Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding

This is probably my new favorite way to get all things healthy and wondrous into my kids.

And I even bought a great big tub of chia seeds, just so I could make this more often.

Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding
Recipe from Giada de Laurentiis
Prep time: 5 minutes   Standing time: 30 minutes   Chill time: Overnight

Pudding:
1 cup vanilla-flavored unsweetened almond milk
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Salt
1/4 cup chia seeds

Topping:
2 cups fruit of your choice
4 tsp maple syrup
1/4 cup nuts of your choice, toasted

1. In a medium bowl, gently whisk together the almond milk, Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp maple syrup, vanilla extract, and 1/8 tsp salt until smooth.

It's kinda hard to take an action shot of yourself whisking.

2. Whisk in the chia seeds; let stand for 30 minutes. Stir the pudding to make sure the seeds are evenly distributed throughout. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Chia seeds have similar health benefits to flax seed, but don't need to be ground up.

3. Just before serving, toss the fruit in a bowl with 4 tsp maple syrup. Stir in the toasted nuts.

I've been buying big bags of frozen blueberries lately.
It's nice to have back-up fruit in my freezer for my little Fruit Monsters.

4. Spoon the pudding into four bowls or glasses, top with the sweetened fruit and nut mixture.

Step 1: Spoon into serving vessels. I used tumblers

Step 2: Top with sweetened fruit. You can also easily layer this.

Step 3: I chose to leave my nuts separate for a final crunchy topping.

My boys get so excited over this pudding that sometimes I wonder if I should make this a dessert. It's that good! I prefer though to make this a great protein-packed side to a carb-filled meal such as pancakes, french toast, or waffles. In fact, as much as they love pancakes, when this pudding appears on the table it is always the first thing to disappear. Can't argue with that kind of cooking praise!

Blueberry Vanilla Chia Seed Jam

As someone who has no problem saying that she doesn't really care for peanut butter & jelly sandwiches (I know, shocking), I find my growing obsession with jams amusingly ironic.

Actually if you stop and think about it, jams are incredibly versatile!  I mean, sure, you can stick with the universally accepted sweet jam to use on sandwiches and toast.  Or you can shake things up and make something a little more savory.  And from there, the possibilities are truly endless....

I stumbled across this obsession with jams after my PB&J-obsessed son decided to take several months last school year to explore other sandwich combinations.  Last summer I spent weeks amassing pounds and pounds of fruit, cooking it, and canning or freezing it so I'd be ready when school started.  And then Gavin began to ask for peanut butter and honey sandwiches, or just plain peanut butter sandwiches.  And my dozens of jam jars just sat on the shelf.  It didn't take me long to realize that I'd need to start cooking with jam just so I could use it up!  So my search for recipes began...

Blueberry Vanilla Chia Seed Jam
Recipe from Oh She Glows
Prep time: 2 minutes   Cook time: about 30 minutes

3 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
3-4 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1.  In a medium-sized non-stick pot, bring the blueberries and 3 tbsp maple syrup to a low boil.  Stir frequently, and reduce heat to medium-low to simmer for about 5 minutes.  Lightly mash the blueberries with a potato masher or fork, leaving some for texture.

I just missed the peak season so used frozen blueberries instead.

2.  Stir in the chia seeds until thoroughly combined and cook the mixture down until it thickens to your desired consistency, about 15 minutes.  Stir frequently so it doesn't burn.

Use the best quality vanilla you've got; in my case it's homemade.

3.  Once the jam is thick, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.  Add more maple syrup to taste, if desired.

Mmmmmm..............

See how my search has paid off?!  I love the creativity of this jam!  I think it's easy to assume that jam is just simply fruit, cooked down with tons of sugar and some pectin to make it jam-y.  But that's simply not the case!  Don't use refined sugar in your diet?  Make jam with maple syrup or honey instead.  Not real keen on pectin?  Chia seeds totally help create that same gelatinous effect, while adding a ton of health benefits too!

So now I'm back to stockpiling jam again; but not just for sandwiches this time!  One of Gavin's favorite treats to take to school last year was the Fruit Oatmeal Bars.  I learned that a certain popular toaster pastry is really just pie crust and jam so we've had quite a bit of fun make various versions of those, with FAR less sugar and junk than the grocery store kind.  I've swirled jam into Greek yogurt and cottage cheese for a fast, easy, yummy protein-packed breakfast (or snack).  Some jams (like this blueberry one) I use as toppings for pancakes or waffles.  I've also recently discovered that jam makes for an AWESOME barbecue sauce ingredient.

Starting to see those endless possibilities yet?

Bacon Jam

No, the title is not a typo.  I really did make bacon jam.  In a slow cooker.  And angels began singing.

The world is now a better place.

Bacon Jam
Recipe from Martha Stewart

1 1/2 lbs sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
2 medium yellow onions, diced small
3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3/4 cup brewed coffee

1.  In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until fat is rendered and bacon is lightly browned, about 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain.

Let us pause a moment to savor this truly glorious sight.

2.  Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet (reserve for another use); add onions and garlic, and cook until onions are translucent, about 6 minutes.

3.  Add vinegar, brown sugar, maple syrup, and coffee and bring to a boil, stirring and scraping up browned bits from skillet with a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Add bacon and stir to combine.

I know, it doesn't look like much at this point.

4.  Transfer mixture to a 6-quart slow cooker and cook on high, uncovered, until liquid is syrupy, 3 1/2 to 4 hours. Transfer to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped. Let cool; the liquid will thicken as it cools.  Refrigerate in airtight containers, up to 6 weeks.

Pulse a few times to break it down, but not too much.  Still want some bacon bits!

