COCOCHIA PUDDING

This may be the first time I've made up my own recipe.I even thought up a catchy name for it.....CocoChia Pudding. I have taken ideas from several different recipes which used coconut milk, coconut flakes, almond milk, chia seeds....etc...all in different combinations. One recipe consisted solely of coconut flakes and coconut milk, which was chilled. It was ok but it didn't do much for me. Yesterday I decided to use coconut milk with chia seeds. A fussy sugarholic relative just stopped by so I asked if he'd be a guinea pig, try my pudding and give his opinion. He was a little bit skeptical when he heard the ingredients... but... he chowed it right down and then he even asked for the recipe!! Now I feel more confident in sharing my concoction. It is low carb, contains healthy fats and has high quality complete protein from the chia seeds. You can adjust the recipe to your suiting. In opposition to mainstream  nutritional advice, saturated and monosaturated fats are good for you. It is the carbohydrates that mess up our metabolism and encourage weight gain and blood sugar problems. In addition to the healthy fat in coconut milk, the chia seeds contain omega 3 fatty acids. I wanted to try real maple syrup for the sweetener but I couldn't get the bottle open ...so I used organic whole cane sugar. I used a very small amount...only a teaspoon

Here's the basic recipe. You can add more or fewer chia seeds and adjust or change the flavorings

1 13.5 ounce can of whole fat organic coconut milk

3 TBsp of chia seed

1 Tsp organic whole cane sugar

1/8 Tsp of powdered cinnamon

1 Tsp of real vanilla

When I opened the can of coconut milk, it had separated. The solids were at the bottom and the liquid was on top....so I put it in a bowl and mixed it together thoroughly. If the coconut milk is already mixed, smooth and creamy...then you can skip the mixing part.

Next I added the 3 Tablespoons of chia seeds. Then I added the other ingredients, saving a little of the cinnamon to sprinkle on top. Mix together well, cover and let it set in the refridgerator for about 3 hours. I like it served cold. It was very smooth, soothing and cool when just out of the fridge. The consistency of the pudding reminded me of tapioca. How easy and healthy is that! It's odd because even though it wasn't highly flavored I kept going back for more. I found it a little bit addicting. Its simple to make so try it yourself and see what yummy combinations you can come up with.

EASY HARVEST CASSEROLE

August is the time of year when gardens are overflowing with their bounty. Gardeners and cooks anticipate the variety and fresh flavors available during this season. We all know though that gardens often provide more than we can use. Some gardeners give some of their overflow to the local soup kitchen and then there is usually even much more for drying, freezing, canning and fermenting.But...in the meantime we also want some handy recipes so that we can appreciate the food in season. When I was on a walk one day last year a neighbor shared with me how he uses his eggplants , summer squash and tomatoes. It sounded very easy so I tried it...and it was a hit. You can vary this recipe to suit your own taste. It is so simple that even the quantities of each vegetable don't really matter. I fill the pan I am using about half to three quarters full

Sliced eggplant
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced summer squash
Olive oil or italian salad dressing
Grated parmesan cheese
Fresh basil

I began with a layer of squash, then scattered some eggplant slices around, sprinkled some parmesan cheese and drizzled some oil. Then I sliced tomatoes and placed them here and there. More squash and eggplant, cheese and oil and then topped with chopped basil. I bake it at 350 degrees for at least an hour and sometimes an hour and a half. I like the vegetables to be pretty reduced in moisture so that the veggies have more of a sweet intense flavor. MMMMM You could also add sliced peppers, onions...mushrooms...etc. It's not like baking a cake, the ingredients do not have to be exact. This way you also get to use almost any veggies you have on hand. I forgot to add salt and pepper and I didn't miss it, however, feel free to experiment and add different herbs and spices. Almost forgot.... don't slice the vegetables too thick....maybe between a quarter and half of an inch.

CHEESY BROWN RICE SUMMER CASSEROLE

This is a recipe that can be adapted to one's personal taste. If you are a vegetarian and do eat eggs, milk and cheese, then you could omit the meat and add a few more veggies. I like to use sweet italian sausage. If you want to be really healthy and use grassfed, additive free meat, you can get the sausage here   US Wellness Meats sells quality grassland meat products - Visit us Online!

I will list the original ingredients in the recipe below but you can substitute almost any vegetable for the broccoli and any meat for the sausage. I haven't tried seafood in it but perhaps even shrimp or crabmeat would work. In the photo above I used leftover ham instead of the sausage and peppers and carrots from the garden...instead of the broccoli. It's fun trying the different combinations. Despite the fact that mainstream nutritional advice tells us that saturated fat and protein should be limited in our diets, saturated fat is a necessary element for health....especially the health of the brain which is largely composed of cholesterol.

1lb sausage (preferrably from free range animals)
4 eggs (preferrably from free range chickens)
3 cups of cooked brown rice
1 bag of frozen chopped broccoli (cooked)
1 small jalapeno or other hot pepper (chopped)
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 and one half cups of milk
3 cloves of garlic minced
1 small onion finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup of whole grain breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350
Cook rice and broccoli ahead of time and set aside. Cook sausage, hot pepper, onions and garlic in a stovetop to oven skillet. I use a bit of virgin red palm oil to saute everything in. It gives the casserole a pretty yellow orange color...but you can use any healthy fat , such as coconut oil, butter...etc. Whisk milk and eggs together in a separate bowl. Add grated cheddar cheese to the milk and eggs.

I don't drain the sausage onion mixture unless there is way too much fat. Remember, our ancestors ate alot of animal fats and did not have the degenerative diseases we have today. Now, incorporate the rice and broccoli into the sausage mixture and evenly distribute. Then pour the milk egg and cheese mixture over the sausage vegetable mixture in the skillet. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top of the sausage mixture and then sprinkle the parmesan cheese over that. Cook at 350 for about 45 minutes or until golden brown.