Chocolate Chia Pudding

Have you been intrigued by the chia seed hype everywhere? I was curious, especially after I actually looked up the nutritional benefits for myself. With a whopping 11 grams of fiber & 5 grams of protein per serving, I figured it was time to give it a try. Costco had the Nature's Intent brand, 2 pounds for $9.99, a great deal for organic chia seeds! Since everything is better with chocolate, I figured I'd start with a chocolate chia pudding. My trial recipe: 1 1/4 cup coconut milk 1/4 cup chia seeds 4 teaspoons cocoa powder mix the cocoa & chia seeds, add the milk and stir until no large lumps. Refrigerate 30 minutes, check consistency as you may want to ask more liquid, depending on consistency desired. Cover and refrigerate overnight. I decided to stir in 3 tablespoons turbinado sugar afer tasting. This was so simple, no cook and a nice healthy snack to have in the fridge. Definitely a keeper.

Early menopause

A new topic I'll be visiting is menopause, as I had to have a hysterectomy in October 2014. It was due to fibroids wrecking havoc on my body, including my GI system and kidneys. Since it involved many of my body systems, I had a long hospital stay and a long recovery. And I now am experiencing hot flashes and insomnia, probably mood swings too. I'm researching natural options to deal with my new onset of symptoms and I'll be sharing them with you.

Mariano's love

A new Mariano's opened about 10 minutes from my house. And yes I have a small addiction problem already. Don't judge me! With the hot buffet options, hot soup bar, and a man with a hot grill ready to grill my Angus burgers & sea bass fillets, I think it's alright to be a little addicted. Oh and the fresh cheese and caramel popcorn, fresh doughnuts & wine flights. I purchased some Jam Jar wine today, it came highly recommended (thanks sis)! 12.5% alcohol in a sweet shiraz!