Chia Seeds, Coconut, & Fruit, Oh My!

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I don't know about you, but I'm getting sick of comfort foods.

It's not December yet and I'm already over the reoccurring mashed potatoes and crock-pot meals. I've decided to start eating some of my favourite summertime foods. One of my favourite, healthy desserts is by Angela Liddon in her cookbook, Oh She Glows. Chia seed parfait is healthy, delicious and can be made in bulk. It travels well in a mason jar with a spoon, so it makes for a good work or school snack. It's 100 per cent vegan and vegetarian, but has many important vitamins. 

        Mighty Chia Pudding Parfait 

  • 3 tablespoons of chia seeds 
  • 1 cup non-dairy milk. (I opted for coconut milk because I found it blended together with the vanilla, better than almond milk or soy).
  • 1/2 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 to 3 teaspoons of maple syrup or agave nectar, to taste. (I used maple syrup, because I'm Canadian).

In a medium bowl, whisk together the chia seeds, milk, vanilla and maple syrup. Cover and place in your fridge. You can leave it overnight or for at least two hours.

You could eat it just like that, but the best way is to layer the thickened, chilled pudding with fresh fruit. My personal favourite is layering raspberries and blueberries with the pudding. 

This particular recipe is great for mornings when you're in a rush and can't have breakfast right away. Although chia seeds are NOT cheap, at $7.00 a bag, they last a long time since you only use a few tablespoons at a time. I have had my own bag (pictured above) for almost a year now and it's barely half empty. Coconut milk is a great alternative to milk because it has the creamy texture typical milk has. I've been advised by my own doctor to not drink soy milk. He said soy has a high level of estrogen,  so ingesting a large amount of soy can mess with your body's chemistry. 

I hope you enjoyed this week's entry. Keep any eye out for the next blog on a simple dinner recipe!

If you're curious about the benefits of chia seeds, Huffington Post has a great article and video.

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I'm a twenty-year-old avid writer, who has recently been diagnosed with a gluten allergy, and newly turned vegan. I'm attempting to help others learn how to cook and eat healthy, while on a college student budget.

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*Cough* *Sneeze* *Wheeze*

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'Tis the season for colds - especially the Man Cold. You know, the kind that causes your male significant other to magically turn into a gigantic baby. 

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Currently, my whole household and boyfriend are horribly sick. The other day, I ended up making soup and stocking up on ginger ale just for my guy. I decided that I would save others who are in my place, stuck looking after their giant male baby. Because typically he's just fine, the Mr.Fix-it type who is very strict about looking after himself. But next thing you know it's October, cold and flu season, and he's calling out to me from his bed, begging for hot soup. Part of me finds this personality swap hilarious and allows me to dote on him - but the other half of me wants to throw him the ingredients to the soup and tell him to do it himself. 

Regardless, I do care and I plan to look after him and my family, whenever they get sick. I would like to present to you some tips and tricks to get through this dang season for sneezing, coughing, and wheezing.

Mock Chicken Noodle Soup

This soup is very simple to make, and it gives the illusion and taste of chicken, without actually having any in it. My family and boyfriend, who do not participate in my vegan and gluten-free dietary requirements, love this recipe anyway.  I'm not one for meat, partially for ethical reasons, so I added BBQ-ed tofu in place of chicken.

Put the water into a large stockpot and set heat to high. Add the vegetables and garlic to the pot, along with the spices. Bring the broth to a boil and then turn down the heat to low, let simmer for an hour. After the hour, put the pasta in, turn the heat back up to medium and cook pasta for 8 minutes. 

 

  • 12 cups of water
  •  3/4 of a brick of tofu - or about 100g
  • 1 cup of rice noodles (or any other brand of gluten-free pasta you enjoy).  I like President’s Choice BioOrganic Rice Pasta from any Loblaws, Independent, No Frills or Canadian Super Store grocery store
  • 7 cups of onions, chopped
  • 4 cups of cut celery
  • 4 cups of cut carrots, peeled
  • 2 heads of garlic, broken and smashed. Or you can use a garlic press
  • 5 bay leaves
  • 1 ½ teaspoons of turmeric
  • 1 ½ teaspoons of dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon of salt – preferably coarse ground
  • ½ bunch of fresh parsley
  • ½ bunch of fresh cilantro

Because I’m a college student, stocking up on food is a must. This recipe makes about eight servings and therefore, freezing some of it for the near future is perfect.

I actually came across a vegan website a few weeks ago and thoroughly enjoy the sounds of their recipes. Oh My Veggies has spin-off recipes of regular home-cooked meals, but you're being kind to animals in the process.  

I have a book - originally a blog - that I live by for simple, vegetarian and vegan recipes. Oh She Glows, by Angela Liddon started out as a blog, but due to her success she transformed some of her top recipes into a book. I plan to talk about some of my favourite recipes in an upcoming blog entry. 

I wish you the best of luck during this frustrating and bothersome season. I hope you survive all the coughing and stuffy sinuses. 

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Katerina Glowienka

I'm a twenty-year-old avid writer, who has recently been diagnosed with a gluten allergy, and newly turned vegan. I'm attempting to help others learn how to cook and eat healthy, while on a college student budget.

Twitter ・Video Game Blog ・Instagram