Recipe: Chocolate Pudding

Today's recipe is basically a Danette's chocolate pudding cup. I don't even need to say more because.
in all seriousness, let's look at the ingredients of a Danette's cup:  

Concentrated whole milk or skimmed milk powder (79.4%)

Sugar

Cocoa fat

2% chocolate (sugar, cocoa mass, lean cocoa powder, emulsifier: soya lecithin, flavoring: vanillin)

Thickeners: E 1442 (modified starch) and E 407 (carrageenan)

Lactose

In other, simple words, yuck. Don't get me wrong I think they taste great, only they are clearly not good for me, or you.

so ladies and gents, ditch your Danette cups and make these. They're nutritious and delicious!

Chocolate Pudding

makes 1 generous serving or 2 small cups.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole milk (You can sub: almond/soy/coconut..etc.)
• 2 tbsp good quality dark unsweetened cocoa powder (I used Hershey's)
• 2 tbsp flour (I tried it with all purpose and whole wheat. Oat flour would work too, but I'm not sure about the rest)
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp instant coffee granules (i.e. Nescafe)
• 1 dark chocolate square (optional)

Directions:

• In a heavy sauce pan, mix your flour, cocoa powder and instant coffee.
• Add milk over medium-low heat (take care because it can easily burn). Act as if your life depends on this arm workout...yeah, whisk really well till all the lumps disappear.
• Keep stirring with a wooden spoon till your pudding thickens, then add the honey, vanilla extract and chocolate (if using).
• You'll know it's done when it gets thick and starts to bubble, remove from heat and pour into a ramekin/mug. It will be pourable at this stage but it will set when you chill it in the fridge for about an hour (I like mine refrigerated overnight).
• Top with grated chocolate, fruits, chopped nuts, nut butters or eat it as it is; the possibilities are endless.
• Enjoy your treat!

Recipe: THE Salad

I'm fairly certain you know for a fact that you need to eat your rainbows. Unless you were living under a rock, then that's another problem. Anyway, now you do!
Generally, It's recommended to consume 2-3 cups of veggies a day, do I need to mention that raw greens are always better because the process of cooking vegetables causes the loss of some of their nutrients? I just did.
I guess that's where salads and green smoothies come to play, and I don't know about you, but I'm not a fan of drinking my meals. Enter THE salad.

I have this salad everyday. Yes, you read correctly, and I don't even have it for lunch, I have as a part of said lunch. Lunch is our largest meal in Egypt, and dinner is an optional light snack before bed. In other *ahem* eloquent words: I totally inhale a ginormous amount of food at lunchtime.

It's very forgiving, filling and versatile with a light dressing. You can also substitute to your heart's content and add whatever you have on hand like kale, baby spinach, arugula..etc.
It's a match made in my kitchen heaven.

THE Salad
Serves 1-2.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium tomato
• 1 cucumber
• 1 carrot
• 2 onion slices
• 1/4 cup diced green, red and yellow sweet pepper
• 2 red and green cabbage leaves
• 2 outer romaine lettuce leaves
• 1/4 cup cottage cheese (or feta)
• A dash of Za'atar (or thyme) and dried mint
• A pinch of ground cumin and black pepper 

Process:
Chop. Mix. Sprinkle your cheese and spices on top. 

Dressing:
Add 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil in a small bowl, add a splash of balsamic/apple cider/white vinegar and mix vigorously with a fork. Pour over your salad. Nom.