Cherry Lime Chia Fresca

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Cherry Lime Chia Fresca; easy to make, fun to drink.

Welcome to the Final Week of New Year, New You!

It is the fourth and final week of New Year, New You!—a January blog event created to inspire you to make and sustain healthy changes in 2012. A big thank you to Hallie of Daily Bites for pulling this event together. I have learned so much!

Today's theme is "Stay Hydrated." For bucketfuls of great tips and recipes that tie into this theme, be sure to head on over to the following blogs. Hallie has a great item she is giving away—so check it out.

EVENT HOST:
*** Hallie of Daily Bites ***
Author of the cookbook
The Pure Kitchen

*** Shirley of gluten-free easily ***

*** Brittany of Real Sustenance ***
Co-author of the soon-to-release
The Essential Gluten Free Baking Guide

Why is Hydration So Important?

Water is an often over-looked nutrient. When we consider that water is utilized in 98% of all processes that occur within the body, we realize that depriving the body of this essential and major constituent of life can have grave consequences. Water is imperative to the production of energy, the regulation of body temperature, and to the ridding the body of waste.

Signs of Dehydration.

So, how can we tell if we're adequately hydrated? Let's consider the signs of dehydration. You could be moderately dehydrated if you have a dry, sticky mouth, are fatigued, are thirsty (no brainer), have dry skin, headaches, constipation, body aches or experience lightheadedness. You could be extremely dehydrated if you are irritable, confused, don't sweat, have little to no urination, if you have low blood pressure, a rapid heartbeat, rapid breathing or no tears.

Unfortunately, thirst isn't always a reliable gauge of the body's need for water, especially in children and older adults, so one of the better indicators of hydration is the color of your urine; clear or light-colored urine means you're well hydrated. Unless attributed to certain supplements you are taking, strong smelling, dark yellow or amber colored urine is almost always a telltale sign of dehydration.

Lexie's Favorite Hydration Tips

Proper hydration requires a little discipline and personally, discipline is something I don't have a lot of, LOL. Here are tips that have helped me:

• Estimate Your Daily Requirement. Calculate the ounces of water you should drink in a day with this simple equation: Divide your body weight by 2. The resulting number represents the number of ounces of water you should aim to drink in a day. So, if you weigh 160 pounds, your goal is 80 ounces of water per day. That said, hydration is a balance. Body weight, activity level, age, health and other factors influence the quantity of water the body requires. Find what works for you—that which maintains body and fluid balance. It's important to note that there is such a thing as drinking too much water? You can read about that here.
• Use a Dedicated Water Bottle. Pick up an attractive water bottle, note the ounces it holds and calculate how many of those bottles you need to drink in a day (see tip above). This is my favorite water bottle. The ounces are marked on the side, and it is glass—versus plastic or stainless—with a protective silicon sleeve. I take it with me wherever I go.
• Schedule Water Breaks. Aim to consume half of your daily requirement of water in the morning (some right after you awake) and half in the afternoon. Make up a schedule that works for you.
• Water Before Coffee. Drink a glass of water before enjoying your morning cup of coffee. For every cup of coffee you drink, drink an additional glass of water.
• Jazz It Up. Your best bet is to stick with pure water. However if that gets boring, infuse water with fruit (lemons, limes, cucumbers, berries), spike it with a little of your favorite juice, or try one of the beverage recipes at the end of this post. Just don't sweeten with artificial sweeteners, please! Stevia is a much healthier, natural, zero-calorie alternative.

Recently I have been adding an extra boost to my beverages in the form of chia seeds. For more about chia, read this post. Down Mexico way, chia fresca is a pretty common beverage—a spoonful of chia seeds stirred into a mixture of water, lime juice, and sweetener. When chia seeds come into contact with liquid, they soak up 10-12 times their own weight in water! So you always want to consume them with plenty of liquid. When soaked, they become gelatinous and promote hydration and endurance. My husband got me hooked on chia after reading Christopher McDougall's book Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Super Athletes and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. In his book, McDougall tells of a tribe of endurance runners—the Tarahumara of Northern Mexico—sustaining themselves with chia while running 100-mile ultra marathons. 

