chia – The Golden Graham Girl

“Hot town, summer in the city, back of my neck getting dirty and gritty…” (“Summer in the City” from The Lovin’ Spoonful, in case you weren’t keeping up with me there). Or, “Sunny days. Oh, sunny, sunny, sunny days…” (“Sunny Days” from Lighthouse – I didn’t even know this was a Canadian group until just now!). That just about sums up life in Ulsan, South Korea these days. So, with the mercury rising, I’m looking for great ways to stay cool and hydrated. Ice cream comes to mind, as do slurpees, slushies and sno-cones. But what about something with a little more oomph and a little less refined sugar (not to mention artificial colours and flavours)? With more than 35g of protein and none of the junk, this Strawberry-Coconut Chia Protein Smoothie will power you up AND cool you down. It looks, smells, tastes and even FEELS like a strawberry milkshake – your tastebuds will be none the wiser. Bonus? The sound of your blender will drown out my summer ditties!

Keep reading

So, I definitely like pumpkin. And I definitely like making high-protein recipes (don’t ask me how much I spend on protein powders – it’s almost embarrassing, really). Now, does it come as a surprise that I LOVE cheesecake? (I mean c’mon, who doesn’t love cheesecake? Really? Are you sure?). There’s just something about that rich, creamy, not-too-sweet dessert that just makes me weak in the knees. But, alas, too many cheesecakes will not only make me weak in the knees, but also soft and pudgy in various areas that I work hard to keep a little bit firmer. The natural solution is a high-protein, low-fat version of cheesecake that keeps the great texture and flavour that I love, but loses some of the calories, fat and refined sugar. Welcome to the wonderful world of Pumpkin Cheesecake Chia Pudding – I promise it’s another easy, healthy recipe you can whip up in minutes.