Giada's Feel Good Food (5 page)

This is a real treat: a no-cook creamy pudding that's good for you. Once plumped in almond milk and creamy yogurt, chia seeds remind me of tapioca—only they are high in omega-3s and fiber. Chia seeds can be found in some grocery stores these days as well as in natural foods stores. The great part, too, is that you make this pudding the night before. Come morning, you just pull it out of the fridge and top it with some almonds and fruit, and breakfast is ready.
serves 4

In a medium bowl, gently whisk the almond milk, yogurt, the 2 tablespoons maple syrup, vanilla, and salt until just blended. Whisk in the chia seeds. Let stand for 30 minutes. Stir to distribute the seeds if they have settled. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, in a medium bowl, toss the berries with the remaining 4 teaspoons maple syrup. Mix in the almonds.

Spoon the pudding into 4 bowls or stemmed pudding glasses, mound the berry mixture on top, and serve.

I love to take these muffins to Jade's school for breakfast for her classmates to share. One of the ingredients is almond flour, which I love to use for baking because it adds flavor and protein to replace some of the usual white flour. Almond flour also makes the muffins light and nutty and pairs so well with the sweetness of orange juice and zest. Make a batch of these, freeze them, and then reheat as needed in a low oven.
makes 12 muffins

Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 325ºF. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.

Using a hand mixer on medium speed, in a medium bowl, beat the sugar and eggs together until pale and thick, about 2 minutes. Beat in the orange zest and juice, olive oil, yogurt, vanilla, and almond extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and almond flours, baking powder, and salt.

In batches, stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture until just blended. Stir in the almonds. Pour heaped ⅓ cupfuls of the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake until golden on top and a tester inserted into the center of the muffins comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 20 minutes. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before serving.

The person who opened my eyes to eating oatmeal like this is my aunt Raffy. She never understood why we put sugar on it; instead, she has always gone the savory route, flavoring hers with olive oil and salt. After I got over my initial skepticism, I tried it and it was delicious. It has quickly become my go- to for a fast, savory breakfast, even on the road; you can almost always get oatmeal made with hot water and then season it to your liking (I always have packets of olive oil in my purse!). I know it sounds strange but think about it this way: Oats are a carbohydrate just like pasta or rice or mashed potatoes, which you'd eat seasoned with salt and olive oil. But oatmeal, unlike any of those, is a whole grain so it's better for you—and, added bonus, it cooks quickly.
serves 4

In a medium saucepan, bring 3½ cups water and the salt to a boil over medium heat. Add the oats and cook, stirring frequently, until creamy, 6 to 7 minutes (for a thicker consistency, cook for 1 to 2 minutes longer).

Stir in the lemon zest and thyme. Spoon the oatmeal into 4 bowls. Drizzle each portion with 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and serve.