While the chia seed is not cheap, when you look at it's nutritional profile it kinda is. It contains more iron than spinach, more antioxidants than blueberries, more fiber than beans, more calcium than milk, and more potassium than bananas. Not to mention that it is a complete protein and an excellent source of omega three's. This is a super food in it's own right and versatile as all get out.
Add a couple tablespoons to your smoothies. Use to thicken sauces by just mixing in the seeds (about 1 tablespoon per 1/2 cup) and letting the mixture set up for 20 minutes. You can make a "chia gel" by mixing 2 tablespoon seeds and 1 cup water, refrigerate overnight. This gel is flavorless, will keep for a month and can be used in yogurt, salsa, soups, and salad dressings. Chia gel is also a great egg replacement; 1/4 cup gel equal 1 egg in a recipe.
One of my favorite uses for chia seeds is chia pudding. A really flexible recipe. You can go basic with just the seeds milk and sweetener. Vanilla adds a nice flavor and I love the spices, but you could also go chocolate by mixing in 2 tablespoons cacao or cocoa powder, this would slightly hide the brown specks in the pudding. My favorite milk to use in fresh coconut milk, almond milk is excellent, but cow's milk or goat's milk would do the trick too. As always; the creamier the better!
3 cups milk
1/2 cup chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups milk
1/2 cup chia seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Combine all ingredients in a quart jar. Stir well and refrigerate overnight. Especially great with sliced strawberries, bananas, peaches or mangoes mixed in before serving.
How do you like your chia?
links; Hearth and Soup Hop, Menu Plan Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Happy Homemaker Monday, Monday Mania, Fight Back Friday, Recipe Swap, Finer Things Friday
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
Combine all ingredients in a quart jar. Stir well and refrigerate overnight. Especially great with sliced strawberries, bananas, peaches or mangoes mixed in before serving.
How do you like your chia?
links; Hearth and Soup Hop, Menu Plan Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Happy Homemaker Monday, Monday Mania, Fight Back Friday, Recipe Swap, Finer Things Friday
Yum! Almost out of chia seeds...can't wait to get more and make this!
ReplyDeleteLove it! I recently read about chia for the first time on another blog and have been trying to work up the courage to try it. I think I'm going to have to look for chia seeds on my next trip to the health food store!
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I love chia seeds and this pudding looks so good :D
ReplyDeleteOH YEAH!! I need a new morning porridge to try on my 4 boys. Thye weren't too crazy about the quinoa...but they LOVE "frog eggs"
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
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I have to agree, pudding is the way to go!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing it with Hearth and Soul Hop! I never heard of chia seeds before, but your pudding looks sooo yummy delicious ! :)
ReplyDeleteMy kind of pudding!
ReplyDeleteCool I've heard of chia. I'll have to see if I can get it easily where I live. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that chia was that nutritious - that is a real superfood. And how wonderful to have a comforting pudding that truly is good for you! Thank you for sharing it with The Hearth and Soul Blog Hop.
ReplyDeleteWell I've had those chia seeds for a month or so, but must confess, they haven't found their way into much. I'll give that pudding a try.
ReplyDeleteHi! I saw this recipe and had to try it. I used unsweetened almond milk and put it in a covered bowl in the fridge (left out the pepper). However, it didn't really gel. The bottom half sort of gelled, and the top was just soupy liquid. Do you recognize anything that I could have messed up on? Thanks!!
ReplyDeleteThe only two things that would affect the gel is if your milk to seed ratio was off, or if you didn't let it sit long enough. Add some more seeds and give it a good stir and a couple hours, you will be good to go.
ReplyDeleteI made this mainly for my son who loves tapioca pudding! I also added in some honey and a little maple syrup. I did have to add in some additional chia seeds as it was not as thick as I wanted it...but he said it was good!!! WooHoo! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm a little confused... I bought chia seeds today, just bobs red mill brand, but they are tiny black seeds. Why do yours look like white bubbles, like tapioca? Is that just what happens when it sets? I'm new to chia, thanks!
ReplyDeleteExactly, the seeds absorb the liquid and expands.
ReplyDeleteps, this morning i made a smoothie with it..i put in some chia seeds, hemp milk, maple Brown cow yogurt ( not too sweet), strawberries, vanilla, and ice..then blended it up..i like how tangy it was. You could put honey in it to sweeten! it was so good!
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My friend here in Massachusetts and I have had great success with this one, so thank you! We had to make sure the ratio was just right, like you mention in one of the comments, but now it turns out perfect and the flavors are excellent. We were wondering, though (I know I could do my own research on this one but wanted to pick your brain first in case you already knew)- do chia seeds contain phytic acid that needs to be broken down? Does the setting up in milk help with this at all? What are your thoughts?!
ReplyDeleteNuts and seeds do not need the acidic medium as grains do in soaking, so the milk with a little bit of salt does the trick.
ReplyDeleteHey Kara, this is Star. Just wanted to tell you that I made this recipe last night and then put a quarter of it into a green smoothie. It was so good. I loved the texture it added and the spices in the recipe really made the smoothie taste delicious!
ReplyDeleteThese look delicious. I will pop some in the freezer tonight for a Tuesday treat I'm sure the girls will love.
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