I have bought the pre-made ones at Wholefoods before but they did not wow me. I know how amazingly fantastic chia seeds are for you, hydrating, full of fiber, high in magnesium, high in Omega-3 fatty acids (actually ALA which is not the great one) but still good.  I mean come on “chia” is the ancient Mayan word for strength!

So I looked at a lot of different recipes and methods to make the pudding and this one is closest to Michele Tam’s version from Nom Nom Paleo (don’t look at her’s because then you’ll never come back to my site) she has some mad photography skills.  But I’ve changed a few things and added some pumpkin because PUMPKIN!  Hope you like it, it’s really a great great way to start your day!

Buy my favorite stevia here, with no aftertaste!

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When you are trying to decide where to spend your food budget you may ask “is organic chicken worth it?”  My opinion is yes.  I would actually opt to buy all my meats organic, pastured, hormone (beef only, see below) and antibiotic free over spending my money on organic fruits and vegetables IF you had to make that choice.

Organic chickens are fed a vegetarian diet that does not include any GMO or toxic pesticides.  Antibiotics are not used unless medically necessary.  They are suppose to be given access to the outdoors but there are not set standards, meaning how long they are outside or how big the space.

antibiotic-free  means no antibiotics were ever given.

Chickens are not allowed to be given hormones in the US so if the label says no hormones that means nothing.  Cage-free also means nothing as chickens raised for meat in the U.S. are not kept in cages (does not apply for chickens laying eggs).  Natural also means nothing as there is no definition for natural under our food structure except for that it contains no artificial ingredients.  There is no process to verify this claim.

Free-Range just means they had some access to the outside, their feed is still not vegetarian or organic unless it says organic.

 As I’ve said before I’m a huge fan of Asian food.  So many delicious dishes with meat and seafood and lots of veges.  Miso soup and sushi…yum my mouth is watering.  I don’t know about you but every time I eat it whether it be Thai, Chinese or Japanese I get an upset stomach.  I’m not sure if its the oil they use or the soy sauce or the MSG.  But I am always on the hunt for restaurant quality dishes that I can recreate at home!  These coconut curry chicken thighs fit the bill!

When you are trying to decide where to spend your food budget you may ask “is organic chicken worth it?”  My opinion is yes.  I would actually opt to buy all my meats organic, pastured, hormone (beef only, see below) and antibiotic free over spending my money on organic fruits and vegetables IF you had to make that choice.

Organic chickens are fed a vegetarian diet that does not include any GMO or toxic pesticides.  Antibiotics are not used unless medically necessary.  They are suppose to be given access to the outdoors but there are not set standards, meaning how long they are outside or how big the space.

antibiotic-free  means no antibiotics were ever given.

Chickens are not allowed to be given hormones in the US so if the label says no hormones that means nothing.  Cage-free also means nothing as chickens raised for meat in the U.S. are not kept in cages (does not apply for chickens laying eggs).  Natural also means nothing as there is no definition for natural under our food structure except for that it contains no artificial ingredients.  There is no process to verify this claim.

Free-Range just means they had some access to the outside, their feed is still not vegetarian or organic unless it says organic.

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• Coconut Yogurt – use in place of dairy yogurt or sour cream, good with yogurt toppings, in smoothies or as sour cream on tacos or potatoes.  Look for the unsweetened variety and one with out carrageenan
• Coconut flour – can be used in baked goods, for frying or thickening sauces
• Coconut oil – use for pan frying, baking or as a substitute for cream in your coffee
• Coconut milk – Use in place of cow milk.  I like it better than nut milks!  Look for sweetened kinds made with stevia for chocolate or vanilla, or unsweetened for cooking or cereal, no carrageenans
• Coconut aminos-great substitute for soy sauce.  It is a little sweeter but subs out nicely in most recipes!

See here or here for some yummy recipes using coconut products!

But Michelle coconut products contain so much saturated fat!  For the last 60 years saturated fat has been eschewed and a low-fat craze has taken over our country.  Low-fat and fat-free products are full of additives, chemicals and more sugar to make up for the removed fat.  They are never a good idea in my opinion!  Saturated fat is making a comeback, especially the kind in coconut products.  Dr. Mark Hyman states the following:

Interestingly, researchers find when folks consume more saturated fat—especially from healthy sources like coconut oil—their “good” LDL cholesterol increases and their “bad” LDL decreases. Saturated fat in foods like extra virgin coconut butter fuels your mitochondria, provides anti-inflammatory benefits, and could even improve your cholesterol numbers. 

See the full article here

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