for dessert. But it's a little intimidating because my dad's a food snob (he means well!). Bless him and his tempered eggs, his braised and smoked everything, his mirepoix, and his mise en place. He started cooking maybe 10-15 years ago, and he never looked back. It was amazing that as a middle-aged husband, he suddenly found a passion for food (frankly I have enjoyed supporting this passion!!).

I finally got out of him that he wanted something that was chocolate and sea salt for dessert, so I started looking for ideas on Pinterest (aka my favorite website ever). I found a recipe for Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Brownies — bingo! I made some modifications and served up these beauties.

These brownies are special, simple, rich, and fabulous! There's only 1 cup of flour 3 eggs in the recipe, if that's any indication of how fudgy they are. 

And…

The best endorsement for the recipe? My dad called over a week later and said that they were still enjoying the leftovers. He may or may not have mentioned that they were the best brownies he's ever had. 

Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Brownies (makes 16 squares)

Adapted from here

Ingredients:

1 1/2 sticks (12 tbsp.) unsalted butter

2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. unsweetened dark cocoa powder (Hershey's makes this)

2 cups sugar

1 cup flour

1 tbsp. instant coffee or espresso granules

3 eggs, beaten

2 tsp. vanilla 

1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks

3/4 tsp. sea salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter or use cooking spray on a 9-inch square metal cake pan. Line the pan with a piece of parchment (foil works too), leaving the edges hanging over the sides. Then butter/spray the top of the parchment.

In a saucepan, melt the butter with the unsweetened chocolate over low heat, stirring occasionally. When melted, set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, sugar, flour, and instant coffee/espresso. Add the beaten eggs and vanilla to dry ingredients and mix just to combine. Then slowly mix in the chocolate/butter mixture until fully incorporated. Stir in chocolate chunks.

Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and spread evenly with a spatula (batter will be thick). Sprinkle the sea salt evenly over the surface of the brownies, and gently swirl the salt into the batter.

Bake the brownies in the center of the oven for 35-38 minutes. You want the edges to be set and the center to be slightly fudgy and soft — when a toothpick is inserted into the center, it should come out coated with a little bit of batter. 

Let the brownies cool to room temp. and then refrigerate for at least an hour. Lift the brownies out of the pan and cut into 16 squares. Serve at room temperature.  

Click here for a printable recipe! 

Cookie Dough Truffles

It never ceases to amaze me how sometimes the simplest of things can be the most impressive to the masses. This was the case when I made a couple of bite-sized desserts for my parents' surprise 60th birthday party.

I ordered a sheet cake, but I also made Birthday Cake Rice Krispie Treats and Cookie Dough Truffles so there were other options to jazz up the dessert table. Neither recipe even required baking, and I got so many compliments! Perfect!

These cookie dough truffles were something that I picked up from Bakerella, whom you can't help but love. Of course her confections are always adorable, and her photography skills are superb (especially compared to my last-minute photos taken in the dark).

The recipe is so easy, and I thought the presentation was really nice for a crowd. They're super easy to transport and serve, and guests can put them up by the stick, keeping their fingers from getting sticky. It was also the first time that I had ever used candy melts, and they were super easy to work with. The candy coating hardens up so nicely, adding to the ease of transport and consumption — all qualities that one wants in a party food!

If you'd like to eat cookie dough that doesn't carry the worry of poisoning, try these. They are yummy!


Cookie Dough Truffles (makes about 3 dozen)
Adapted from Bakerella

Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
2 bags chocolate candy coating (sold at craft stores, among other places)
Popsicle sticks, trimmed (lollipop sticks might work too)
Sprinkles (optional)

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using an electric mixer), beat butter and sugars together until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes). Mix in milk and vanilla. Add flour and salt and mix on low until combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Chill dough in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes until firm enough to scoop into 1-inch balls (I used a 1-inch cookie scoop).

Quickly roll the scoops of dough between your hands to form a smooth ball and place on a wax paper-lined baking sheet. Place in the freezer for 15-30 minutes. (Don't leave them in there too long — you won't be able to get the sticks in!)

Melt candy coating following the instructions on the package. Remove a couple of dough balls from the freezer at a time and insert the cut side of the popsicle stick into the ball. Dip into the candy coating, allowing excess chocolate to fall off back into the bowl so it is evenly coated.

Place back onto the baking sheet to set and add sprinkles (optional) before chocolate hardens. If the chocolate pools at the bottom of the truffle, dab it on the wax paper to pull some of the excess coating off and place on a clean spot on the baking sheet.

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week.


Click here for a printable recipe!

Baked Brown Sugar Wings

The Superbowl. It's Sunday! It's the 49ers vs. the Ray Lewises!

Fact: Last year's game was a little more exciting for me. My team was in it (and won...ahem!).
Fact: This year I have no stake in either team and will use the game as an excuse to eat delicious, sporty finger food.
Fact: I've had a cold that has overstayed its welcome by about 4 days. It has striped me of my sense of taste! Sad trombone. It turns out that I eat strictly for pleasure.

If you like wings (and I mean wings where you can actually taste chicken, not just...fried), please make these! You will be astonished that they are so tender and full of flavor. And baked! So you're leaving behind all of the calories that oil adds.

White Bean Turkey Chili

Not only is there the momentum of the New Year, but I also have a serious desire to lose my remaining "baby weight." You know how there are those lucky b!$%*es women who seem to lose all of their baby weight without trying? Well, I am definitely not one of those women!

As a result, this mama is on a mission. I have been on the prowl for recipes that meet the following criteria: calorie conscious, WW-friendly, easily transportable and reheatable, and flavorful. This recipe for White Bean Turkey Chili is one of the healthy lunch recipes that I recently added to my repertoire.

I liked the list of ingredients and appreciated a chili that wasn't tomato-based. It also reheats nicely and tastes great with a spoonful of sour cream and a little fresh lime.

Almond Joy Bars

These sweet treats were the perfect end to a lovely lunch with my parents and in-laws. Not to mention, they were quick enough to whip up with a 1-month-old and overnight houseguests!

From bottom to top: First you have a rich, buttery almond shortbread; that's essentially topped with a macaroon-like coconut layer; and the cherry on top is a layer of bittersweet chocolate and toasted almonds.

They're called Almond Joy Bars, but they are even more delicious because of the rich shortbread layer. It's even just a little bit salty, and counters the sweetness of the other layers perfectly!

Chicken Tikka Masala

I absolutely love Indian food. I love fancy Indian restaurants. I love Philadelphia's self-serve Indian buffets. I loved when my college roommate used to come back from holiday breaks with homemade roti and curry from her Guyanese grandmother. I loved the Indian food from the hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Madras, India that our auto-rickshaw driver took us to for lunch.

I still love to look at my photos from that amazing trip — wish I blogged then so I would have thought to photograph the grub!

Back to the food! Indian food has such depth of flavor between all of the spices, chutneys, and sauces. And I also find the variety of vegetarian options quite appealing.

And naan. Oh, the naan!

Birthday Cake Rice Krispie Treats

It's pretty common these days to have sweets that are cake batter flavored. Ice cream, Italian ice, pancakes, fudge, etc. And because I like to be on the cutting edge of culinary trends...

...ahem...

...I recently whipped up some birthday cake rice krispie treats. And then whipped up another batch. And another. And then I made them for a birthday party to go alongside the cake.

It had been a while since I made these treats. Like maybe since high school? I forgot how easy, light, and pleasantly (but not overtly) sweet they are. And the addition of cake mix and sprinkles adds a variation on the flavor. I'm not claiming them to be anything gourmet. Just a nice switch from the typical sweet treats.