Chia seeds have been all the rage for quite some time now. My personal favorite has always been the flax seed but, in my quest to tweak my diet for the New Year, I have decided to consume more chia seeds. Guess what? There is no need to grind chia seeds before eating them to obtain their nutritional benefits, whereas flax seeds must be ground first. This is reason enough for me to pursue the almighty chia!
The truth of the matter is that when I hear the words “chia seeds,” I automatically think of this…
A Chia Pet
Although the chia pet does not look too appetizing, the three simple chia seed recipes in this post certainly do! Before we get to those recipes, let’s take a look at some of the health benefits of chia seeds.
Chia seeds are not only a great source of the essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6, but they provide the body with much needed fiber, protein and iron. Accordingly, chia seeds can help reduce blood pressure, stabilize blood glucose levels, boost energy levels and metabolism, reduce pain and inflammation, aid in weight loss and help the body with the detoxification and elimination process. Apparently, the essential fatty acids provided by chia seeds also make cell membranes more flexible thereby making nerve transmission more efficient. This helps to improve brain function, including memory and concentration.
Chia seeds can simply be added to smoothies and juices, or sprinkled on cereals, salads and vegetables. I thought you might enjoy these 3 super simple recipes using chia seeds…
Chocolate Cherry Chia Smoothie
CHOCOLATE CHERRY CHIA SMOOTHIE
Adapted from fried dandelions
Serves 1-2
Ingredients:
1 cup vanilla almond milk
1 frozen banana
1 cup frozen cherries
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (I use organic raw cacao powder by Navitas brand)
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a blender. Enjoy!
Chocolate Chia Pudding
CHOCOLATE CHIA PUDDING
Adapted from hell yeah it’s vegan!
Serves 2
Ingredients:
1/4 cup chia seeds
3/4 cup vanilla almond milk, or your favorite vanilla non-dairy beverage
2 tablespoons cocoa powder (I use organic raw cacao powder by Navitas brand)
1 teaspoon agave nectar or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
1. Put all ingredients in a covered container; stir well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Serve chilled.
3. If it’s too thick for your tastes, just stir in a little extra non-dairy milk right before eating.
4. Top with your choice of bananas, berries, nuts and/or granola.
*Notes: Add 1 teaspoon hazelnut extract for chocolate hazelnut pudding, or 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract for chocolate mint pudding. Add another tablespoon of cocoa powder and some walnut pieces for brownie pudding, or some coconut, pecans and a pinch of cinnamon for cowboy pudding.
Peanut Butter Banana Chia Seed Roll-Up
PEANUT BUTTER BANANA CHIA SEED ROLL-UP
Adapted from SHAPE Magazine
Serves one
Ingredients:
1 whole grain tortilla or tortilla of your choice (I love Engine 2’s tortillas)
1 1/2 teaspoons peanut butter
1 banana
1/2 tablespoon chia seeds
Directions:
Heat tortilla in microwave for 15-20 seconds or on skillet briefly to warm it up for rolling. Spread tortilla with peanut butter. Sprinkle the chia seeds on the peanut butter. Place a whole banana (uncut) on the end of the tortilla and roll the tortilla and banana until the banana is completely wrapped in the tortilla. Cut in half and serve.
Enjoy these super simple recipes!
Peace & Love,
Debby
I just made the chia pudding and it is sitting in my fridge right now. It was unbelievable easy and I can’t wait to try it! I had been putting chia in my green smoothies, but this is a great new way to use chia!
Okay Debbie, I am eating the chia pudding with blackberries and banana and it is AMAZING!!!! And it is the easiest recipe!!! Thanks for the recipe Debby, it’s definitely one I’ll be using very often!!!!
You are so very welcome, Helen! The addition of the blackberries and banana put it “over the top” as a superfood snack!
I was browsing through your articles after reading your latest post (I work for Alternative Baking Company), then I found this. 😀
I’ve had a small bag of chia seeds (oh boy were they expensive) in my cupboard for a month now after my co-workers raved about its weight loss benefits. Sadly I still haven’t opened it because I couldn’t find time to do anything with it. Some of the recipes I found were too time-consuming or ingredient-heavy. So I am definitely trying your pudding recipe tonight. Thanks!
The pudding recipe is a winner! It’s a great way to ingest your chia seeds and so easy to make! Thanks for reading!
I just read your post. I dehydrate Chia seeds in water for at least 10 mins (stir a few times so they won’t stick together… then after a minute, I stir it again to make sure there’s no lumps of chia seeds together before I put it in my blended fruits/veggies. I like the texture…. Jelly coating the seed when dehydrated has lots of health benefits. Good luck!
Hello
I’m wondering if there is an ingredient missing from pudding recipe? How does it turn into a thick pudding? Do the chia seeds fill up with the milk?
Thank you & I’m definitely going to try these recipes soon!
Lauta
Yes, exactly! The chia seeds do puff up into a gel-like substance when they are soaked which turns into a pudding-like consistency. No ingredient is missing.
I learned dry chia seeds attract water as they travel through the digestive system. They actually pull water from the body. So I put some in water and keep in fridge for mixing into morning cereal (steel cut oats/quinoa/dried fruits) and/or dinner dish. I went to this site and got verification and learned some specifics and more !
Sometimes I prefer to grind the flax seeds and keep in fridge — also they are less costly than chias.
http://www.natural-healthy-eating.com/chia-seeds-questions-improving-regularity-appetite-suppressant-bloating.html
I love flax seeds too! Thanks for the comment, and for the tip!
How long do chia seeds stay fresh?