With hydration and endurance in mind, today I have a spin-off of chia fresca to share with you. When you were a kid, did you ever sneak off to the fridge to slurp down a half-set bowlful of cherry Jell-O. I did and that's what came to mind the first time I drank a bottle of Cherry Lime Mamma Chia. My sister introduced me to Mamma Chia, and Mamma Mia, Mamma Chia is good—strange good! And much like me, my sister felt compelled to make her own Mamma Chia at home. This recipe is hers. My son calls it booger juice. I call it bug juice. Whatever you want to call it, it's oddly addicting. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Cherry Limeade Chia Fresca

Gluten-Free | Casein-Free | Corn-Free | Dairy-Free | Egg-Free | Fish-Free | Nightshade-Free | Peanut-Free | Potato-Free | Rice-Free | Shellfish-Free | Soy-Free | Tree Nut-Free | Wheat-Free | Grain-Free | Sesame-Free | Yeast-free | GFCF | Vegetarian | Easily Vegan

Ingredients:

1/2 cup no sugar added tart CHERRY JUICE (like R.W. Knudsen)
1 cup WATER
3 tablespoons white CHIA SEED
2 tablespoon liquefied HONEY
2 tablespoons fresh LIME JUICE

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a Mason jar and refrigerate overnight.

Notes:

• Honey may be substituted with your sweetener of choice. I use a bit of honey and a bit of zero-calorie liquid stevia concentrate. Sometimes I just use stevia.
• Though R.W. Knudsen Just Tart Cherry has no added sugar, it still packs 24g of sugar per 8 fluid ounces. Feel free to experiment with watering this recipe down. For each additional 1/2 cup of water, I've been adding an additional tablespoon of chia seed and a couple more drops of liquid stevia. 
• This beverage is not intended to be a sole source of hydration. Look at it as a fun drink to add to your day. 2-3 tablespoons of chia a day make a nutritious addition to most diets. More than that probably wouldn't hurt you. But as with any food, practice moderation. And, chia has that lovely ability of keeping you "regular" ... too much and well, we won't go there. :)

Other Hydrating Beverages

Apricot Spritzer here at Lexie's Kitchen
Sugar-Free "Apple Cider" here at Lexie's Kitchen
Elaine Gottschall's Electrolyte Drink here at Lexie's Kitchen
Ginger Lime Mocktail over at Elana's Pantry

Alternative Sweeteners & Candied Walnuts

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Candied Walnuts made with coconut sugar, water, and a pinch of salt.

Welcome to Week Three of New Year, New You!

It's the third week of New Year, New You!—a January blog event created to inspire you to make and sustain healthy changes in 2012. Today we have a “sweet” line-up of bloggers sharing recipes and tips on how to “Swap Your Sweeteners.” I can’t wait to read them all! These ladies are among the most talented recipe developers in the blogosphere using alternative sweeteners. Their blogs are ones I visit weekly and turn to regularly for recipes. While you are visiting Hallie’s site, be sure to enter to win a gift pack of natural sweeteners from Wholesome Sweeteners.

EVENT HOST:
*** Hallie of Daily Bites ***
Author of the cookbook
The Pure Kitchen

*** Maggie of She Let Them Eat Cake ***

*** Iris of The Daily Dietribe ***
Co-author of the soon-to-release
The Essential Gluten Free Baking Guide

*** Ricki of Diet Dessert and Dogs ***
Author of the cookbook
Sweet Freedom and series of anti-candida e-cookbooks 

Amy of Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free
Author (and soon to be mommy!) of the cookbook
Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free

Those of you who frequent this blog know my preference when it comes to sweeteners—natural, minimally processed, and used sparingly. Refined or not, sugar is sugar. Period. No matter what kind or color you use, in excess it will wreak havoc on your body (but that’s a whole ‘nother post). That said, I allow myself and my taste buds an occasional sweet. Two or three times a month I will bake up a batch of low-sugar brownies or cookies. We aren’t deprived, we do not over-indulge.

