CHIA SEED PUDDING IS JUST ABOUT THE PERFECT MAKE-AHEAD BREAKFAST, particularly for sunny weather. But I didn’t always know this. The first time I made chia seed pudding, the whole concept was so foreign to me that I actually thought you HAD to use coconut milk. As though it wouldn’t work with other liquid. Like regular milk. Since then…
strawberry chia seed pudding pops
NOT EVERY KID IS A CHIA SEED PUDDING LOVER. I know. I have four small kids now and they’re all doing this thing where they’re developing their OWN tastes. It reminds me of this great post from Facebook, “I want my children to be independent headstrong people. Just not while I’m raising them.” But when a mother’s…
3-Ingredient Chia Seed Refrigerator Jam
WHY MAKE JAM when in the year 2015 it’s very easy to zip right down to the Food Lion and pick up a jar or seven? And what about your mom’s delicious homemade recipe? Here’s my case for chia seed refrigerator jam: Store-bought or homemade, jam is typically full of sugar. Making traditional strawberry jam…
5 kid-friendly ways to cook with chia seeds
WHAT’S SO GREAT ABOUT CHIA SEEDS? A lot! At least Dr. Oz says so. “The nutritional benefits of chia include fiber, omega fatty acids, calcium, antioxidants and much more – even protein!” I like that you don’t need many seeds to add a punch of nutrition to an already successful dish (why mess with a good…
strawberry jam bars with oats
THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO MAKE THESE–one involves chocolate while the other is packed with chia seeds, flaxseed and dried cranberries–and believe it or not, both are delicious. We’re focusing on the second option here, but you can zip right over to eHow to get our chocolate version too. In a long line of yummy…
2-Ingredient Banana Oat Bites (Neither One Is Sugar)
THIS WAS OPRAH’S IDEA, these super simple snacks. In a recent issue of O magazine, the one I read cover to cover with so much longing for the actual Oprah show that I practically ate every page–Oprah! Where are you? Now that I am finally, for the first time in my life, actually at home…
mini pumpkin pies, a low-sugar halloween treat
I CAN’T LIE TO YOU. These aren’t exactly “healthy” Halloween treats for kids. But they’re not so bad for you–or the kiddies–either. Low in sugar, full of pumpkin and even chia seeds, the main culprit here is that deliciously buttery pie crust. But the serving size is so small that I think we can get…
10-minute no bake chocolate, fruit & nut balls
THESE HEALTHY SNACKS TOOK 10 MINUTES to make, even with my three “helpers” on hand. That’s not my favorite thing about these no bake balls though. With 4-5 ingredients and instructions like “roll”, even two-year-old Estelle could easily get in on the action. But, nope. That’s not the best part either. I love this new…
even healthier pumpkin spice mini muffins
THESE MUFFINS STARTED IT ALL. The first time I made our pumpkin spice mini-muffins in Rome, I knew we were on to something because the kids liked them, but I loved them. Finally a decadent tasting baked good that I didn’t have mixed feelings about. So we made spin-offs: carrot cake muffins, sweet potato muffins and more. But the original…
what’s so great about chia seeds?
LIKE YOU, EVERY TIME I READ ABOUT A “SUPERFOOD”, I start to wonder whether I could realistically work it into our family diet. Does it cost a million dollars? Would the kids really eat it? Has more than one magazine article ever even mentioned it? Time to find out.
3 low-sugar pudding ideas for kids
PUDDING, I’VE LEARNED, CAN MEAN MANY THINGS. Especially when you’re cooking low-sugar stuff for kids. Here are three recipes we’ve tried: one’s beloved, another so-so and one big ol’ miss.
coconut milk and chia seed no-cook, no-sugar pudding
THEY LOVE THIS STUFF. I’m shocked and amazed myself, but our girls do. I’d been hearing about the health benefits of chia seeds for years–fiber, omega fatty acids, calcium, antioxidants and protein–but in Italy, if it ain’t the stuff that mama made, it ain’t available. At least not in my grocery store. (The Italians are…