What The Fork: Is this chia seed pudding hype?

It seems as if the world discovered chia seeds overnight. 

I've been mixing chia seeds in with my smoothies, or topping my yogurt with them since I was tall enough to reach the kitchen counter. They're a good source of fiber and omega 3 which, I like. And when mixed with liquid, they expand quite a bit, leaving you with a nicely sustained fullness.

I woke up one morning to an influx of these "Dairy-Free Chia Seed Pudding! :) #soyummy #cleaneating" posts on my instatwinterest feeds. These photos were colorful, full of texture, and looked delicious. But I'll let you be the judge of that:

The general recipe calls for:

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons chia seeds

People top theirs with fruit after setting, or even blend it right in before allowing the pudding to set. The mixture sits in the fridge in a bowl, or mason jar over night while you shake or stir it periodically until it begins to set (usually 3-4 times in the first hour). 

I woke up the next morning to my long-awaited chia seed pudding and it looked like this:

My gelatinous mixture of coconut milk and chia seeds had the texture of a tapioca pudding, and tasted, well- like nothing. 

I suddenly turned into a collective body of all the adults in Oliver Twist when he asks for more- "WHAAT?" was my question to all the clean-eating junkies on the Internet. Why the fork can't you guys get enough of this stuff? It's garbage. In case you didn't catch that little reference I dropped- click now.

 Lo and behold, it was dairy-free! Also flavor free, and fun free... I won't go on. 

I added a little agave syrup to sweeten me up to this more-than-dull recipe, but it wasn't enough. I threw in a splash of vanilla extract and created a parfait with the pudding, blackberries, and chocolate chunks. It was tolerable, and a little closer to being as pretty as those photos that sparked me to try this recipe.

Have you guys tried this or have any tips on how to enhance the flavor? Email me! 

Caprese Salad

Calling all lazies: I've got the recipe you've been waiting for.

If you're anything like me, your Mondays are hectic. You press snooze one too many times, your hair doesn't cooperate, and you most certainly don't feel like cooking dinner.

Caprese salad is my go-to food whenever there's no food in the house because:
1. We have an abundance of tomatoes and endless amounts of basil growing in the garden, and
2. Scraping up a meal or side dish has never been (or looked) so tasty

The flavors of a fruity olive oil and a tangy balsamic vinegar tango perfectly with fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella cheese.

The great thing about this is that everything is eyeballed and based off your preferences. F*rk measurements.

What you need:

• Large tomatoes 
• Fresh Basil
• Fresh mozzarella 
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar

How to make it:
1. SLICE tomato and fresh mozzarella into thick slices
2. LAYER tomato, cheese, and basil
3. DRIZZLE extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar over the salad
* SPRINKLE sea salt and fresh ground pepper if desired

Enjoy!

Birthday Cake Cookies

This guy just had a birthday, and you know what that means? Don't say cake, because I made something even better.

I don't think there's anything he's ever put in a request for, except for these cookies.

They're delicious, of course, I mean... I made them. But there's something almost nostalgic about these cookies, I bite into the first one out of the oven and I swear I can taste my childhood.

If you could create the Ben & Jerry’s of baked goods, what would you put in it? Come on now, use those milky creative juices and think outside the cookie jar.

If you’re anything like me, you answered that question correctly: cake, chocolate, and applesauce.

That’s right, I said applesauce. In any oil-based recipe, I substitute the oil with no sugar added, all natural applesauce. Since the cake mix alone has so much sugar and fat to begin with, I don’t want to add any extra fat or cholesterol with oil if I don’t have to.

Substituting applesauce isn’t a noticeable change in the final product, which is why you should always use this trick for a low fat food. Your food will come out slightly more moist and a little bit sweeter, but do not change the bake time. Low fat foods dry out very quickly if overcooked.

For conversion tips and more info on my trick, visit http://musselmans.com/recipes/apple-sauce-swap/

Today I’m making Birthday Cake Cookies. They’re colorful, light, fluffy and certifiably satisfying. You’ll have just as fun making these as you will eating them.

 What you need

1 box Funfetti cake mix

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup color sprinkles

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

How to make it

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  
2. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and baking powder. In a small bowl, mix together the eggs, applesauce and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the cake mix and baking powder and stir to combine.
3. Stir in the sprinkles and chocolate morsels.
4. Drop by spoonful onto a cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Cool for 5 minutes. Enjoy!

Infallible Fall Fries

Tis the season of spandex and Uggs, pumpkin spice everything, shorter days, and much much longer nights. Whether you like it or not, Fall is here.

If you're anything like me, this sweater weather will have you searching high and low for all things cozy- comfort food included.

After perusing the grocery aisles, I came across a butternut squash in the produce section. The shape intrigued me, the name was puzzling, and since it was a winter squash, it was cheaper than most of the other vegetables.

I brought the giant seasonal fruit home with me. I washed it, cut it in half and peeled it. Then after scooping out the fleshy, seedy center, I cut it into thin, even slices.

Don’t feel intimidated by the less-than-common squash. Sure, preparing a new food can be daunting, but follow these few simple steps and you’ll be enjoying a new healthy side dish that is sure make a frequent appearance at your table.

One surprise I came across with this recipe is butternut squash doesn’t quite crisp up the same as potatoes do. Think: the sogginess of In-n-Out fries, with the saltiness of the last few mushy fries at the bottom of a McDonald’s bag.  The outer coating of the fries comes out slightly crisp, while the middle is fluffy and light.

These guilt-less Sriracha Butternut Squash Oven Fries are even better for you than their potato counterpart. Not only do they have fewer calories than potato fries, but also butternut squash fries are rich in fiber, magnesium, potassium, and Vitamins C, E, and A. They’re more nutritious and just as filling. Really, you can’t go wrong with this minimal effort recipe.

What you need:

1 Butternut squash

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

1 Tsp. Sriracha hot sauce

Sea salt to taste

How to make it

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Whisk together oil and sriracha in a large bowl. Transfer butternut squash fries to bowl and toss to coat.
3. Pour fries onto a rimmed baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt.
4. Bake for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Note:

Don’t like spicy? Substitute the Sriracha for ground cinnamon for a nuttier tasting fry.