What's for Dessert--Chilled Double Chocolate Torte

This dessert is too delicious for words. It got rave reviews from everyone in my family.

Chilled Double Chocolate Torte from Oh She Glows

I made one substitution. I didn't want to use chocolate chips, so I added extra cocoa, coconut oil, and maple syrup instead. It was still amazing.

A Great Resource

Vivian Milius posted this video on her facebook page a few years ago and I was intrigued by this couple's cooking system and their delicious-looking healthy recipes. I bought their book, Original Fast Foods, and we love almost all of the recipes we've tried. If any of the recipes on the video look good to you, let me know and I can post them. I especially like their recommendation to do most of your meal prep work (chopping veggies, making sauces, preparing grains, etc.) on one day of the week so you can throw together fast healthy meals the rest of the week. I'm going to have to try that.

Konnie also found this couple and their recipes through their website: http://ldshealth.ning.com/ They have a lot of great video tutorials and recipes on their website. You can also purchase their book, Original Fast Foods, there.

Their book and programs on their website have helped a lot of people heal their bodies from illnesses like diabetes, arthritis, and high blood pressure.

What's for Dessert-- Creamy Fudge

Today I made a really tasty vegan fudge. The basic recipe is coconut butter and banana with a dash of salt and cinnamon. I don't know if you can buy coconut butter in Rexburg. I made mine by blending dried coconut in my Vitamix blender for several minutes until it sort of liquefied. I've heard you can make it in a food processor, but it takes longer. I found the recipe HERE.

I also tried the chocolate variation on the recipe which you can find HERE, and she has lots of other flavors HERE.

You can leave it sweetened with just the banana, or you can add your preferred sweetener. When you've blended it up, it is more like a frosting (a very yummy frosting), and when you put it in the fridge or freezer, it takes on more of a fudge texture.

What's for Dinner--Hummus and Veggies on a Whole Wheat Tortilla

Once I had hummus and everyone else at the party liked it, but I couldn't stand it. I thought I must not like hummus. But then I heard about how every hummus recipe is a little bit different and you just have to find the one you like. So I tried again. And I'm so glad I did. Lilly's Roasted Red Pepper Hummus (available at Broulims) is so good, my baby eats it with a spoon. It's addicting. I tried to duplicate the recipe so I could make it at home, but I haven't got it right yet. If I do, I'll post the recipe.

So for dinner we had Lilly's hummus on whole wheat tortillas (we like the kind you buy raw and cook yourself) with cut up veggies (carrots, cucumber, tomatoes), sprouts, and greens. It tasted so good, I think I could eat it every day.

What's for Dinner--15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta, Carrot Fennel Salad, and Green Smoothie

We've been coasting along with our favorite recipes the last couple months, but I've been in the mood for some experimentation lately. We had some really great recipes tonight. The avocado pasta was so good that my daughter who is a hard-core avocado hater said it was "amazing."

15 Minute Creamy Avocado Pasta from Oh She Glows

Carrot Fennel Salad from veggienumnum.com The recipe suggests serving this on rolls like you might for a chicken salad. I think it would be really tasty. My family really enjoyed this one, too.

And tonight's green smoothie had some different ingredients that tasted really refreshing. Kale, alfalfa sprouts, frozen peaches, a banana, a can of pineapple with its juice, and a quarter of a lemon rind (which is supposed to be good for fighting or preventing cancer, and it tastes good, too).

What's for Breakfast -- Chia Pudding

This probably sounds weird to anyone who isn't familiar with the latest health craze--chia seeds. I mean, who wants to eat a Chia Pet, right? But they're really good, and here are some reasons to enjoy them (according to several websites):

-may help control blood sugar
-high in protein
-high in omega-3's
-may help with weight loss
-the word "chia" means strength because chias are considered a high-energy food
-more antioxidants than fresh blueberries
-high in fiber and nutrients like calcium, iron, potassium, and magnesium

When chia seeds get wet, they form a gel coating around the seed, which gives soaked chias a tapioca pudding-like texture. If you google chia pudding recipes, you will find everything from Mint Chocolate Chip Chia Pudding to Strawberry Ginger Chia Pudding to Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding. I can post any of those if they sound interesting to you. I thought I'd just post a basic recipe here today.

Chia Pudding

1/4 chia seeds
1/4 non-dairy (or dairy if you prefer) milk

Mix and let sit for at least 20 minutes. Most recipes recommend overnight.

I added a dash of vanilla extract and a dash of cinnamon. I left mine sweetened only with homemade almond milk, but most recipes recommend adding sweetener such as 1/2 banana (mashed), 1 Tbsp maple syrup, agave or stevia to taste. Also, many add fresh, dried, or frozen fruit, or top with coconut flakes or chopped nuts. My baby loved it so much, she asked me to make a second batch.