Morsels of Life

Balsamic Strawberry Gelato

Strawberries, chopped and soaked in a balsamic vinegar reduction, then made into a brightly flavorful Balsamic Strawberry Gelato.

Balsamic Roasted Pineapple

Complement the natural sweetness of roasted pineapple with sweetly tangy balsamic vinegar, a little honey, and just a hint of five spice.

Seared Salmon and Lemon Butter Pasta

Level up your usual pasta with some lemon herb whipped butter and spinach. Top it off with freshly seared salmon. It's easier than you think!

Cajun Shrimp Guacamole

Avocado, onions, and bell pepper combined with Cajun seasoned shrimp for one mighty tasty Cajun shrimp guacamole.

Curry Chicken

Coconut milk, simmered into a complex curry with tomatoes, then served with seared chicken over brown rice for one scrumptious curry chicken.

Pineapple Orange Chia Drink

Make your own chia drink with a mere 2 ingredients!

Ginger Beer

Brew some refreshingly clean tasting Ginger Beer right at home! No special equipment required.

Chai Tea Bread

A quick bread full of creamy Chai flavor and topped with a bit of toasted coconut.

Instant Flour Mix (DIY Bisquick)

Don't we all like some surprise baked goodies? Well, having some instant flour mix around certainly makes spontaneous baking much faster and cleanup easier, and thus, more likely to occur! :) However, you'll find yourself using this DIY Bisquick for much more than just baking. You can make pancakes, waffles, and who knows what else! Plus, you have total control over what goes into the mix. Want whole wheat and butter? You got it! White flour and shortening? No problem!

Not sure where to start? Try these biscuits (Cranberry Brie, Cinnamon Cranberry, Garlicky Cheddar), flatbreads (basic, cheesy), breadsticks (Cheesy Peppered, Cheesy Garlic) or even pancakes!

What are you making with your DIY Bisquick?

Instant Flour Mix (DIY Bisquick)

by CJ Huang

Make this instant flour mix (aka DIY Bisquick) and you'll always be ready for some quick flatbreads, breadsticks, pancakes, or biscuits!

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: none
Total time: 15 minutes
Yield: 10-12 cups

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Material	Notes
		8 cups	flour	I usually use half white and half wheat.
94 grams	3.25 ounces	1.25 cups	milk powder	I used enough milk powder to make 4 cups of milk.
41 grams	3.125 ounces	1/4 cup	baking powder
454 grams	1 pound	2 cups	butter	Or shortening, but butter tastes better :P

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Cut butter into flour. A food processor makes the process a bit faster. You may want to work in multiple small batches depending on the size of your food processor.
	3. Mix all materials together until homogeneous.

Shared with: Full Plate Thursday, Inspire Me Monday, Artsy Fartsy Party, BFF Open House, Saturday Sparks, Fiesta Friday, Meal Plan Monday, Traffic Jam, What's for Dinner?, Hearth and Soul, Over the Moon, Inspire Me Monday, Farm Fresh Tuesday, Wine'd Down Wednesday, Your Whims Wednesday, Homestead Blog Hop, Party in Your PJs, Wonderful Wednesday

Pecan Chia Pudding

I wanted to try out some chia pudding, and we also had some cashew milk I wanted to use up, so I decided to make a chia pudding with cashew milk. We also had some pecans around, and I do like Pecan Pie, so why not make something similar? Sounds like a good idea to me! Just mix together most of the ingredients, place the mixture into your serving container, and spoon some of the sweet pecan mixture on top. We refrigerated and enjoyed these pecan pie chia puddings the next day to really let the chia seeds hydrate. Enjoy!

Do you prefer dairy milk or nut milks?

Pecan Chia Pudding

by CJ Huang

A lightly sweetened chia pudding with a sticky pecan topping - perfect as a dessert and healthy enough for breakfast!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: none
Total time: 10 minutes + hydrating time
Yield: 4 servings

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Material
220 grams	7.75 ounces	1 cup	cashew milk
47 grams	1.625 ounces	1/4 cup	chia seeds
		4 tablespoons	maple syrup
		1 teaspoon	cinnamon
		1 teaspoon	vanilla extract
52 grams	1.75 ounces	3/8 cup	pecans, chopped

Methods:

	1. Gather all materials.
	2. Stir together cashew milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and 2 tablespoons maple syrup.
	3. Stir in chia seeds.
	4. Coat chopped pecans with remaining maple syrup.
	5. Transfer chia mixture into serving containers and spoon (or fork if you're like me and don't want to wash another spoon) pecan mixture on top. Serve, or refrigerate to allow chia seeds to more fully hydrate.