Chia Jam

I don't think I've ever been happier about a recipe in my life.

 Jam making for me usually consist of washing and topping berries, pureeing them, measuring them out, adding sugar, boiling pectin, stirring until arm falls off, ladling into containers, and freezing. All in all, a lengthy process, done batch by batch.

This recipe? Pretty much couldn't be easier! Of course I was skeptical at first that the jam wouldn't set but it DID! Perfectly! I could tip the container upside down and the jam didn't budge. That, my friend, spells success in my books! 

The only downside, of course, is seedy jam. Not a downside for US, but I know some people don't like their jam that way. This recipe isn't for those people. Me? I couldn't care less. I have a freezer filled with awesome jam and my family loves it! 

Chia Jam, base recipe

1 cup pureed berries

1 Tbsp chia seeds

sweetener to taste

I washed and capped the berries, put them in my blender with some honey, dumped the pureed berries into a large container, kept this up until I had three containers filled with 10 cups pureed berries, each, added 10 Tbsp chia per container, stirred well, stored in fridge overnight for it to gel, and that's it. In the morning, I portioned it out into containers and put 'em all in the freezer. I just took my second container out of the freezer the other day and it thawed beautifully. Perfect jam! 

Chia Pudding

I'm probably the last person alive to buy chia seeds and use them, so I'm a little late to the "chia" movement...but not anymore! I'm in love! It's by FAR one of the weirdest things I've made..really hard to describe the texture, but also the easiest and it completely agrees with my picky, pregnant palate! 

It's a cross between tapioca and rice pudding. SO strange, but we loved it. 

When I dumped it together last night, you couldn't even see the chia seeds, so to imagine that it would gel up into pudding overnight was a little hard to believe...but with a base sweetener of honey and vanilla, the combinations for breakfast seem endless!! I did only strawberries this morning, but tomorrow I'm going to try peanut butter and cocoa. If you aren't afraid of strange textures and trying something new, make this. It couldn't be easier! 

Chia Pudding

1 cup preferred milk choice (almond over here..)

3 Tbsp chia seeds

1-2 tsp honey

1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix all together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 

Stir very well the next morning and add anything you can imagine! 

Mexican Salad

Hello, blog land!! I am back! *cue cheers*

I am now officially 4 months pregnant, and slowly getting over the worst of the hyperemesis.Which means...back to being in my kitchen! To kick off a whole new slew of recipes, I have today's lunch. A black bean and corn salsa, served over a bed of lettuce, and topped with cilantro lime dressing. Both Pinterest recipes, made a little more to my liking. It's just how I do things. :-) So, without further ado, and while baby4 still lets me be up and walking, instead of the usual past months of in bed and, well, yeah...

The Recipe.

Mexican Salad

Black Bean+Corn Salsa: (which, by the way, is amazing by itself!)

1 can corn

1 can black beans

2 chopped roma tomatoes

1/2 jalapeno, chopped

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 sweet onion, chopped fine

salt to taste

Drain corn and beans. Mix all ingredients well in a container. Store in refrigerator. 

Cilantro-Lime Dressing

1 cup cilantro leaves

1/2 cup greek yogurt

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tsp white wine vinegar

1 garlic clove

1 small lime, juiced (or 2 tbsp)

dash salt

Just gonna say, this served with some iced pomegranate green tea is completely amazing!