Foodie Friday: Vanilla Chia Pudding

Vanilla Chia Pudding - Copyright 2014 - Go Wellness - Michelle Loy, MPH, MS, RD, CSSD

If there's one sweet treat I remember enjoying as a child, it was pudding.  Vanilla was my favorite. Fast forward to 2014, and I can't even remember the last time I've had pudding...at least the instant kind that I ate as a child.  I've probably moved away from eating pudding for two reasons.  One...it just doesn't show up on my radar as something I want to eat too often.  Two...as a dietitian, I probably just know too much and I've realized that the instant-type of pudding is not the highest quality of foods in my dietitian book.  That and my little guy seems to have a sensitivity to dairy foods, too.  At the same time, I've been trying to figure out how I could make a dairy-free and more nourishing version of pudding for my kiddos to enjoy.  I've made a chocolate pudding using avocado as the base, which turned out well.  However, as a lover of trying new things, my search has continued for more ways to give this pudding thing a shot.  Enter chia seeds!  I'd been seeing and hearing about "chia pudding" for a while, but I didn't officially try it until recently.  Initially I experimented with a chocolate chia pudding to no avail. I still need to work on that recipe to get it right, but I finally discovered a vanilla chia pudding that has been taste-tested and approved by my entire fam!  See my littlest one's finger dipping into the pudding below? Yes, she couldn't wait for mommy to stop taking pictures to start digging in!

Vanilla chia pudding - Copyright 2014 - Go Wellness - Michelle Loy, MPH, MS, RD, CSSD

I love that this is so simple and tasty and that it can hit the spot should you have a craving for a creamy, sweet, and higher quality treat.  If you like tapioca pudding, you may really enjoy this as it has a texture similar to that of tapioca.  I've seen some versions that are blended after mixing, so that may give it a little creamier texture, if you prefer that. If you give this one a shot, please let me know what you think!  I love getting feedback.

Vanilla Chia Pudding

{Print this recipe}
Ingredients
1 1/4 c unsweetened almond milk
1/4 c chia seeds
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
*small amount of fresh vanilla bean paste ~1/8 tsp (optional -- I purchase a bag of vanilla beans that I keep on hand for things like this.)

Directions
1.  Combine all ingredients into a glass container. (I use a large mason jar.)  Mix well.  Set in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight.  Stir well just before eating.  (The seeds can tend to clump together at the bottom over time.)  Enjoy!

Serves:  3
Nutritional information:
Calories:  121  Carbohydrates: 13 g   Fat:  7 g (3113 mg omega-3)  Protein:  11 g   Fiber:  7 g   Cholesterol: 0 mg   Sodium: 71 mg
Good source of:  vitamin D and riboflavin
Excellent source of:  vitamin E, vitamin B12, calcium, manganese

Health Food Imposter #12: 100 calorie snacks

Are 100 calorie snacks health food imposters?  Copyrigh 2013 -- Michelle Loy, MPH, MS, RD, CSSD -- Go Wellness

Health Food Imposter #12:  100 calorie snacks

The 100 calorie snack products are tricky.  The fact that they are portion-controlled and only 100 calories each may make them appear more healthful, but this does not make them high quality, health supportive, and deeply nourishing food.

• Most of these 100 calorie snack products are made with processed flours, which have been stripped of valuable nutrients, including vitamins and hunger-satisfying fiber.  Most of them also contain a variety of sources of refined sugars, like corn syrup and dextrose, often contributing up to 2 teaspoons of added sugar per serving.  While these may satisfy a craving for something sweet, without the naturally occurring fiber or a high quality source of protein, these may leave some hungry again in no time.
• Unfortunately, the 100 calorie snack products may also be taking the place of more healthful foods, like vegetables, fruits, or nuts, that could be consumed instead.  This could make one less likely to consume enough essential nutrients, like vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and other health promoting phytochemicals.
• Many of these products also contain less healthful fats and oils, like trans fats from partially hydrogenated oils.  While these oils may enhance the shelf-life and flavor of a product, they will not  enhance your health.  Because the trans fat content is < 0.5 grams per serving, you will see 0 g trans fat listed on the Nutrition Facts Panel even though the product contains trans fat in the form of partially hydrogenated oils.  Always read the ingredient list.
• Some of these products do a little health washing by using "yogurt flavoring", but that does not mean they confer the same health benefits as regular yogurt with live and active cultures.  The yogurt flavorings are generally nothing more than sugars and fats dressed up with heat-treated yogurt powders that do not contain live and active probiotic cultures.
• Some of these products also contain moderate amounts of sodium that could pose a problem for sodium-sensitive individuals.  
• Finally, some of these products also contain artificial colors, flavors, and other questionable ingredients that many people are now looking to avoid for a variety of reasons.  Again, while these ingredients may make the product taste or look better, they don't necessarily add to your health or quality of life.  

What is a better alternative?
There are many naturally lower calorie snack options that incorporate whole, real foods, so plan these into your diet. Some simple examples include almonds, pistachios, fruit with cheese, vegetable sticks with hummus, or even a hard-boiled egg.  Not only are these foods more nourishing, but they'll also often be more satisfying than the 100 calorie snack products.

