Chia Seed Pudding

Chia Seed Pudding

Story:
I am not very good at making healthy breakfasts.  I mean, I'm getting better at making a protein + avocado + lemon smoothie that my nutritionist recommended to me.  And there's always scrambled eggs.  But what about those mornings that I want something, like, yummy??  haha!
Enter Chia Seed Pudding.
I heard about this a couple of years ago and I tried it.  I think I did something wrong because I thought it was nasty.  It just tasted way too... I don't remember how... but I just wasn't a fan.
I tried again last week, though, with a recipe I found on Pinterest, and I loved it!  Granted, a lot of the Pinterest recipes seem to have the same proportions... and there are a hundred different ways of changing it up.  But I'll just post a basic way here.  And how I have tweaked it a little to fit our needs.  The other morning I woke up and wanted some chia seed pudding... and I hadn't prepped any the night before... and I was just a little bit sad.

Ingredients:
2 C coconut milk*
2 C almond milk (unsweetened)
2 T pure maple syrup
3 t vanilla
1 C chia seeds
(Plus any toppings)

Instructions:
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix.  Let sit for 3-5 minutes, then stir (or whisk) again to try to break up any clumps of seeds.  Pour into individual little mason jars, screw on the lids, and place in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, just open it up, give it a stir, then add whatever toppings you'd like!  I like to put in slivered almonds and/or cut-up strawberries and/or blueberries and/or little diced bananas... whatever I have on hand!  I really like the almonds, though, for the crunch! that it gives.

Notes:
*I found some delicious with-fat coconut milk from Costco that I really liked.  It's called Real Coco, by Life Refreshed.

The first time I made it, one cup of the pudding seemed a little too much (quantity-wise) for me, so when I made it this way, I split it into five containers.

It's good the next morning.  And the morning after that.  I ate one this week three days after preparing it, and it was great!  I probably wouldn't recommend (from what I've read) eating it more than four days after preparing it.

The nice thing about this too, is it doesn't have to just be for breakfast!  It was pretty satisfying, and those chia seeds are supposedly chock-full of good-for-you stuff!  I could totally see myself eating one of these (maybe a smaller portion?) for a refreshing afternoon snack, or even for a sweet treat when I'm craving something!  I like it that much.

Enjoy!

Rice Krispies Treats... maybe the best thing ever.

Story:

Yes, I am actually posting just the good ol' fashioned original Rice Krispies Treat recipe.  It might seem boring... but these treats are everyone's favorite, right?

Besides, if I put the recipe here, then maybe I'll remember to make these little squares of happy gooey-ness more often!

Also besides, I admittedly often buy the generic brand of Rice Krispies, and generic brands don't have the recipe on the box.  So, I usually have to go online and look up the measurements again. Perhaps a "real cook" wouldn't need measurements, but as stated before, I am no "real cook"... just a recipe follower.

Besides (again), this recipe does have one secret ingredient.  Some years ago when I was on a Rice Krispies Treat making kick, I took some to my friend Traci.  She said her kids ate them and were like, "Whoa! These are good!"  And she was like: "What? I make Rice Krispies Treats all the time." And they were like, "No, these are different!"

Vanilla.  It's the vanilla, guys.  It takes our traditional little sweet treat to a new level.  Seriously.

Ingredients:

4 T (1/2 stick) butter
4 C mini marshmallows OR 1 (10-oz) package of regular-sized marshmallows
1 t vanilla extract (recipe said "optional" -- I say it is not optional.  Just do it.)
6 C Rice Krispies cereal (or equivalent)

Directions:

Butter a 9x13 baking dish.
In a large pan, melt the butter over low heat.
Add the marshmallows and stir until the mixture is all melted and smooth.
Take off the heat.
Stir in the vanilla.
Add the cereal. Stir until the cereal is all coated evenly.
Spread the mixture into the buttered pan. I like to pat it in with a spatula (sometimes having to butter up the spatula a little bit first).
Let them cool and then cut them into squares.

Like I said... always a fave.

Microwave Caramel Corn

Story:
This one came from Ben's sweet Grandmommy.
Aaaw...we sure miss her.

Ingredients:
15 C air-popped popcorn (that's about one batch in my air-popper)
1 C brown sugar
1 cube of margarine
1/4 C light Karo syrup
1/2 t baking soda
(& a brown paper bag)

Directions:
Pop the popcorn into a big bowl.
Put the brown sugar, margarine, and karo syrup in a glass bowl. (I use my 4 cup Pyrex glass measuring cup.) Microwave 2 minutes. Stir. Microwave 3 minutes more.
Add the baking soda and stir well. (This is the cool science experiment part where it changes color and texture.)
Pour over the popcorn and stir gently.
Pour the popcorn into a brown paper bag and microwave for 30 seconds. Shake well, then microwave for 1 more minute.
Pour into a bowl and as it cools, break it up with a wooden spoon.

Note:
I'm typically a butter kind of person (not margarine). But the popcorn gets harder and burns more easily with butter. Stick with the margarine.