Chia Seed Recipes

[RVAwino]

I recently read of the health benefits of chia seeds and am looking for some neat ways to add them into my recipes. Ideas??

[DiveFan]

Chia seeds have little distinctive taste IMO, so I just sprinkle them into almost anything at the very end of cooking/prep for a little crunchy texture (think poppy seeds). Buy them in bulk at Whole Foods, one of their few fairly priced items.

The gelatinous effect is very off putting for me, too many memories of poorly prepared okra.

[cristina]

Try this recipe.
http://mexicocooks.typepad.com/mexico_cooks/2011/05/breakfast-with-mexico-cooks-yoghurt-con-fresa-y-ch%C3%ADa-yogurt-with-strawberries-and-chia.html

It works for me, every day for breakfast!

Link: http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

[DiveFan]

@cristina, thanks for the recipe link. Coincidentally right now I'm flush with Dannon yogurt, the only non-organic brand around here without thickeners.

[coll]

And I'm flush with chia seeds, I really need to start using them up!

[cdzapata]

There is a recipe for Chocolate Chia Pudding at
http://www.simplysugarandglutenfree.c...

[Blancmange]

This pudding looks awesome. Definitely going to make this..love that blog!

[BamiaWruz]

I'm pretty sure you can do anything with it. Even put it in pancakes or bread or whatever.
They have a tendency to get gelatinous though.

[alexa52]

Chia seeds are great in a smoothie. Add a tablespoon.

I also just came across a cinnamon chia pudding that is yummy.

1 1/2 cups Almond milk
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 Tablespoon honey or maple syrup
1 vanilla bean or a dash of vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of sea salt

mix all together in a bowl (with plenty of room for it to expand).
Refrigerate for 1-8 hours (i do it overnight)

My 9 year old loves it. He thinks it's a dessert!

[Blancmange]

+1 on adding to a smoothie....add a tbsp to mine everytime. Usually let sit for a few miniutes before blending, as the gel is a great "thickener" for the smoothie, esp if you are not into bananas or avocado.

[maggiroo]

I like to start the day with a simple chia pudding. Just soak 1 tablespoon in a cup of milk, soy milk or nut milk for 15 minutes to let the chia seeds soften and swell up, add fruit (banana is good silced over the top) and drizzle with honey.
http://www.chiaseedrecipes.com

[Val]

yes, I've been adding chia meal to my blended up blueberries/strawberries/peaches and then adding either Greek yogurt or kefir...very very nice! Haven't tried baking with the "gel" yet!

[daily_unadventures]

I was interested as well also I made some chia gel then used it to make muffins awhile back. Substitute some of the butter for the chia gel. Turned out quite well.

http://www.dailyunadventuresincooking...

[cheesecake17]

Vegetarian Times had a sotry about chia seeds a few issues ago. Several recipes looked really good.

[RVAwino]

I've been making a "gel" using 1/3 cup seed to 2 cups water and adding a few tablespoons to my smoothies. Or sometimes I just sprinkle the seed directly onto my salads.

[cristina]

Soak them for a few hours and add them to lemonade (the kind made with fresh lemons). This is one of the most popular *aguas frescas* in Mexico.

Link: http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

[Sophochka]

Oh, cool thanks! I'll add that to my chia-recipes blog! http://chia-seeds.org

[amyzan]

They remind me of the tulsi seeds that are often soaked and added to Indian sweets and drinks. So, that's another thought--dairy based drinks or ice cream sodas, that sort of thing. I don't know that the flavor is the same, of course, but I've tasted both, and neither is particularly distinctive, so I *think* it'd work. Please report back if you experiment! I've got some chia seeds in the pantry...

[renz]

As in Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia? I never heard of these for nutrition. Learn something every day...

[coll]

You're so right!
http://www.living-foods.com/articles/...
I never would have known.

[FoodFuser]

These rascals are deserving of more respect than the TV commercials have offered us for so many years.

Has anyone cultivated them?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_hispanica

http://garden.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Chi...

[Sophochka]

Dr. Wayne Coates has actually found a unique way to cultivate them, as well as blend 4 types of chia seeds from areas where they grow with the highest levels of bio-nutrients. Most of the chia seed brands out there use his research as a basis for their proccessing, but the LifeMax Mila brand is the only one that is 100% backed by him. You can learn more about him here: http://www.naturalnews.com/022780_chia_health_seeds.html and the LifeMax brand here: http://chia-seeds.lifemax.net.