Can I just take a second to say: where have blood oranges been all my life?! I just had one earlier this week (I know, shame on me for not having one sooner in life), and now I am obsessed! So, obviously, I had to incorporate it into today’s healthy, energy boosting breakfast recipe! Not only is it tasty as heck, but it just happens to produce my favorite color, so I’m sold! This Chia Seed Pudding with Blood Oranges is Part 2 of 4 of the 2016 healthy eating, energy boosting breakfast recipes! (See last week’s recipe here!) This tasty recipe features chia seeds which help your body detox, enhance your mood, speed up your metabolism, and have 5 times the calcium of milk! Blood oranges are supercharged with Vitamin C and are a great source of antioxidants (not to mention they have less acidity than normal oranges and are sweeter too!) This breakfast recipe is perfect for those of you who, like me, have that craving for something sweet and need a healthy substitute!

Ingredients:

-2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds

-1/2 Cup Coconut Milk

-1/4 Cup Almond Milk

-1 Blood Orange

-1/2 Cup Greek Yogurt (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix Chia seeds, almond milk, and coconut milk together in a mason jar, stirring the chia seeds fully into the milk.

2. Let mixture sit for 30 minutes, chia seeds will start to expand and form a thicker consistency in the milk.

3. Serve immediately or refrigerate, covered, for a chilled pudding!

.4. OPTIONAL: In a blender, blend together full blood orange, sans peel, and Greek yogurt to add a sweet yet tart taste to the chia seed pudding by swirling in or layering!

Who said you can’t play with your food!? This recipe is like watching a science experiment- I left the chia seeds in a thin liquid and came back to a thick pudding consistency! Food magic! Like I said in the first installment of the healthy breakfast series, I am trying to make clean eating look GOOD so I’m more excited to eat healthy (one of my New Year’s Resolutions)! and I have to say- it’s definitely working! 

Cheers, Darlings!

It’s 2016! It’s so weird to be saying that! But here we are with the whole “new year, new me” business, doing whatever we can to be keeping those New Year’s Rezzies! One of my resolutions (as I’m sure was 99% of America’s) is to eat healthier! Yes, I know gluten is from Satan- but it’s so hard to say no! I won’t bore you with the deets of my healthy eating goals, but let’s just say this breakfast treat makes the good list!

Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, I’m starting our new healthy, energy boosting breakfast series for 2016 with Part 1 of 4:  healthy Blueberry Oatmeal in a Papaya Bowl!  Not only will it get a green light from your New Year’s Rez, but it’s tasty as can be, and oh-so-pretty!  Why energy boosting? Well as you can probably tell from half of my posts on social media, I’m obsessed with coffee and it’s basically gotten out of hand! I can drink up to 6 cups easily on a normal day! I know, I know- homegirl needs to take a chill pill! So here I am, trying to find natural ways to maintain energy in the morning!

Oats help with weight control and they are a low calorie food that stops cravings! Blueberries enhance your mood, improve memory function, and keep blood sugar levels stable to keep your energy from dropping! Papaya is a powerful digestive, helps the body maintain energy, and improves your complexion!  With a line up like that that looks as pretty as this Blueberry Oatmeal Papaya Bowl,  I’m hoping that healthy eating will be a breeze this year!

Blueberry Oatmeal in a Papaya Boat

Ingredients:

-1 Papaya

-2 Cups of Water

-1 Cup of Oats

-1/2 Cup of Blueberries (frozen or fresh)

-Toppings: berries, nuts, coconut shavings, honey

*Yields Two Servings

Directions:

1. Bring two cups of water to a boil in a small pot. Once boiling, add blueberries and let them steep in boiling water for 1-2 minutes or until soft and starting to peel.

2.  Next, add one cup of oats to the boiling water + blueberries and cook on medium high for 5-7 minutes, covered, until oatmeal starts to thicken.

3. Take Oatmeal off of heat and let sit, covered, for two minutes.

4. Slice papaya in half, hollow out each half with a spoon to remove all of the seeds.

5. Scoop oatmeal + blueberry mixture into papaya half and top with berries, nuts, coconut shavings, and drizzle with honey for extra sweetness!

This Papaya Boat was almost too pretty to eat! I’m trying to make clean and healthy eating look good for 2016! Maybe I won’t even notice those Heath Bars and In N Out Double Doubles I’m missing out on 😉

Darlings, I hope you’re having THE most amazing start to your new year, and what ever new habits and goals you’re wanting to implement into your routine for 2016, I send you much encouragement and wish you the best of luck!! 

Cheers, Darlings!