Further on in this post I will share my favorite natural sweeteners. But first, a great friend of mine, Dr. Wayne Tompkins who practices near Branson, Missouri, is here to shed some light on sugar's effect on the body. His intention is not to steer you away from consuming sugar completely, but to make you aware of how it's processed by the body and encourage you to take a good look at your daily intake.

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Sugar, Sugar, Sugar, Blood Sugar

By Dr. Wayne Tommpkins, DC | Tompkins Wellness Center | Branson, MO

We've all heard in recent years that Type 2 diabetes is a modern epidemic. It used to be called “adult onset diabetes,” but this is no longer the case since more and more children are being diagnosed with it.

Why?

First, let’s dumb down some human physiology for a moment and look at what happens.

The pancreas produces insulin and kicks it out into the bloodstream. Insulin is the key that unlocks the door of each cell to let blood sugar in. Under normal circumstances, you eat an apple, which in turn gets broken down into carbohydrate and smaller molecules of fructose. This is converted to glucose and gets sent out into the bloodstream along with insulin from the pancreas. Insulin unlocks the cell door, glucose rushes in, the cell churns through its functions keeping your body alive at a certain rate (your basal metabolic rate or BMR). In this situation, all is well and good. However, when the body is bombarded with refined carbohydrates and sugars found in soft drinks, candy bars, boxed cereals, pastries, breads, and pastas, blood sugar spikes and insulin gets kicked out of the pancreas. The cells are overloaded with sugar so they change the locks on their doors leaving us with a condition knows as insulin resistance. Basically the cells are saying, “Talk to the hand!” This causes blood sugar to spike higher and higher leading to the condition known as diabetes. And, it’s largely a problem of our food supply.

Take a guess as to the amount of sugar the average American consumed 100 years ago. The answer is: between 10-15 pounds. Today we are at a deplorable 115-125 pounds per average American. Wow! No wonder we’re in trouble.

What can you do? First of all, know your blood sugar level. Fortunately we did a urinalysis on a young lady yesterday during her initial exam. The test revealed urine glucose levels that were off the charts (fasting glucose of 321). I advised her to see a medical doctor right away. That doctor told her that had she not caught this glucose problem when she did that he would have met her in the ICU in about a week.

Once tested, if you find your blood sugar levels falling outside of the normal range. Seek the care of a physician immediately. I also urge you to consider alternative means of managing high and/or low blood sugar by consulting a holistic healthcare provider. In our office, that includes diet, acupuncture and supplementation—all aimed at lowering insulin resistance and virtually eliminating the need for medication except in severe cases. Some will completely get off medication, others will still need some assistance, but to a much lesser degree.

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For those new to Holistic Healthcare, here are some of Dr. Tompkins’ patients sharing how going to a doctor like Dr. Tompkins has made all the difference. If you are looking for someone who can dig deep into your health concern to determine its cause, and do everything they can to address and eliminate the root of it (not just cover it with medications), find a doctor in your area like Dr. Tompkins or consult with him over the phone. Call 417.336.2620 or visit Tompkins Wellness Center for more information.

The Sweeteners I Use—In Moderation

Okay, so now we know why we should consume sugar—not matter the form—in moderation. Here are some of the natural, minimally processed sweeteners I stock in my pantry. Now, when I say I wouldn’t even think about stocking a five-pound bag of refined white cane sugar, don't take me as being elitist (I grew up on a sugar plantation for goodness sake—it was our livelihood), but rather I have opened my mind and palette to a whole new set of sweeteners. Sweeteners that are rich, complex and in their own way, ever so slightly “healthier” than refined cane or beet sugar.

These are my go-to sweeteners, starting with my favorites.

