Dark Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

I love chocolate.  I reallllly love chocolate.  I seek out ways to consume it without going crazy with calories and sugar, and this recipe definitely hits the mark.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. Almond Milk (unsweetened)
• 2 tbsp. Chia Seeds
• 2 tsp. Stevia in the Raw
• 1 1/2 tbsp. Dark Cocoa Powder (I used Hershey Special Dark, unsweetened)
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Instructions:

• Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl
• Refrigerate 2-3 hours until the Chia Seeds have expanded and the mixture thickens

Blueberry, Banana, Almond Baked Oatmeal

No matter the season, oatmeal is always one of my go-to items for breakfast.  When I prepare ahead, the concoctions I make can usually be eaten hot or cold, so depending on the day, I may warm it up, or keep it chilled.  This particular mixture tasted AWESOME cold, and since it was 90 degrees all week, I ate it that way all week.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Steel Cut Oats (I use Bob's Red Mill)
• ¼ cup Sliced Raw Almonds, divided in half
• ½ tsp. Baking Powder
• ¾ tsp. Ground Cinnamon
• Pinch of Salt
• ¼ cup Agave Nectar
• 1 cup Coconut Almond Milk (I used Blue Diamond, unsweetened)
• ¼ cup Egg Substitute (I use Better n' Eggs)
• 2 tbsp. Unsweetened Applesauce
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 3 Ripe Bananas, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup Blueberries, divided
• 2 tbsp. Flax Seeds
• 2 tbsp. Chia Seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F.

2. Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish. 

3.  Mix the oats, almonds, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.

4.  In a small bowl, combine agave, milk, egg beaters, butter, and vanilla

5.  Slice the bananas, and spread in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish.  Top with half the blueberries

7.  Pour the dry ingredient mixture over the fruit evenly

8.  Pour the liquid ingredients evenly over the oats.

9.  Sprinkle the remaining blueberries and almonds over the top.

10.  Bake  35-40 minutes, until top is browned and oats set.

I sliced this into 5 portions and brought them to work with me every day last week.  YUM

Clean, Paleo, Gluten-Free Thai Chicken Salad

I am eternally on a quest for clean, non-boring lunches.  I stumbled upon this recipe from the Food Network and changed it up a bit to suit my needs (and the ingredients I already had).  I can definitely see myself eating this all week long...either as a sandwich on some Ezekial Bread, or on top of a bed of spinach. 

I have recently discovered that I enjoy canned chicken breast...it's kind of like eating tuna, but higher in protein, lower in sodium, and definitely lacking mercury.  I made the dressing for this recipe and blended it with the veggies.  When I pack my lunches every night, I will use 1 can of chicken and stir in a serving of the dressing so that it's fresh every day!  The dressing makes 5 servings, so it's perfect for the week.

Dressing/Veggie Mixture Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb. Asparagus, ends removed, and cut into chunks
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, cored, seeded, and diced
• 1/4 c. Coconut Oil (cold-pressed, extra virgin!)
• 1/8 c. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1.5 tbsp. Low Sodium Tamari Sauce (you can use soy sauce if you don't care about the gluten)
• 1 tbsp. Sesame Oil
• 1/4 tbsp. Honey
• 2 tsp. Minced Garlic
• 1/2 tsp. peeled, grated, Fresh Ginger
• 1/2 tbsp. Sesame Seeds
• 1/4 c. Natural Peanut Butter
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper

Instructions:

• Blanch the asparagus in a pot of boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain.
• Dice the peppers
• Whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing
• Add the asparagus and peppers
• Portion out the dressing daily with your canned chicken and serve chilled