Friday, October 12, 2018

ICED TEA CHIA FRESCA (recipes)

A hydrating drink any time of year, this Iced Tea Chia Fresca is super refreshing and takes just seconds to make. So grab a few simple ingredients, shake them together, and you'll be sipping this fun drink in no time.


Do you have a bag of chia seeds stashed somewhere in your kitchen? If not, I think it may be time to add it to your list of pantry staples. The tiny super-seed is packed with protein and healthy fats. They're super versatile and can be used in all kinds of recipes, from dressings to dessert. I love using chia seeds to make pudding or a quick jam. You can find recipes for both in this delicious Strawberry Rhubarb Chia Pudding Parfait recipe.



Another of my favorite chia seed uses? Making chia fresca! Simply add a few tablespoons to any beverage you like, give it a good shake, and in a few minutes you have a refreshing, fun drink to sip throughout the day. Since iced tea is my go-to summer drink I decided to try adding some chia seeds and loved the final results. After mixing in a little lemon juice and honey, Iced Tea Chia Fresca was born.

You can use any type of iced tea you like in the recipe. I love it with a hibiscus herbal tea or a lemon green tea. The recipe comes together very simply by first brewing and chilling the tea. Once you have the brewed tea add the chia seeds: 1 tablespoon seeds to 1 cup brewed iced tea. I like to make this in a large mason jar with a tight fitting lid so I can give it a good shake, but a large pitcher will work as well. The tea is sweetened with a touch of honey, but feel free to omit it if you want an unsweetened version. This Iced Tea Chia Fresca is naturally gluten-free and refined sugar-free as well.

Kid-friendly notes. This Iced Tea Chia Fresca is surprisingly popular with kids, but here are some options for resistant eaters:

Be sure to use an herbal, naturally decaffeinated tea. Mint is a great option, as is hibiscus.
If your child is a fan of the color pink, definitely brew up some bright pink hibiscus tea. In our house it's called "princess bubble tea," Enough said.
Add a little extra honey if your child likes a sweeter drink.
Omit the lemon if he or she doesn't like sour flavors.
Now, onto the recipe!

ICED TEA CHIA FRESCA

Ingredients

4 cups brewed iced tea (any flavor), cooled

4 tablespoons chia seeds

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons warm  water

1 tablespoon lemon juice (from about half a lemon)

Instructions

1. Combine the honey and water. Stir until the honey is well dissolved.

2. Combine the honey-water mixture, brewed tea, lemon juice and chia seeds in a large container with a tight fitting lid or a large pitcher. Shake or stir well.

3. Refrigerate for an least an hour, shaking or stirring every once in a while. The chia seeds will settle to the bottom of the jar, so give it a good shake or stir before serving.

Makes 4 1-cup servings.

Making this recipe? Let me know what you think and any adaptations you make in the comments. I really love hearing from you!



Sunday, October 7, 2018

5-INGREDIENT ENCHILADA CHICKEN

Super easy to throw together and incredibly versatile, Instant Pot 5-Ingredient Enchilada Chicken will be your new weeknight staple recipe!


You know those recipes that you keep in your back pocket for busy weeknights?

The ones you make over and over, because they don't take long to prep, everyone eats it, and the leftovers are super versatile?

Well, let me introduce to your new back pocket favorite.



Slow Cooker Enchilada Chicken was one of the very first slow cooker recipes I ever posted here on the blog, and it pretty much sums up my style of cooking: simple, no-fuss, super-flavorful, and picky-eater friendly.

I make a version of this recipe virtually every week, and use it for everything from burrito bowls, to tacos, to taco salads.

So, when I finally decided to jump on the Instant Pot train, this was one of the first recipe I wanted to adapt.

There's really nothing better than throwing everything in, closing the lid, walking away for a few minutes, and coming back to tender, savory chicken waiting to be devoured.

Unlike the slow cooker version, I like to use the saute function to cook the onions first, adding a layer of flavor to the finished dish.

If you're really short on time you can skip this step, but I definitely recommend it.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy the chicken is on top of a bed of 3-Ingredient Sheet Pan Cilantro Lime Cauliflower "Rice", along with some sliced avocado, chopped pepper, and some pickled red onion. So good!

I hope you'll give this one a try soon.

Now, let's make some Instant Pot Enchilada Chicken!


 5-INGREDIENT ENCHILADA CHICKEN
Ingredients:

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 28-oz can no-sugar added tomato sauce

½ cup water

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

Juice of 1 lime (optional)

Hot sauce (optional)

Instructions:

1. Set the saute function in a 6-quart electric pressure cooker for 8 minutes.

2. Add the olive oil, onions, ¼ teaspoon salt, and saute for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add the tomato sauce, water, cumin, garlic powder, and chicken, stirring to combine.

4. Secure the lid, select the manual setting, and set it to high pressure for 15 minutes for fresh chicken, or 20 for frozen. If using frozen chicken, make sure it’s spread in an even layer, without sticking together.

6. When the pressure cooker timer is done, quick release the pressure.

7. Remove the chicken, and shred or chop into bite sized pieces. Add back to the pressure cooker, stirring to combine. Taste, adding lime juice, hot sauce (if using), and additional salt or pepper if desired.

