Love Your Heart

I want to start with my Chocolate Pudding WIN... in case you want a healthier dessert option for Valentine's Day or any day.

This is the pudding I made.
Creamy! Not lumpy like the
chia seed pudding :)

It's Raw Avocado Cacao Mousse and it's from www.onegreenplanet.org. I changed the ingredients a little, based on what I had, and it produced a beautiful, yummy mousse. My husband was out of town, and my son ate one small bowl every evening until they were gone.

This recipe makes six servings. Though the ingredients are healthier than most, this still packs quite a few calories. 

• 3/4 cup almond milk (I used coconut milk)
• 3 avocados, stone removed and flesh scooped out of the skin
• just over a cup of cacao nibs or powder (make sure it's unsweetened)
• 1/4 cup agave nectar, or maple syrup (or 2 tsp powdered stevia for sugar-free option) (I used maple syrup)

While perusing www.onegreenplanet.org, I found this article which is worth sharing, 

5 Heart-Boosting Plant-Based Foods to Love Your Own Heart this Valentine’s Day

As Hippocrates once said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.” His words still ring true some 2,500 years ago. With a varied, balanced diet of whole foods, including fruits and vegetables, you can maintain optimal heart health. Being mindful of what’s on your plate and getting regular exercise may help prevent a future centered around prescription medication for all your ailments. It might also help reduce some medications already filling your bathroom cabinet.

This Valentine’s Day, while you shower your loved ones with affection, don’t forget about yourself or your heart. Your ticker deserves some loving, heart-boosting foods for the hard work it does every day!

Remember, though, not one food can miraculously promote heart health. It is the combination of many heart-healthy foods that can change your life. So, in honor of “the day of love” and the CDC’s American Heart Month, here are five plant-based foods to help you love your heart this Valentine’s Day:

Nuts

Oats

Beans

Tomatoes

Apples

Read the entire article, the link is below, it offers lots of good information and recipes for each of those foods. 

Action Item: Be good to your heart today! Eat right and/or get some exercise today.

For Further Reading: Same article I mentioned above, 5 Heart-Boosting Plant-Based Foods to Love Your Own Heart this Valentine’s Day

Chocolate Pudding Fail

I spoke with a friend who is trying to get more fruits/veggies (fiber) into her daughter's diet (like many other parents with selective eaters that I know). I had just read about all the fiber in chia seeds then ran across this recipe for chia chocolate pudding. I thought "win, win" - chocolate and goodness and it sounded easy!

I told my friend Julie, and I had all the ingredients so I tried it...

2 cups of coconut milk or other milk
1/2 cup chia seeds
2-3 tablespoons cocoa powder (or to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla (or to taste)
1 tablespoon or more sweetener of choice (optional)- We use honey or a few drops of stevia tincture Put in a blender and blend until smooth. Will thicken in about 10 minutes in the fridge.

OK, it was easy. It firmed up like pudding. My son was not even turned off by the lumpy look (the thought of Mom offering him chocolate pudding was too great to pass up!) But... after a few bites, we quickly agreed that it was the "worst pudding ever." I even added extra honey and put dark chocolate chips on the top. I'm not saying this won't work, but it needs more chocolate and a way to make tiny black seeds appealing in chocolate pudding! I had hoped the seeds would blend smooth and disappear I guess. If anyone can tell me more about chia seeds, please do. Until then, I'll keep researching and experimenting. Just hate to waste 1/2 cup of expensive chia seeds! Julie, for laughing out loud when I let you know, I decided it was worth a post!

It's still worth it to make foods myself, with the occasional flop, rather than eating foods that do not fuel our bodies! I've added a link to some recipes below that may turn out better.


Action item: Do not try this recipe as is :)

For further reading: Chia Seed Recipes