Living Healthy: chocolate

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Decadent Chocolate Chia Pudding

This chocolate chia pudding is so rich and delicious, it’s hard to believe that it’s also pretty healthy. You can indulge in this yummy chia recipe for breakfast or serve it up for dessert after supper!

Chia is one of those fancy “superfoods” that’s chock full of good-for-you vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients, but knowing something is healthy is a lot easier than actually working it into your day-to-day. Sure you can toss some chia seeds into your morning smoothie, but how else do you incorporate chia into your daily routine?

Related Reading: Superfood: 10 Delicious Chia Recipes

What I love about this chia recipe is that not only is it super tasty, but you’re using the chia seeds raw, which mean you’re getting the maximum health benefit! Raw, soaked chia seeds absorb lots of moisture. They plump up into a texture almost like a smaller version of tapioca while still keeping a little bit of the crunch that’s so nice about chia seeds.

I first made this pudding for a pot luck supper and used way more chia seeds than necessary – maybe twice the amount in the recipe below. Chia takes some time to soak, and when after an hour things were still looking runny, I started adding more seeds. The resulting dish was still tasty, but I’d describe the texture as “overly chewy.” Learn from my mistake! The chia-to-milk ratio below works nicely, you just need to allow enough soaking time.

This recipe is adapted from Lisa’s beautiful chia parfait at Vegan Culinary Crusade. If you like this recipe, I recommend checking out her site – she’s a cooking genius!

Chocolate Chia Pudding

Prep time: 5 minutes; Soaking time: 4 hours; Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

1 cup unsweetened almond, soy, coconut, or cashew milk
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon maple syrup, or more to taste

Cooking Directions

Combine all of your ingredients in a Mason jar or other small, glass container with a lid.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, stirring once an hour to keep the seeds from clumping.

This makes a single serving, so you can scale this recipe up or down. If you want to eat this for breakfast all week long, whip up a big batch and scoop out servings each morning. It will keep for a week in the fridge and is delicious on its own or topped with fresh fruit, toasted cashews, or both!

What’s your favorite chia recipe? I’d love to hear how you’re eating more chia!

Source : care2[dot]com

Thursday, October 11, 2012

7 Excuses Why Women DO NOT Eat Healthy

Honestly we all find excuses to eat our favorite things, but that’s not a healthy diet

“I definitely deserve this chocolate”
You surely deserve to feel well in your body. If you think of food as a reward you should turn back to your childhood. Many parents tend to reward children their success with ice cream and other high calorie foods. But if you eat as a reward, you will most likely use food as a punishment.

See Another Amazing Benefit of Chocolate!

Stress can be bad adviser for healthy eating

“I broke the diet, so why not to give it up completely?”
Each of us has many slips in his life. No matter if you made a mistake or not, but rather whether they will allow it to completely destroy your plan, or choose to go back in the right direction. Remember that every bite is a choice. Think about your actions as a continuum rather than as all or nothing. If you just miss a few bites, it may be important in the future.
“I’m too stressed!”
A study found that foods such as chocolate help us to cope with stress just three minutes, and then felt completely disappears. Eating also increases with tension stress in long term. Combed hormone, cortisol makes you feel cravings for sweets and fatty foods. When snacking on sweets, the levels of your blood sugar to rise, then fall, making you more nervous. But you can reduce cortisol levels naturally, without any calories. The solution is to drink black tea, exercise, practice yoga and listen to relaxing music.

You Try to Eat Healthy? Try Harder!
“Life is too short so I will eat what I want”
Life can be really short if you do not eat healthy. Do you know that obesity and smoking are main leading causes of preterm death? Balanced healthy eating and small portions are the key. You’re right – life is too short to give up good food. Instead – eat in your favorite dishes, but let’s be a little quantity. Fresh, healthy foods are more delicious than junk food, if you learn more about them and how to cook them.
“I cannot throw it out”
Do you want to go in the trash or to ruin waist? Imagine wearing a garbage bag full of extra bits that are preserved. Nobody wants to throw food, so be careful how you order or cooking.
“I am in premenstrual period”
It is true that you may feel very uncomfortable during this period. What you probably look at cycle is comfort and relaxation. A hot water bottle will help you, also wear comfortable clothes, relax, and take a warm bath. In the long run it will be much better for your body than extra calories. Moreover – overeating can increase swelling rather than reduce it. Think of food as medicine. Consume more cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage help alleviate hunger and discomfort.

Common Healthy Eating Rules Are WRONG!
“It is in the fridge”
Processed foods can be some of our greatest “falls”. The first thing you need to do is to clear your kitchen of processed foods. Food that could last for months, have so many preservatives. Do you want them in your body?
To avoid mindless eating, focus on this: “Eat with purpose on purpose. In other words – determine exactly what function has this food – you sated.”

Source : dailyhealtharticles[dot]com

Living Healthy