Breakfast Chia Pudding with Almond Milk and Berries

I have been seeing chia pudding cups popping up all over place these days: in local coffee shops and on pinterest alike. I have used chia seed in Overnight Oatmeal  and my kids sprinkle it over their cereal in the morning. 

They are a great source of fiber and omega 3s! What's not to love?

Figured why not try this pudding. The results were delicious, surprisingly filling and both of  my girls and hubby thought this tasted good enough to eat! Score!!!!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup almond milk or almond coconut milk

1/4 cup chia seeds

1 tsp of maple syrup (or honey)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or a sprinkle of vanilla powder.

Add all ingredients to either a bowl or a glass jar.

I prepared these in a glass jar for easy mixing and transporting to work. 

If using a bowl, mix really well. If using a glass jar, cover and shake to  mix.

 Uncover and leave on the counter for about a half hour.  Add berries, this allows the pudding to thicken. Mix well.

Cover and refrigerate overnight. Top with a few more  fresh berries if desired.


Enjoy! Let me know how this came out in the comments!

A Healthy Alternative to Pasta Dinner: Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Grass-fed Lean Beef

Who does not love a hearty pasta dish? But if you are watching your diet like I am, you ought to try this delicious recipe. You won't miss the pasta a bit! 

*Disclaimer: I have now made numerous version of this, substituting tomatoes with mushrooms  or using tomato paste instead fresh or diced tomatoes. 

Ingredients:
1 medium sized spaghetti squash
1 can on diced tomatoes, drained 
(or 1 box of grape or cherry tomatoes for roasting)
2-3 shallots, diced
2 cups of washed and spun dried baby spinach (optional)
1 pound of lean ground beef (any ground meat would work well with this)
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon of everything rub (combination of garlic powder, chili powder, cumin). 
    *feel free to use any other seasoning here (oregano, parsley, etc)
1-2 tablespoon of oil for frying (I used grape)
Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 425. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. 

If you don't have enough strength to do this, poke the squash with a knife and microwave it on a paper towel for about 5 minutes, flipping over half way through.

Now cut in half, careful as it will be hot. Spray both sides of the squash with cooking spray. Place on a baking sheet cut part down. I placed foil under the squash to minimize clean up.

Roast for about 20 minutes, flip over and roast another 15 or so till you can peel off "spaghetti" with a fork.

If you are roasting tomatoes, toss them  with oil of choice and roast at 425 for about 15-20 minutes. You can roast the tomatoes same time as the squash (in a separate baking dish)

To prepare, the beef mixture, preheat skilled with oil.

Saute shallots till they soften. 

Add ground beef, cook breaking it up into chunks. Add salt and seasoning. 

When beef is cooked through, remove it with a slotted spoon. 

Spill out most of the oil. Add beef back to the skillet. 

Add spinach (if using), allow to wilt. Add tomatoes (either canned or roasted) . Mix well. 

Keep warm.

Once squash is almost cooked, carefully remove the 'spaghetti'. Combine with beef mixture. Top with grated parmesan.

Insides of a cut in half roasted spaghetti squash

This version is with roasted tomatoes

This version is with canned tomatoes and spinach

Thiis time I omitted roasted tomatoes. Added button mushrooms that were cleaned and finely chopped.
Added a little leftover pizza sauce to the cooked beef/mushroom/shallot mixture. Topped w shaved parmesan