Chia Seeds

I have been obsessing over chia seeds! They are awesome. They are healthy, and I just can't get enough of them. They can be a bit pricey, but they're totally worth it. I really enjoy the drinks with the chia seeds, but here's a recipe for you to try out too! This amazing recipe is from a blog called Oh She Glows. I definitely suggest checking it out.

Ingredients:

COCONUT WHIPPED CREAM

• 2 (15-oz) cans full-fat coconut milk, chilled overnight
• 2 tablespoons natural cane sugar, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla bean powder or 1 vanilla bean, seeded

CHERRY STRAWBERRY CHIA SEED JAM (MAKES 2 1/3 CUPS)

• 2 heaping cups fresh or frozen strawberries (hulled if using fresh)
• 3 cups fresh or frozen sweet cherries (pitted if using fresh)
• 3-4 tablespoons pure maple syrup, to taste
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• pinch fine sea salt
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla bean powder
• 1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, to taste
• 1 teaspoon peeled and finely grated red beet (I use a microplane lemon zester), adds bolder red hue

OPTIONAL GARNISHES:

• Toasted sliced almonds
• Coconut Flakes
• Lemon Zest
• Fresh cherries

Directions:

1. Chill the cans of coconut milk in the fridge for 12-24 hours so the coconut cream can solidify before use.
2. For the chia seed jam: Add the berries and maple syrup into a medium saucepan. Stir to combine. Increase heat to medium, and simmer until the berries release their juices and soften, about 10 minutes. After the berries release water you can increase the heat even more to cook off the water. Watch closely and stir frequently. When the berries look a bit soft, stir in the chia seeds. Keep cooking over medium heat until the chia thickens the mixture slightly, about 5-10 more minutes.  Reduce heat if necessary to avoid burning. Remove from heat and stir in the salt, vanilla, lemon, and optional grated beet. Pour into a glass container and let it cool on the counter for at least 30 minutes before covering and chilling in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably longer.
3. Chill a medium bowl in the freezer (this helps the coconut cream stay thick while whipping).
4. Open the chilled cans of coconut milk and carefully scoop off the white coconut cream from each can and place it into a medium bowl. You should have 1.5-2 cups worth of cream. You can reserve the leftover coconut water for another use, such as a smoothie or you can freeze it into coconut water ice cubes (also great in smoothies).
5. With electric mixers or a whisk, beat the cream and the cane sugar in the chilled bowl until smooth. Whisk in the vanilla.
6. Layer the coconut cream and the chia jam in parfait glasses. Top with optional toasted sliced almonds, flaked coconut, lemon zest, and a cherry on top! Enjoy immediately or cover and transfer to the fridge until ready to serve. The chia seed jam will keep for up to a week in the fridge in an air-tight container, and I expect the coconut whipped cream will keep for at least 5 days.

Tip: If for some reason your chia seed jam didn't thicken enough after chilling (this might be the case if the water wasn't cooked off enough), stir in another tablespoon of chia seeds and chill it for another hour. That should do the trick!

Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2015/06/30/cherry-strawberry-chia-seed-fool-with-vanilla-bean-coconut-whipped-cream/#ixzz3fSP5XIAP

Raw Food Diet?

A lot of my fellow fibro fighters have been asking me if it's worth going on a raw food diet. The answer is yes! How long you should do it, and how quickly you should transition, are both conditional. I suggest a simple transition by slowly replacing some meals with raw meals. You will feel all the usual effects of cleansing at first, but when they begin to taper off you know you're ready to replace another meal. Eventually, you'll feel better and have more energy then ever before, and that is when you will be able to go completely raw. I post some recipes on here, but here is a link to a great site for raw food recipes... http://www.rawfoodrecipes.com/

Hemp Seeds

Did you know that hemp is one of the super foods? I just started enjoying this amazing food with yogurt every morning instead of granola. It has a wonderful nutty flavor, and is nutritious. It has tons of protein, omega 3, and is gluten free! It's also really good on salads and fruit.

Alkalizing Drinks

The doctors said that htey didn't think that alkalizing would help my fibro symptoms, but it did! I went from a pH level of 5 to 7.5, and my IBS, heartburn and acid reflux symptoms are gone. The heartburn got worse the first 2 days, but then were gone completely. It's been over 6 months since I've had any of these symptoms, which plagued me for 14 years! I personally prefer the Lemon Water, because it tastes the best. If you don't like the bitter taste you can add 1 packet of Stevia. Next time you get blood work done, or a UA, check your pH levels. If they aren't between 7.0 and 7.5, try one of these drinks once per day and see if you feel better. (These drinks will cause heartburn the first 2-3 days that you drink them, don't drink them if you have an ulcer, and of course always check with your doctor before changing your diet)

Lemon Water: 1/2 Lemon Juice, 1/2 Water

Apple Cider Vinegar: 1/2 Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/2 Water

Orange Juice: Freshly Squeezed, Organic Oranges

Carrot Juice: Freshly Juiced, Organic Carrots

Breakfast Burrito in Lettuce Wrap

Melt 1 tbsp natural organic unsalted butter in pan. Add diced organic potatoes on medium heat, cover, and cook for 5 minutes. Stir potatoes, and cook for 10 minutes. Continue this process until potatoes are tender. Scramble 2 organic cage-free eggs. Place potatoes, eggs, Organic Valley Shredded Cheddar, diced organic tomatoes, organic spinach, sea salt, and 100% natural ketchup with no high fructose corn syrup on a large piece of organic lettuce. Wrap into a burrito and enjoy!!

For those who can’t stand long, sit while waiting for the butter to melt, and in between stirring the potatoes.
 
If you prefer a tortilla, then I suggest Sonoma All Natural Gluten Free Wraps.
 
If you are dairy free, then you can substitute organic tofu for the eggs, and Daiya Shredded Cheddar for the Organic Valley Shredded Cheddar.
 
More ingredients to stuff your burrito…

• Diced organic bell peppers
• Diced organic jalapenos
• Diced organic onions
• Amy’s Salsas
• 505 Organic Green Chile Sauce
  

Healthy Eggplant Parm

Peel and slice eggplant, dip in eggs, coat in bread crumbs. Lay them out on a baking sheet and bake at 350 until bread crumbs are golden brown. While they're baking, put one can of crushed tomatoes, chopped onion and garlic, and italian herbs in a pot. Stir and boil until breaded eggplants are done. Pour a layer of sauce in a casserole dish, then a layer of the bread crumbs, and keep layering. The top layer should be sauce. Bake for 20 minutes at a time until cooked. I like the edges of mine to be a little burnt, but it's up to you. This served with the tomato and avocado salad is a great meal for guests. It's healthier then most eggplant parmigiana because there it no cheese and it's all baked, not fried. You can add a layer of mozzarella cheese on top if you prefer.

Ingrediants
1 Can Crushed Tomatoes
2 Eggplants
3 Eggs (battered to coat)
Italian Bread Crumbs
1 Chopped Onion
4 Cloves of Garlic (chopped)
Italian Herbs

Shredded Mozzarella (optional)

Tomato and Avocadoes

I went to my mom's for dinner yesterday, and we had this amazing salad! It was just cubed avocado, tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. She just cut it all into cubes, and mixed it with Balsamic Vinegar, Red Wine Vinegar, salt and pepper. It was delicious and simple!!! I think fresh parsley would add an excellent flavor too.

Ingredients
Avocado
Tomatoes
Mozzarella Cheese
Balsamic Vinegar
Red Wine Vinegar
Salt & Pepper