Vanilla Strawberry Chia seed Pudding

Make me Now!

Its as easy as 1,2,3...

America and most of the western world is suffering from a epidemic and overall health crisis. What if I told you that the exponential increase in diabetes, obesity, autoimmune disorders, ADHD, and even cancer was due to the overconsumption of gluten, dairy, sugar, and artificial sweeteners.

Would you believe me?

Our society is conditioned to believe that living a "healthy" lifestyle and eating a "healthy" diet requires one to sacrifice taste and enjoyment when it comes to eating. 

That is exactly why do I what I do. I am on a mission to teach any and all will that you can live a healthy lifestyle and not just simply "stand" what you are eating, but rather enjoy it and celebrate the food that you are consuming and fueling your body with.

What if I told you that dessert could not just be good for you, but GREAT for you?

Would you believe me?

My vanilla, strawberry chia seed pudding is a dessert that is not just tasty, but it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or even dinner because it is high in vitamins and nutrients and has a punch of high quality fat to help you power through your day, or whine down your evening.

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Tools & Ingredients

Vita Mix (You can also use any blender, or an immersion blender.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups coconut milk - (I prefer canned with the cream on top, or you can use from carton)

1 cup chia seeds

1 table spoon honey

3 table spoons vanilla extract.

2 cups fresh strawberries

1 cup of Frozen strawberries

Toppings

Handful of fresh raspberries

½ cup dried Goji berries (optional)

½ cup golden mulberries (optional)

Shredded coconut (optional)

Instructions

1.)   In a blender add coconut milk, 1 tbsp. of honey, 3 tbsp. of vanilla extract, frozen and fresh strawberries and blend until pureed.

2.)   Take out of the contents of blender and put in a bowl and gently whisk in your 2 cups of chia seeds.

3.)   Cover and place in fridge for 15 minutes.

4.)   When you plate individual puddings, garnish with fresh raspberries, a small handful of dried Goji berries, golden mulberry berries and a tbsp. of shredded coconut.

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Why is this good for me?

We all know that chia seeds are great for you. They are high in fiber, fat, protein and high quality carbohydrates. Chia seeds are great for your digestion, as well as your brain function.

Coconut and coconut milk is also high in fat, and plethora of vitamins, including C, E, B3, B1, B5, B6 as well as a number of minerals. The list of minerals includes: selenium, iron, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, which are all complimentary to your overall health.

But when we add raspberries to this already powerful concoction of superfoods, this dessert, or quick snack on the go, becomes a dish that your brain will thank you for every time you take a bite.

Reading the list of vitamins and nutrients may seem almost overwhelming, but when you come to remember that food is medicine, this is all just common sense. But as we often are reminded, "common sense ain't so common".  

Making this sweet snack is one of the simplest dishes you will ever make! See, taking your vitamins can be fun, right? And not scary!

Tumeric, Ginger, Tahini-Miso Glaze Pan Seared Wild Caught Alaskan Salmon

All salmon is not created equal.

Farmed raised salmon are kept in tight-nit pens where they are unable to swim, move around or use their muscles as they were designed to work.  Farmed salmon are fed grains, artificial coloring, growth hormones and a linty of pharmaceuticals. On the other hand, wild caught Alaskan salmon spends their lives in the open, swimming upstream and using all of sinews to work and expend energy. Wild salmon is high in Omega-3’s, which has been shown to lower risks of heart disease, LDL cholesterol, is low in inflammatory Omega – 6’s. Wild caught salmon is a one of the healthier sources of protein as well as being a great source of vitamins and nutrients, including Vitamins A, C, D, E, B-12 and niacin.

Now that you know that wild Alaskan salmon is optimal for your overall health, and especially for your brain health, let me teach you how to turn a piece of salmon into a superfood and mega-nutrient rich meal in only a few steps.

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Tools & Ingredients

Tool

A Cast Iron Pan

Ingredients

Salmon 1lb

Pink Himalayan sea salt (2 tbsp.)

Coarse ground pepper (2 tbsp.)

Wild Alaskan Salmon (1 lb. – Fresh or Frozen)

Olive oil

Miso Dressing

Tahini (1/4 cup)

Brown rice miso (1/2 cup)

Toasted sesame oil (1/3 cup)

Grated Ginger (to taste)

Grated Garlic (to taste)

Grated fresh turmeric (to taste)

Whole lemon juice, fresh squeezed

3 pinches of fresh cilantro

Garnish

Garnish

Black sesame seeds (handful)

Finely chopped scallions (handful)

Instructions

1.) When buying your salmon, your fishmonger to slice the salmon in 1 ½ in filets.

2.) Take your fresh salmon out of fridge an hour before you begin cooking it so it can rest at room temperature before. This is important because you want your fish to cook evenly.

3.) If you buy frozen salmon, defrost fully before beginning recipe.

4.) Salt and pepper the salmon to taste, do not be shy.

5.) Preheat the oven to 420 degrees.

6.) Pour all of the contents of the miso dressing into a blender until it pureed.

7.) Place aside to dress the salmon.

8.) Use a cast iron pan (or a pan without a rubber handle) and place on stove with the heat turned to high.

9.) When the pan begins to smoke, liberally pour olive oil on the pan and as the oil simmers, place the salmon on the pan with the scales facing up.

10.) Cook the salmon on the stovetop of the stove for 2-3 minutes, then place in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes depending on how rare you like your fish.

11.) Pour the glaze over the pieces of fish, the less the better since the salmon on its own is marvelous.

12.) Garnish the glazed salmon with finely chopped scallion, cilantro and black sesame for some added fat and high quality fuel.

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Why is this good for you?

Wild caught Alaskan salmon is a superfood, as discussed above. There is a major difference between farmed raised salmon and wild caught Alaskan Salmon. One is a super food, a nootropic, and the other is a neurotoxin, and incredibly harmful to your immune system.

It is so important to try to avoid farmed salmon, and even wild caught Scottish salmon.

Restaurants are now selling wild caught Scottish salmon and emphasizing the "WILD". In my opinion, this is almost criminal. Scottish "Wild" caught salmon usually are not released from the pens and freed into the wild and the fish contain large amounts of pesticides, neurtoxins, enviromental toxins, and other contaminants that are perilous to the human, brain, immune system, and overall health. 

In 2013, Scottish wild caught salmon was removed from the Marine Conservation Society 's (MSC) list of "fish to avoid" and changed to the list properly titled, eaten "very occasionally" list. 

This by no means that this fish is a health food, or even remotely good for you. When dining out to eat, especially at a high end, health conscious restaurant, make sure they are not serving WILD SCOTTISH salmon.

So we know to use wild caught Alaskan Salmon! Good!

But the turmeric, ginger, olive, oil, sesame seeds in the recipe are also packed with vitamins and nutrients. From the high levels of fat and ketones in the sesame seeds to the anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric, olive oil, and ginger, every bite of this meal is packed with powerful nutritional "magic", and energy.

Food is medicine, as Socrates so famously stated. And that Marry Poppins song, "A Spoon Full of Sugar Helps the Medicine Go Down" drives me nuts! 

Why do you need a spoon full of sugar in order to eat medicine? If your medicine, or vitamins and nutrients taste good, and satiates you, why do you need sugar?

Do you get my point?