Do you know someone who could benefit from this information?  Then please "like", "pin", or share it!  Thanks for reading!

Mindful Eating: Let go

"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be."  Lao Tzu

Let go.  It's as simple as that. Okay, maybe not that simple because so many of us have been in a cold war with food for so long.  The internal conflict and tension around food is so high that some of us are afraid to make a move.  We're so worried that if we make a move, the wrong one, everything will collapse -- our self-esteem, our health, our relationships, our lives.  Well, I say it's time to denounce these potentially paralyzing thoughts and see them for what they really are...exaggerations, untruths, and saboteurs!  When working with clients who have such thoughts, I remind them that there is no need to keep account of their so-called "food crimes".  Food is not the enemy, it is the answer!  That is, if we let it be the answer.  Let go of the past, problems, pressures, expectations, exaggerations, judgments and all-or-nothing attitudes that we so often undermine ourselves with when it comes to eating. These adverse thoughts only serve to perpetuate a vicious cycle of potentially self-destructive behaviors and thoughts that continuously feed off of one another.  Allow some quiet space around your eating experience and surrender yourself to the pleasure and nourishment that eating offers.  The more you do this, the greater the sense of relief that you will feel.  And the greater you will trust your ability to eat intuitively.

Achieving harmony with food is not something that happens overnight. These negative thoughts have been programmed into some of our heads for a very long time, so it takes time, practice, and patience to learn to dial down the activity.  When the negativity enters your head, simply acknowledge the thought as that...just a thought and bring your focus back to the eating experience.  Instead of defend and conquer, let's reconcile and release ourselves from the power of food.  Only then will we truly be able to experience the satisfaction that savoring food offers and attain our best health and well-being.  Go after a life of health and wellness, you deserve it!

Although this ends my series on mindful eating, your growth and discovery need not stop here. For more guidance, I suggest these resources.

Books:

• Intuitive Eating: A Revolutionary Program That Works
• Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time
• Eating Mindfully: How to End Mindless Eating and Enjoy a Balanced Relationship with Food
• Eat, Drink and Be Mindful: How to End Your Struggle with Mindless Eating and Start Savoring Food with Intention and Joy
• 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself Without Food
• Meal by Meal: 365 Daily Meditations for Finding Balance Through Mindful Eating
• Art of the Inner Meal: The Power of Mindful Practices to Heal Our Food Cravings
  
• Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat: How to Break Your Eat-Repent-Repeat Cycle
•  Mindful Eating: A Guide to Rediscovering a Healthy and Joyful Relationship with Food--includes CD

Websites:

• The Center for Mindful Eating 
• http://www.intuitiveeating.com/ 
  
• http://eatingmindfully.com/
• http://www.mindfulpractices.com/
• Online Mindful Eating classes

The C word....

Cravings? Ever have 'em? Nah, never, right? If you have, you're not alone as over 50 to almost 100% of people studied have experienced food cravings or an intense desire to eat a specific food. Did you know that the top 3 most craved foods are: carrots, celery, and broccoli? I'm kidding here. What do you think they are? Based on recent research findings, craved foods tend to be rich in calories, fat, and carbohydrate. So, chocolate, ice cream, cookies, potato chips all fit into this category. People also tend to crave salty foods, too! The underlying cause of cravings is still not well understood though recent research points at different factors such as learned behaviors (i.e., habits) given certain situations or stimuli, short-term calorie restriction, and the release of feel-good chemicals in the brain in response to eating certain foods among other things. Regardless of the reason they exist, the fact of the matter is that many of us have cravings, and cravings can wreak havoc on one's mind and efforts at weight management.

Did you know that the average craving can last anywhere between 5 seconds to 15 minutes? Seriously. I know. It doesn't seem likely because when we're in that craving moment, it can feel like an ETERNITY, and that's why many of us typically raise the white flag to them swiftly. The good news is that these things can actually pass pretty quickly. If we actually take the time to allow ourselves to make an informed decision, we will better manage our cravings. Get rid of them? Not necessarily, but managing them, now that's realistic! So, what do you do?

1) STOP! - The first step in managing cravings is to take notice! Put yourself on guard. Realize that you are experiencing a craving. Imagine a huge STOP sign or a red light or a whistle going off giving you the warning signal.

2) relax... Now's the time to take a deep breath or two.

3) Ask - In order to make an informed decision, you need information. So begin to ask yourself a few questions. What is it that I'm craving? Am I hungry? What happened when I consumed this food before? What will happen if I do it now? What do I really want?

4) Decide - Your decision can go either way. After pausing long enough to consider the options, you allow yourself to make a more informed decision. You can choose to go ahead and fulfill that urge and eat the food. Or you can choose not to. You are not {good} if you don't eat it or {bad} if you do. It's not a moral issue! It's a decision, and it can be a simple one. It just takes time to develop the habit of becoming more aware of the cravings and making more informed choices about whether or not to satisfy them.

Based on my experience with many clients, I've found that following these steps has helped many better manage their cravings. It doesn't make them go away. No, I'm not sure there's a cure for them...yet! But it can make the situation much less stressful and allow enough time for the person to reflect on the decision while the craving actually either subsides or a final informed decision is made not to consume the food. All I can say is practice, practice, practice!

Now about that chocolate...