Cinnamon Vanilla Chia Pudding with Apricots & Cherries

If you haven’t tried chia seeds yet, here is a great recipe to get you started.  Chia seeds are a super food, packed with nutrition.  Not to mention, they are really fun!  When you add liquid to them, they soak it up and become the texture of tapioca pearls.  Chia pudding is a healthy alternative to tapioca pudding, and it’s incredibly simple to make.

In this recipe, I topped my favorite chia pudding recipe with cherries and apricots.  The pudding is excellent alone or with the addition of your favorite fruits.  Use whatever is freshest and looks best at the market.  Here, I used fresh cherries and apricots, but mixed berries are also a wonderful choice.

Cinnamon Vanilla Chia Pudding with Cherries & Apricots

Servings: 1-2

5 tablespoons chia seeds

1 cup almond milk or your favorite milk alternative

2 tablespoons agave nectar, or more to taste

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon vanilla bean paste (optional- but really amazing!)

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1 apricot, pitted and cut into small slices

1 handful of pitted sweet cherries

1.      In a medium bowl, whisk together the chia seeds, almond milk, agave nectar, vanilla and cinnamon.  Allow to sit for about 15-20 minutes, whisking occasionally.  Let it sit longer for a thicker pudding.

2.      Top with apricot slices and cherries. Enjoy!

Summer Strawberry Spinach Salad

This salad has been a summer favorite in my family for years.  I put my spin on the original recipe by adding hemp seeds for protein and switching to marinated portabella mushrooms to make it a little heartier.  This is delicious as a side or as a light meal.  Everyone in my family makes it a little differently.  My aunt adds sesame seeds, and my sister tosses in minced onion.  Feel free to make it your own.

Summer Strawberry Spinach Salad

Dressing:

¼ cup agave nectar

1 ½ tablespoons dried minced onion

¼ teaspoons paprika

¼ teaspoon soy sauce or nama shoyu

¼ cup light olive oil

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

Salad:

9oz bag of spinach

2-3 large Portobello mushrooms, sliced

Minced onion (optional)

1 container strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced

¼ cup hemp seeds

¼ cup sunflower seeds

1.      In a medium bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing.  Set aside.

2.      In a small bowl, place the Portobello mushrooms.  Use some of the dressing like a marinade to soften the mushrooms.  Pour some dressing over top of them, toss together, and set aside. You can warm these in a dehydrator to soften them even more if you prefer.

3.      Toss together the spinach, mushrooms, onion, strawberries, hemp seeds, and sunflower seeds.  Toss with a light drizzle of the dressing until everything is evenly coated.

4.      Serve immediately.

Note:  If you would like to save this for a later time, prepare the salad ingredients separately from the dressing.  Add the dressing at the last minute before serving, so the spinach and berries stay fresh and vibrant.