I’m just going to be up front with you here…I need to vent. ->INSERT DEEP BREATHS<- I know this is a food blog and you really come here to get nutrition information but sometimes, all I can do is show you real life. My real, crazy, life. So I’m warning you now, just skim to the bottom if you would rather skip over our drama, mkay? Speaking of drama, let’s talk about it for a minute? I have to say that three girls equals a lot of crazy drama – daily! Who knew it started so young? (Don’t answer that question!) Okay, okay, before we get into the drama, I do have a free download for you that will show you why I only use certain sugars and how to use them in all your recipes.
Sometimes I feel like I’m stuck in a bad dream, that it can’t be happening already. I am still stunned in disbelief that we are having fights over clothes. Clothes fights!?! How, when and why is this happening when my children are four and two years of age? No, not 14 and 12. Oh no, my two-year old has just a handful of words and just starting to put sentences together but somehow we are still having fights over clothes. ->INSERT PANIC<-
Full fledged, I’m going to rip it from your hands, screaming, hair-pulling, slapping, girl fights. They exist in this house and it isn’t pretty. The problem is, our girls from a very young age (obviously before two-years) have always had an interest in what they wear. They love to pick out their own clothes, regardless of how put-together the outfit is. They are always proud of what they choose to wear, again regardless of how put-together it really is. To me it isn’t always a battle worth fighting. I now know this after losing one-to-many fights, the daily battle and struggle of clothes is just not one I am going to fall to anymore. I don’t have the time nor energy.
So most days, unless we must look put together, which is rare, I allow them the independence of choosing what they wear. The problem has come up lately as the two-year old has taken great interest in her older sisters clothing. How dare she, right? Let me tell you this does not go well, like E-V-E-R! It could be partially my fault. I have, for the sake of me not really enjoying laundry decided more than a year ago that it would be a good idea to have all of the little girls clothing in one room, in one closet. It works out marvelous when you are folding and putting away the clothes, but I have experienced lately that this could lead to many more problems as they now all have access to each other’s clothing. ->SIGH<-
So daily, it is a fight over who is wearing what with most days my four-year old laying herself (pathetically) on the ground crying, “I have nothing to wear.” What? What is happening? Am I really stuck in a bad dream or has it already begun? ->INSERT SOBBING<- Most nights as the hubs and I shut down the lights we look at each other and ask, “are we going to survive this?” So I ask you, will we survive? The clothe fights have begun, the crying over a closet full of clothes and yet still nothing to wear begins at four? Someone, please help us! This can’t be happening already. Am I in a bad dream or is this normal? Do I just become immune to this madness?
->MORE SOBBING<-
Okay, I will pull it together. Thank you for listening to yet another sob session over my crazy, overly dramatic, mom to girl problems. So you came here for the recipe eh? This recipe I will tell you has gotten me through many of clothes fights lately. The dreamy orange creamsicle chia seed pudding is not only loaded with that sweet orange cream flavor but it is also chocked full of nutrients with the chia seeds. In fact, it is thickened with those little beads of nutrients.
Top it with chopped fruit and nuts and you have yourself a filling, nutrient dense, breakfast, lunch or snack. I prefer chopped tart cherries, oranges, pecans and unsweetened coconut flakes on top. This pudding just one-upped the traditional yogurt parfait. Jazzy and classy is what it is. Plus you can make it ahead to eat as an on-the go breakfast, serve it to your kids for a filling snack or eat it all yourself. This will keep you sane when you are on the verge of losing it. Creamy, dreamy orange pudding put it on the menu. Plus, don’t forget about my special download, explaining everything you wanted to know about replacing healthy sugars in your recipes.
Now back to my reality….send help!
- 1 Cup Milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- ½ Cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- Zest of 1 orange
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
- ¼ Cup Chia seeds
- Pecans
- Unsweetened coconut flakes
- Tart cherries (frozen or fresh)
- Oranges
- Mix together milk, orange juice, orange zest and maple syrup.
- Add chia seeds and mix well.
- Pour into bowls or glasses and let sit 5-8 minutes.
- Stir again and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
- Top with chopped pecans, coconut flakes, chopped cherries and oranges.
- Enjoy!