• Stevia – Zero-calorie, no guilt, combine it with any of these others to reduce sugar in baked goods
• Raw Honey – Anti-bacterial (when eaten raw), rich and sweet
• Coconut Sugar – Lower glycemic ... the only "crystalline" sugar I use—a good sub for brown sugar
• Medjool Dates – Dates, date paste and date syrup (boil dates and blend with water) are divine!
• Maple Syrup – Sometimes you just need that rich, maple flavor
• Coconut Nectar – Lower glycemic ... a caramel-like syrup that I drizzle on homemade frappucinos
• Jerusalem Artichoke Syrup – Lower glycemic and loaded with inulin, this goes in our smoothies

There are numerous articles out there talking about these naturals sweeteners so I won’t reinvent the wheel here, but will point you to this post over at Renegade Health. The one sweetener I will comment on is stevia. It falls at the top of my list for good reason. It is zero-calorie and is completely natural (as long as you buy it pure, sans flowing agents like maltodextin, or in my favorite—liquid concentrate). I have come to realize that many people don’t give stevia a fair chance. They will try it and be turned off by its somewhat sharp aftertaste. If this has happened to you, you just may have used to much or a bad tasting brand. NuNaturals Singing Dog Vanilla Liquid Concentrate is the bomb! Two drop in my tea is all that’s required. And when baking, I always suggest combining stevia with another sweetener (say honey or coconut sugar) to achieve a nice balance.

So, I want to show you just what you can do with one of these sweeteners—coconut sugar. I love coconut sugar because it is one of the few alternative, natural sweeteners that comes in crystalline form. Here is a recipe for Coconut Sugar Candied Walnuts. I love these on a salad of greens and strawberries or atop a chewy (low-sugar, of course) brownie.

Coconut Sugar Candied Walnuts

Makes: 1 cup
Prep Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons COCONUT SUGAR
6 tablespoons WATER
Pinch of SEA SALT
1 cup raw WALNUTS

Directions:

1. In a small skillet, combine coconut sugar, water and salt. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer.
2. Once sugar has dissolved, add walnuts.
3. Stirring constantly, cook until all liquid evaporates, nuts become sticky, and "cobwebs" begin to form as you stir.
4. Remove from heat and spread out on a plate to cool and harden.

Notes:

1. Coconut sugar has a low burn point, so be careful to cook at a low simmer over medium to medium-low heat.
2. Serve over ice cream, brownies, or salad—if they last that long. I end up snacking on them.

Gluten-Free Sesame Snack Bars

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Today I would like to spotlight a great new blog—The Balanced Platter.

The Balanced Platter is the brainchild of the lovely Amy of Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free and Maggie of She Let Them Eat Cake. One day while chatting on Skype, Maggie and Amy decided that the world needed a place to go for reliable, comprehensive, accurate, and easy-to-access information about balanced, healthy living. So, they gathered up some of the brightest and most passionate bloggers they knew and The Balanced Platter was born.

I am honored to join forces with fellow bloggers to launch Amy and Maggie's new site. We've been asked to share our best healthy eating and living tips. So today I am talking "snacks."

I’m not a big snacker, but am quickly learning that growing boys are! And I am quickly learning that being prepared is key. My eyes are always peeled for snacks that:

#1 Will fuel and nourish their little bodies
#2 That can be made ahead and served up quick
#3 And that they’ll actually eat!

Here are some recipes I have discovered and make pretty regularly. I keep them pinned to my Appetizers & Snacks board on Pinterest—if you are on Pinterest, you can follow that board here. For those not on Pinterest, here are links to a few of the recipes—all dairy-free, egg-free and gluten-free. And if you want to know what Pinterest is all about, here's a primer.

Snacks We Make Pretty Regularly

No-Bake Snackin’ Orbs over at Diet Dessert and Dogs
Snackin’ Tray over at Cook IT Allergy Free (this is a new idea for is and I love it!)
Power Bars over at Elana’s Pantry
Tortilla Pizza over at The Spunky Coconut
Monster Cookies over at The Spunky Coconut
Almond Pulp Crackers here at Lexie’s Kitchen
Sticky Toffee Power Balls here at Lexie’s Kitchen
Nut or Seed Butter on Apples here at Lexie’s Kitchen
Raw Nacho “Cheese” Dip here at Lexie’s Kitchen
Olena Hummus here at Lexie’s Kitchen
Saturday Pancakes  (leftover) toasted & topped w/ Sunbutter here at Lexie’s Kitchen

One of my husband’s favorite snacks are these Sesame Bars. If you love sesame, you'll love this treat. It reminds me of the sesame seed "candy" we got growing up in Hawaii. Sesame seeds are an excellent source of manganese, copper, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus and zinc, and a very good source of vitamin B1 (thiamin) and dietary fiber. The nutrients found in sesame seeds may offer cardiovascular benefits, reduce inflammation in those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, support respiratory health, and offer protection against colon cancer, osteoporosis and other conditions.

