Flax/Chia Seed Mix Recipe

In my last couple of blog posts, I talked about the health benefits of chia seeds and some easy recipes.   While chia seeds are not the cheapest food on the shelf (about $8.99/bag), I did find another great alternative to plain chia seeds that was about $2 cheaper; a Flax Chia Blend.

This blend is again, a great source of Omega-3s and Fiber. It also has 2g of protein, no sugar, and is only 60 calories per 2T.

On the bag I purchased, brand name "Carrington Farms," I found a pretty simple and tasty recipe on the back: "Minute Muffin Top" (Recipe below). Besides baking this blend into muffins or other goodies, you can also sprinkle it on yogurt, oatmeal, or a pudding for a Omega-3 and Fiber boost! 

Minute Muffin Top (Modified Version)

Ingredients

1/4c Flax Chia blend

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp sugar (I didn't use the sugar with adding the peanut butter)

1/4 tsp baking powder (Original called for 1tsp)

1 egg

1 tsp oil

Handful of cranberries (about 1T)

1T peanut butter (The original recipe didn't call for this, but I used it as a topping after making the muffin)

**You can also try adding nuts!

Directions

(In the original directions, you mix everything in separate bowls, layer ingredients, and do a bunch of steps. I was too lazy to do all of that, so I just followed the steps I made up below and it turned out fine)

1. Spray a soup bowl with non stick spray. 

2. Mix all ingredients in a separate bowl, then add to soup bowl. 

3. Place in microwave for 1 minute and enjoy! 

(After cooking is where you can top with the peanut butter)

Nutrition Facts (with peanut butter, without sugar)

Calories: 380 (Pretty good for a breakfast meal) 

Fat: 26g (5g Polyunsaturated, 6g Monounsaturated, 4.5g Saturated) (I didn't calculate the exact amount of Omega-3s; but, it is about 6,000mg)

Cholesterol: 185mg

Sodium: 270mg (Mostly from the baking powder, original recipe called for 1tsp and bumped up the sodium to 600mg)

Potassium: 138mg

Total CHO: 23g

Fiber: 13g (About half the recommended daily amount! 25-35g is range for daily fiber intake) 

Sugar: 7g (Comes mostly from peanut butter brand I used and the cranberries)

Protein: 16g (Great protein boost for the morning! 1 large egg is about 6g Protein).

Vitamin A: 6.1% 

B-12: 8%

Vitamin C: 5.1%

Vitamin D: 10%

Vitamin E: 7.8%

Calcium: 23.6%

Iron: 23.7%

Manganese: 19.2%

Niacin: 10.1%

Phosphorus: 12.7%

Riboflavin: 10.2%

I used a recipe calculator from Spark People: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp

Don't let the calories rock your boat. If you think about all the other good stuff you are getting (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, etc) and the fact that this is an all-in-one breakfast meal, you have nothing to worry about. I always say to my class participants "It is not just about calories. It is about what else is in the food you are eating." Hope you enjoy!

Avocado Pudding Recipe

A friend of mine suggested I try out her Avocado Pudding recipe she found in a magazine (not a clue which one). I'm always one to try new things, especially if they are healthy. You get a boost of unsaturated (healthy) fats and some protein! The recipe was really simple and quite good. It took me less than 10 minutes to make, so great to make in a pinch!

Just some forewarnings:
1. It is not sweet! If you are more of a sweet tooth, add some type of sweetener.
2. The recipe I used called for dates (10-12), which I did not have, so I used some honey instead.
3. It tastes much better after it sits in the fridge and gains the "pudding-like consistency."
4. I topped mine with some Reddi Whip, which gave it a little more sweetness and more of a dessert feel.

Avocado Pudding Recipe
Ingredients
1 Avocado (ripe)
1T Honey
1/2c Almond milk
4T Unsweetened cocoa
1/2 tsp. Vanilla

Directions
1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl or blender. Chill for 1 hour and enjoy!