Wicked Recipes

For last week's Wicked Find I spouted the healthy benefits of chia seeds.

I first heard about the snazzy health benefits of chia seeds when Zoe, Karly and I watched Hungry For Change to prep for our not so healthy drinking game/power hour (power 58 minutes?) recording session. 

I'd seen the weird kombucha-like drinks at Whole Foods, I'd seen odd bins and bowls of bird-food-type toppings on salad bars, but I'd never, ever, know what the fork chia seeds were or why I would be interested in eating them.

ohhappybelly.com

Turns out, chia seeds are good for much more than growing that cute, fuzzy grass out of hedgehog and squirrel shaped terra-cotta pots  and adorning your mother-in-law's living room - they are actually chalk full of good-for-you-ness, and taste pretty alright, too. 

As I was racking my brains and spelunking through Google for fun things to do with these little health powerhouses, I found these four recipes that look absolutely to die for.  Or at least to spring the $7.99 a pouch of chia seeds typically costs. 

Wicked excited for spring to truly roll around and bring lazy evenings and fresh fruit by the bushel. I can't wait to try these bad boys out at home - and maybe on my hapless partner. 

Enjoy.

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moevenpick-icecream.com

For breakfast... Vanilla-Almond Chia Pudding 

The consistency of this chilled, creamy concoction will be thicker and a bit gummier than your average scoop of yogurt, but the almond milk and vanilla flavor will make up for any misgivings you might have about texture.


For lunch or dinner... Kale and Farro Salad with Lemon and Chia Dressing

The seeds in this one go only into the dressing, but will make a standard vinaigrette not only thicker but oh so much healthier.

For everything... Chia and Tomato Jam

I'm not sure you need anything to make tomato jam sound better (unless, that is, if you don't like tomatoes like, at all) but this salsa-y spread will add oomph to your sandwiches and toast without sliding all over the place.

The sweet and salty will go great on anything, and if you want a little extra zing some chili powder or cayenne pepper will do the trick.

For summer (with vodka?)... Raspberry-Chia Lemonade

Ok, who doesn't like berry lemonade? Who doesn't like berry lemonade with booze in it? While the recipe doesn't call for making it an adult beverage, after the seeds have soaked up all the yummy goodness and set into that cool chia suspension, adding a lil somethin' somethin' is anything but a bad idea. 

The omega-3s and protein might even help you fend off any hangover-inducing depletion of electrolytes.  But I'm not a doctor.  I don't even play one on TV. 

Episode #04 Top Five: My Favorite Wellness Tips

Your health is important, and it's never too late to make changes. At least that's what I try to tell myself. The following are my top five favorite wellness tips.

#5 - Get Enough Sleep - Your body needs sleep, and not just to make sure you aren't tired throughout the day. When you are sleeping your body is restoring and healing itself. Make sure you get enough. 

#4 - Choose a healthy diet that is not restrictive - Instead of thinking about what you can't have think about what you can have. Your body needs a balanced nutrition plan. Only eating egg whites and grass is going to do more damage than good. Remember: your brain's favorite food is carbohydrates, and your body needs a little bit of fat from time to time. Moderation is key. 

#3 - Limit your alcohol and vices - This is about moderation as well. At The Vodka Press, we love our cocktails but we also know when enough is enough. Alcohol interferes with your sleep (see #5) and can also cause other physical ailments. It's okay to indulge every now and again, but keep it within reason. Your body will thank you.

#2 - Seek to educate yourself - Diets, wellness, and exercise are not a "one size fits all" plan. Educate yourself about what it is that your own body needs and what works best for you. Before you believe all the crazy facts and trends out there, do a little research of your own. Just because it's on the internet doesn't mean it's true.  Remember, what works for your bestie may not be best for you. And that's completely okay. 

#1. Don't forget your emotional and mental health - Health doesn't just mean physical. Your mind and your happiness are just as important as the state of your body. Do you have a healthy social life? A healthy home life? Are you happy at work and with your career? Are you feeling depressed? Seek to find balance in all areas of your life.