Posts Tagged ‘flaxseed’

One of my favorite things to have for breakfast is some old-fashion muesli cereal. While I do enjoy the occasional bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, I am more of a cold cereal person so muesli is the perfect match!

So what is muesli you ask? Muesli (pronounced myoos-lee) goes back to the 1800’s when it was developed by a Swiss nutritionist. The cereal is made from a blend of whole grains (such as rolled oats, wheat, rye, triticale, and barley), dried fruits (commonly dates and raisins), nuts, and seeds (like sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, and flaxseed). Muesli can be served hot or cold or even eaten right out of the bag as a snack! Mix equal parts water or milk and muesli. Microwave for about 3 minutes for a delicious hot bowl of breakfast cereal or allow to soak for 10 minutes or overnight in the fridge for a cold bowl of cereal instead.

My favorite is soaking my muesli with soymilk or almond milk overnight. This perfect breakfast, packed with whole grains, protein, fiber, and healthy fats, is quick and easy and gets me going in the morning!

You can buy muesli cereal in just about any grocery store in the health food section. The two brands I recommend are Bob’s Red Mill Old Country Style Muesli and Hodgson Mill Apples & More Muesli; both are delicious! Try some muesli for your next breakfast meal!

Enjoy this post? Share it with your Facebook friends!

Lunch today was leftover frozen chili with some freshly baked vegan corn muffins! My favorite part about these are the whole corn kernels that are baked into each muffin!

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp ground flax seed
• 1 cup plain soymilk
• 1 cup frozen sweet corn
• 3 Tbsp unsweetened applesauce
• 3 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 cup cornmeal (I used Bob’s Red Mill Medium Grind Cornmeal)
• 1 cup spelt flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Spelt Flour)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 375*F. In a blender, blend together flax seed, soy milk, and 1/2 cup corn. In large bowl mix together remaining corn kernels, applesauce, and oil. Add blended mixture to bowl. In a separate bowl, combine cornmeal, spelt flour, sugar, sea salt, turmeric, baking powder, and baking soda. Add wet mixture to dry and gently fold until moistened. Pour batter into lined muffin pan and bake for about 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted into muffins comes our clean.

This is the first time I’ve ever cooked with spelt flour. According to Bob’s Red Mill, spelt is “a non-hybrid primitive relative of our present day wheat that dates back more than 9,000 years. Spelt has a unique nutty flavor and because of its high water solubility, its vital nutrients are quickly absorbed into the body.” Spelt flour can be used as a substitute to any recipe calling for wheat flour.

As always, I was thoroughly impressed by Bob’s Red Mill products and the delicious corn muffins that came of them!

This was the perfect lunch for Chicago’s sub-zero winter weather!

Enjoy this post? Share it with your Facebook friends!

The Christmas season is officially in full swing! Christmas is my favorite holiday of all time! This morning I am jamming to the Holiday Tradition channel on XM Radio and am planning on doing a little Christmas shopping and decorating later today! I slept in much later then planned today, I must have been wiped out from Thanksgiving with the family and my 6am Walmart shopping yesterday.

For breakfast today I decided to try a little twist to my usual oatmeal. It was a mixture of oats, cracked wheat, cracked rye, peanut butter and banana.

Last night I put 1/4 cup of Red River Cracked Wheat and Rye Cereal in 3/4 cup of milk in my fridge and let it soak overnight to soften it up so I wouldn’t have to spend 5 minutes cooking it on the stovetop this morning. When I woke up I added 1/4 cup of oatmeal to the mix and stuck it in the microwave for about a minute and a half.

The result was this delicious chewy and nutty mixture!

I added 1 Tbsp of my favorite crunchy Valencia peanut butter and 1/2 of a banana.

I read on the box that this cereal also included flax seed, but when looking at the actual cereal I noticed that the seeds were whole and not ground. From what I’ve learned in my nutrition classes, you don’t get the omega-3 benefits from whole flax seed, it has to be ground so that your body can absorb it. So I added 1 Tbsp of ground flax seed to my mixture for good measure!

Check out what I found at my Jewel! Chocolate Peppermint Stick Soymilk! In the spirit of Christmas I couldn’t pass it up and added some to my coffee this morning. It was SO delicious, the perfect festive touch to my breakfast! The box even recommends heating it up and adding whipped cream and a peppermint stick, yum!

Is anyone else as excited for the Christmas season as I am? Have a great Saturday and stay warm!

Enjoy this post? Share it with your Facebook friends!

Trying to get a healthy dose of omega-3 fatty acids but sick of dealing with fish oil capsules everyday? Flaxseed is the perfect alternative!

These tiny seeds are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, phytoestrogen, and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Sound too scientific for you? Don’t worry, you’ll be a flaxseed expert in no time!

Flaxseed is extremely rich in omega-3 fatty acids. When consumed regularly, omega-3 fatty acids are found to help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol, lower blood sugar in those with diabetes, and fight inflammation which may be present in disorders such as Alzheimer’s.   

Flaxseed is also a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber! Fiber helps move foods efficiently through your digestive system to help keep you regular and prevent colon cancer.

Flaxseed contains phytoestrogen which is estrogen found in plants. Phytoestrogen help to naturally stabalize hormone levels during menstuation or menopause. Flaxseed also contains DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), which is an essential compound for brain function and has a natural mood boosting characteristic!

Flaxseed comes in both brown and gold varieties, both of which have beneficial and nutritious characteristics. Flaxseed can be found at just about any grocery store today. Look for ground flaxseed because it is more easily digested by the body. Be sure to refrigerate flaxseed after opening to prevent the natural oils from going rancid.

So how can you incorporate flaxseed into your diet? Aim for 1-2 tablespoons of flaxseed a day. Simply add it to hot cereal, yogurt, smoothies, or even baking goods! You’ll be reaping the health benefits of flaxseed in no time!Enjoy this post? Share it with your Facebook friends!

How your skin looks on the outside is a reflection of what you put inside your body. The foods you eat can actually increase skin health and enhance the appearance of your skin. However, you have to choose the right foods. Therefore, Eat Chic has composed a list of foods for healthier and better looking skin! Try to incorporate any of these nutritious foods into your daily diet and see if you notice a difference in how your skin glows!

1. Avocado: avocados contain a unique blend of essential oils and B vitamins. One in particular, vitamin B3 (niacin) has anti-inflammatory characteristics which help soothe irritated skin and decrease skin redness. The oils in avocados are what make them a well-known ingredient in facial masks because they help rid of dry skin.
2. Flaxseed: foods high in omega-3 fatty acids like flaxseed hyrdate the skin and help to unclog pores. Try salmon, walnuts, or even chia seeds for other sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
3. Mangoes: mangoes are a good source of vitamin A (July’s Vitamin of the Month!). Vitamin A helps to maintain skin cells and repair them should they be damaged from free radicals such as ultraviolet rays from the sun.
4. Berries: berries such as blueberries, strawberries, or blackberries all contain high amounts of antioxidants which protect skin against sun damage and skin cancer by fighting off free radials that may damage the skin.
5. Almonds: almonds are an excellent source of vitamin E which protects skin from premature aging. Almonds also contain natural oils that moisturize the skin.

What should you drink for healthy skin? Green tea has natural anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce the risk of skin cancer. Water is also important to maintaining natural glowing skin. Keeping yourself well hydrated will prevent dry skin and also flush out any harmful toxins in the body.

Add these foods to your diet and let your natural beauty shine through!Enjoy this post? Share it with your Facebook friends!