Ok so let's just first talk about the elephant in the room here: this sounds WEIRD.  I'm totally not disputing that one.  I mean, come on, jam has always been associated with fruit; a sweet treat to put on toast and sandwiches.  Jam is peanut butter's best friend.  But BACON jam???  Whoa.

I was intrigued.  Not only because I happen to LOVELOVELOVE the combination of sweet and salty, but also I've always said that everything is better with bacon.  How could I not at least give this recipe a whirl?

My taste buds are THRILLED with this whirl.  Of course it's salty from the bacon, with little bits of that wonderful bacon-y crunch.  You also get this sweetness from the brown sugar, maple syrup, AND the caramelized onions.  That's right, the onions really come through with that sweet glorious flavor they get from getting happy in bacon fat.  I can also taste the cider vinegar in this, which helps to balance out the sweet and salty with just an edge of a bite.  This has such FANTASTIC flavor!!

So now begs the question, what do I do with this?  I could let myself be intimidated by the weirdness of this condiment.  Or I could take a step back and ask, well, what dishes do I like with bacon?  This is awesome on an English muffin with some egg and a little hot sauce.  Spread a little of this on your cheeseburger for a new twist on a bacon cheeseburger.  This would make a creative addition to a cheese platter.  Use it on a grilled cheese sandwich.  Or how about trying this in place of traditional strips of bacon on a BALT (bacon-avocado-lettuce-tomato) sandwich?  When you take the time to think about it, there really are lots of options for this jam.

Spiced Almonds

The turkey and side dishes get way too much attention.  An awesome holiday tradition I love revolves around pre-dinner games and appetizers.

I love to play Trivial Pursuit with my brother.  I know, NERD ALERT!!  I never said I was any good at it, but it's something he and I really enjoy playing, especially before Thanksgiving dinner.  My mom makes all these yummy snacks and he proceeds to cream me in everything but Entertainment.

I can always count on the Entertainment category to stop him.

Anyway, I unfortunately won't be seeing my bro for Turkey Day this year, but the spirit of that tradition of games and snacks is definitely on my mind.  And this snack is AWESOME to nibble on whether you're playing Trivial Pursuit, Monopoly, or Dominoes.

Spiced Almonds
Recipe ever so slightly tweaked from Ellie Krieger

2 cups raw almonds
1 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp cayenne

1.  Preheat the oven to 325.

Not an expected flavor combo, but totally awesome!!

2.  In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients until the nuts are evenly coated.  Pour onto a greased baking sheet and bake 15-20 minutes, stirring once.  Let cool on baking sheet.

I dare you to stop at just one.

 These will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks.

Maple-Nut Chicken

I have really gotten into maple syrup in the last couple years, and I'm not talking about putting it on pancakes or waffles.  I've been using it a lot in baking (it's the binder/sweetener in my Nutty Granola) but I haven't really used it much when I cook.  And it certainly never occurred to me to use it in a savory dish.

Maple syrup as savory?  Maple syrup for dinner??

Oh yes, you can.

Maple-Nut Chicken
Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray

5 boneless, skinless chicken breasts [if you have gigantor ones, cut them in half; I used 5oz breasts]
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp EVOO
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted

1.  Preheat EVOO a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Pat chicken dry and liberally (I'm serious.  Don't be shy now) season with salt and pepper.  Brown chicken on both sides until golden.  Remove to a plate and keep warm.

Love that golden color

2.  Drain all but 1 tbsp of fat from the pan.  Return to heat and add the vinegar, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Add the chicken stock and syrup and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer a minute to thicken slightly.

Not ingredients I'd normally pair together

3.  Return chicken to the pan and add the nuts.  Spoon a little sauce over each piece, slightly cover the pan, and simmer for about 5 minutes until chicken is cooked through.

A little sweet, a little nutty, a LOT good!

I have to admit I was a little skeptical about the combination of maple syrup and vinegar, but I like both so I was willing to give it a try.  You actually cannot even taste the vinegar in this sauce!  As the sauce reduces and thickens, the syrup gets sweeter, richer, and coats the chicken in it's lovely golden brown stickiness.  The nuts, whether you use walnuts or pecans, add another depth of flavor to the dish, as well as give this fabulous crunch. 

Nuts about Granola!

I love granola...especially with raisins and nuts.  Granola is crunchy.  Granola is filling.  Granola can be a fancy dessert (think fresh fruit yogurt parfait).  Granola can be a simple Tuesday morning breakfast (think bowl and milk).  Granola can also be expensive.  Sometimes I'd walk through the cereal aisle, checking out what might be on sale, and if I saw any box of granola for under $3 I'd do a MAJOR happy dance.  Really?  $3?  Wow, pathetic.  Oh and then there's the organic aisle.  Can't forget the granolas in the organic aisle...I discovered this one that had almonds and dark chocolate in it that is to DIE for!  And I almost died over the price too.  Why does all of the tasty good-for-you stuff have to be so damn expensive???  Argh!

Yeah, I'm freaking out over a breakfast cereal.  Sorry about that.  I get a little excited about this sometimes.  I did warn you about that right?  Right. 

So granola was at one time relegated to a luxury item in our house, something only purchased when on extreme sale.  And then I was looking through one of my favorite cookbooks and stumbled across Nutty Granola.

Not only is this recipe easy, quick, and healthy, but it's DELICIOUS and CHEEEEAAAAP!

3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
[Did you notice the lack of a fat ingredient, like butter or oil?  Yeah, I did]

1. Preheat oven to 300.

2. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and toss to combine.

3. Spread mixture on a lightly greased baking sheet in a single layer.  Bake for 30 minutes, stirring once.

4. Let cool and store in an airtight container.  If you're lucky this will last a week.  If you're in my house and have a granola-crazy son in addition to your own granola-crazy self, I give it about 3 days.