Makes 4-6 servings




Sunday, August 5, 2018

This 3-Ingredient Coffee Fudge Is the Best Morning Pick-Me-Up

Mornings are always rough, but when you’re a parent, they’re 10 times crazier. From getting the kids ready for school to cleaning the breakfast mess they made, it can be difficult to even spare a few minutes to brew yourself a cup of coffee. Thankfully, we have a recipe that’ll help make your mornings a bit easier.

Requiring only three ingredients, these Coffee Fudge treats are super simple to make. They offer a rich, fudgey texture at just the right amount of sweetness. Snag some dark chocolate, coffee, and heavy cream to whip these coffee-filled chocolate cubes up the night before, and have them ready to grab-and-go the next morning!

Editor’s Note: Babble participates in affiliate commission programs, including with Amazon, which means that we receive a share of revenue from purchases you make from the links on this page.


3-Ingredient Coffee Fudge

adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie

Makes
: ~ 15 servings


Ingredients


  •     12 ounces dark chocolate chips
  •     1/4 cup heavy cream
  •     3 tablespoons coffee
  •     Straws (like these from Amazon)
  •     Silicon ice cube tray (like this from Amazon)


Directions

  •     Combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30-second bursts, stirring between each, until the chocolate is melted and smooth for about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.
  •     Stir in the coffee.
  •     Divide the melted chocolate mixture, filling the molds just to the top. Tap the tray on the counter after they are filled to release air bubbles.
  •     Cut paper straws in half and place one into each chocolate cube mold. Freeze for at least 4 hours before removing from mold. 


Friday, August 3, 2018

This Japanese Dinner Is a Nutritious Take on Pancakes for Dinner

Parenthood is pretty much a 24/7 job. There are messes to clean, kids to entertain, and errands to run — the list just never ends. With so much to do, getting a healthy meal on the table — that the kids will actually enjoy — can be a serious struggle. The solution? A simple savory pancake recipe for the family!

Kids would eat pancakes for dinner every night of the week if they could. Instead, whip up some Japanese Pancakes that offer nutritious veggies but in a fun style that they’ll love. All you do is mix a few key diced ingredients — such as eggplant and cabbage — into a pancake batter and pour everything onto a pan to cook. Top with egg noodles, chives, and a couple of sauces and your family will be ready to enjoy this healthy spin on a Japanese-inspired dish, known as okonomiyaki.



Japanese Pancake

Makes: 1 serving
Japanese Pancake Ingredients

    1/2 cup flour
    1/2 cup vegetable stock
    1/3 cup cabbage, shredded
    1 slice eggplant, diced
    1/2 cup shiitake mushrooms, diced
    1/4 cup corn
    1/4 cup chives
    Vegetable oil
    Toppings: egg noodles, chopped chives



Mayonnaise Ingredients

    1/4 cup plain yogurt
    1 egg white
    1/4 cup grapeseed oil
    1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
    Salt and pepper

Japanese Worcester Sauce Ingredients

    1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup
    1/2 tablespoon Worcester
    1/2 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce

Directions

  •     To make pancake batter, whisk flour and vegetable stock together. Add cabbage, eggplant, shiitake mushrooms, corn, and chives to the batter and mix everything together.
  •     Coat pan with vegetable oil and turn on medium heat.
  •     Spoon pancake batter into pan and cook until golden brown on one side. Flip to cook the other side.
  •     Remove pancake from pan and place on a plate. 
  • In the same pan, cook a handful of egg noodles until crispy on both sides.
  • For mayonnaise, whisk all ingredients together.
  • For Worcester sauce, also whisk all ingredients together.
  • Brush Worcester sauce on top of pancake then drizzle with mayonnaise. Place egg noodles and chives on top. 




Monday, July 30, 2018

A Yummy Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Recipe

When I first unboxed my brand new Instant Pot, I really wanted the rice function to be my first experiment. But then I kept stumbling upon more exciting recipes online and never got around to it. Recently, I realized it was about time to toss some chicken and rice in the ‘ole IP and let it work its magic.

This is such a great and easy recipe, especially if you have picky eaters at home who fight you tooth and nail on whatever you put in front of them. (Which, let’s face it — is basically all of us.) Here’s how I went about making it:


Ingredients



  •     1 1/2 cup basmati rice
  •     2 cups chicken broth
  •     1-2 tablespoon avocado oil
  •     1 bunch chopped green onions
  •     1/2 teaspoon garlic
  •     Salt & pepper (to taste)
  •     1 cup thinly chopped carrots
  •     1/2 bunch chopped cilantro
  •     1 teaspoon soy sauce
  •     1/2 teaspoon paprika
  •     1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  •     2-3 chicken breasts (uncooked; I always keep pre-marinated chicken breasts for last minute meals, and have found them to be really useful for IP recipes).

Directions

1. Chop your veggies, and gather the rest of your ingredients.

I had very few vegetables on hand so made do with carrots, green onions, and some cilantro (which I realize isn’t a vegetable at all, but I put it in with the veggies). You toss in whatever other veggies you like, though. This is, after all, the beauty of an IP —  you can use whatever random leftovers you have laying around and toss them in to make a great-tasting meal.

2. Place the raw rice, chicken broth, and avocado oil in the inner pot.
You don’t even have to give it a stir.

3. Layer the uncooked chicken breasts over this, and then layer the spices — leaving the vegetables for last.

 6. Mix the rice and spices up in the inner pot, and adjust the salt as needed.Doesn’t that look super YUM already?
 

7. Serve and enjoy!(And try not to tell me this wasn’t the easiest recipe ever?!)