What's for lunch 1/24/13

BETTER THAN A PIZZERIA... Flatbread“Margherita” Pizza

Fresh Tomato Sauce, Basil and Local Fresh Mozzarella

Caesar Salad 

Fresh Fruit 

The pizza sauce (from Red Pack) ingredients are: Tomato concentrate (water, tomato paste), salt, citric acid, basil.

For the crust, the ingredients are: enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, barley malt, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, yeast, soybean oil,, dextrose, salt, calcium propionate, fumaric acid, dough conditioner (wheat flour, salt, soybean oil, l-gyssteine, ascorbic acid, enzyme) potassium sorbate.


The basil and mozzarella are local. The caesar salad is pretty clear - romaine is a traditional choice for caesar but also more nutritious than iceberg. The Caesar salad dressing is organic by Chelten. Here are the ingredients: filtered water, organic soybean oil, organic white vinegar, organic Parmesan cheese (pasteurized organic cow's milk, salt, cheese cultures, microbial enzymes, organic potato starch), pasteurized organic frozen whole egg yolks, salt, organic sugar, organic ground mustard seed, organic garlic powder organic onion powder, organic black pepper, xanthan gum.  (in 2 tbsp - 8 g fat, 160 mg sodium).

I have been reading about and eating Chia seeds lately.  Chia seeds support heart health, stabilize blood sugar, energizes you, acts as an anti- inflammatory and provides antioxidants. Here is a favorite recipe of mine. But you can incorporate chia seeds into almost anything. 

Raspberry & Cardamom Cream Chia Pudding

February 13, 2012 8:00 am
By Heather Crosby

11

I think that if you love someone, whether it’s a family member, a friend, or your sweetheart, you should serve them healthy treats for Valentine’s Day. Nothing says “I care” like recipes that promote a long, vibrant life. This delicious Whole Food of the Month recipe takes no time at all to make (love that), but thanks to the exotic flavor of cardamom and the almost heart-shaped and juicy red raspberries, your recipients will be feeling well taken care of this Valentine’s Day.

Makes: 2-4 servings
Time: 15 minutes

* Make this recipe raw (or highly raw) by using all raw ingredients

Tools:
Large glass bowl
Blender
Spoon
Strainer

Ingredients:
Try to buy everything organic. Here’s why.
1/2 cup chia seeds
6 0z. (3/4 cup raspberries)

Cardamom Cream
2 cups pure water
1/4 cup cashews
6 dates
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2-1 tsp ground cardamom (optional, but I recommend it and add as much as you’d like)
Teeny pinch salt

*Don’t have cashews on hand, but have a can of coconut milk, or almond, rice, or hemp milk? Blend 2 cups of that with the dates, vanilla, cardamom and salt instead of the cashews and water (which is basically a homemade cashew milk).

Let’s get started.
Wash your raspberries.

(Hearts upon hearts upon hearts. See ’em?)

Place your chia seeds in a large glass bowl.

Blend together Cardamom Cream ingredients until super smooth and add to the bowl of chia. Stir well and allow to sit on the counter, or in the fridge, for about 15 minutes until the mixture thickens.

If creme brulee and tapioca pudding had a baby, it would taste like this recipe—amazing!

Add your fresh raspberries and enjoy.

Serve chilled or room temperature. Store in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to one week.

Substitutions: Add more berries—strawberries, blueberries and/or blackberries! Or try this recipe with fresh peaches, sliced banana, toasted almonds or pepitas.