Measurements below are for a small batch. Just double to make a large batch. For the "glam" effect I used a Wilton brownie cutter to make these rounded-corner bars (purchased at Michaels). Totally not necessary. You can just cut them into bars.

Gluten-Free Sesame Snack Bars

Gluten-Free | Casein-Free | Citrus-Free | Corn-Free | Dairy-Free | Egg-Free | Fish-Free | Nightshade-Free | Peanut-Free | Potato-Free | Rice-Free | Shellfish-Free | Soy-Free | Wheat-Free | Grain-Free | Yeast-free | GFCF | Vegetarian | Easily Vegan

Ingredients:

3/4 cup unsweetened dried COCONUT
1/2 cup raw CASHEW NUTS
1/3 cup ALMOND BUTTER
1/3 cup HONEY
1/4 cup COCONUT SUGAR
1/2 teaspoon gluten-free VANILLA
1/4 teaspoon CELTIC SEA SALT
1-1/2 cups raw SESAME SEEDS
3 tablespoons CHIA SEEDS (optional)

Directions:

1. In food processor, pulse coconut and cashews into rough meal.
2. In a medium saucepan, gently heat, just to soften and combine; almond butter, honey, coconut sugar, vanilla, and salt.
3. In large bowl combine cashew mixture, almond butter mixture, sesame seeds, and chia seeds.
4. Press firmly (I use a flat-bottomed glass) into a parchment-lined 8x8" pan. Bake at 300˚F for 20 minutes. Cool and transfer to refrigerator. Once chilled, slice into small bars with a sharp knife. Store in refrigerator in an air-tight container.

Notes:

Vegan: Substitute honey with agave nectar or brown rice syrup.

What is Pinterest?

This is my Pinterest page. My hobby is cooking, so I've got boards chock-full of food images that link to my favorite online recipes. Your thing may be knitting or gardening ... whatever your interest(s) you can make pin boards of the things YOU love.

Has Pinterest piqued your interest? Wondering what the hype is all about? Or are you already addicted? And why is this food blogger talking about Pinterest and not posting about food?

Simple.

Pinterest has become the best way for me to visually organize recipes (and more) that I discover online and don't want to lose.  I've got bulletin boards for my favorite meals, appetizers, gluten-free brownies—and my latest, "My Fascination with Dessert Shots." But wait, it doesn't stop there. I've created boards that capture DIY projects I want to try, kitchen designs I swoon over, and sayings that motivate me. You have to

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Sticky Toffee Power Balls

Welcome to Week Two of New Year, New You!

It's the second week of New Year, New You!—a January blog event created to inspire you to make and sustain healthy changes in 2012. Today's theme is "Snack Smart" and with two young boys in the house, I am quickly learning that having healthy, power-packed snacks on hand is essential—and it's only going to get more challenging the older they get! So, needless to say I am looking forward to the sage advice of the stellar line-up of bloggers posting on the topic today. Be sure to click on over to their blogs to see what's being served for snack time!

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Kale Salad Wraps

Welcome to the first week of New Year, New You!—a blog event created to inspire us all to make and sustain healthy changes in 2012. I have the honor of co-hosting this event with the lovely Hallie of Daily Bites.

So, here's what's happening.

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High-Powered Blender Promotion

As we head into the New Year with our resolutions to eat better and get healthier, I want to tell you about a high-powered blender promotion that is running in January that just may speed you on to your goal.

Most of you know how I feel about high-powered blenders. I L-O-V-E them! Once you have one, it’s hard to image life without one.

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Sweet Onion Dip & Mock Ricotta Cheese

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The vegans nailed it right when they came up with this one.

Beware! What you are about to make is sinfully rich and addicting! My sister whipped up this dip for Thanksgiving and I have been obsessed with it since. It is built on this recipe that she found over at Food.com. However, in place of raw onion, she folded in caramelized onion—the perfect complement to the mildly sweet macadamia.

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