Cha, cha, chia! Yes, the chia that I am referring to is the plant sold via infomercials and drug stores. The fuzzy shaped plant that can be grown in the shape of your favorite pet animal...I even found a chia Mr. T and a Britney Spears. That gave me several minutes of laugh out loud joy!
This fun novelty item is actually a nutritional powerhouse that has been used for thousands of years to aid in digestion and provide hydration and energy on endurance endeavors. I found some background on the use of chia seed at www.living-foods.com,
" For centuries this tiny little seed was used as a staple food by the Indians of the south west and Mexico. Known as the running food, its use as a high energy endurance food has been recorded as far back as the ancient Aztecs. It was said the Aztec warriors subsisted on the Chia seed during the conquests. The Indians of the south west would eat as little as a teaspoon full when going on a 24hr. forced march. Indians running form the Colorado River to the California coast to trade turquoise for seashells would only bring the Chia seed for their nourishment.”
There are many benefits to incorporating chia seeds into your diet, too many for me to write about here, but below is a quick list for starters:
1) Chia seeds are able to absorb up to 12 times their original weight of water. This is one of the magical qualities of chia seeds. Simply soak them in any liquid and they become soft and gel like. The benefit is you feel full with zero calories and you stay hydrated longer.
2)These tiny little seeds are full of fiber! Fiber helps slow down your digestion process keeping your blood sugar levels stable for longer. The benefit of this is you eat less and feel energized!
3)Chia seeds are the richest plant source of heart healthy Omega-3's. These are those heart healthy fats that everyone is always talking about.
4)Chia seeds are one of nature's highest plant based sources of complete protein. Many sources of protein fail to contain all of the amino acids necessary for your body to get the maximum benefit of the protein. Chia is a complete protein that will raise your energy levels and keep you that way for the long haul.
5) Chia is high in anti-oxidants. Anti-oxidants help fight free radicals that can cause aging, inflammation, and even cancer. These anti-oxidants seek out the free radicals and stop them in their tracks, thank you chia seeds!
There are so many benefits to the chia plant, to learn more you can go to www.living-foods.com or www.mychiaseeds.com.
I have been experimenting with chia recipes for the last several months to see what kinds of things I could make that my husband and kids would eat. Now, I love to cook, so when I say I want them to eat it, I mean I want them to LOVE IT! Here is what I served them Valentine's Day morning to show my love for them, and I must say...they showed there love for me right back after tasting this yummy recipe!
My kids were amazed that I was allowing “pudding” for breakfast, little did they know that it is nearly sugar-free, and full of healthy fats to fuel their little brains for learning all day long, hee, hee – sneaky Mommy!
Oh-My Omega Chia Seed Pudding
1 cup + 1 tbsp. coconut or almond milk (you can also use cow's milk if you prefer)
4 tbsp. Chia Seeds (if your container came with a scoop, it’s about 2 scoops)
1 cup strawberries - quartered (try blueberries or blackberries or all 3 for a new twist)
2 scoops vanilla or plain whey protein (I recommend Jay Robb)
1 tsp. truvia (stevia or xylitol can also be used)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 tsp. vanilla
Directions:
Pour the milk and chia seeds into a medium bowl. Let sit for up to 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. The seeds will begin to puff up and become gel like. While you wait add the strawberries, whey protein, and 1 tbsp. milk to a blender or food processer. Blend until smooth and the berries become liquid. Set aside. Using a mixer, immersion blender or magic bullet, whip the heavy cream, truvia, and vanilla until it is thick (you want it to be a bit thicker than normal since it will be diluted into the chia seed and strawberries. Once the chia seeds are very gel-like and have absorbed a fair amount of the coconut milk you will have a pudding like quality. Pour the berries into the chia seeds and mix until well blended. Finally, fold the whip cream into the pudding. The more you mix in the whip cream the thinner the pudding will become. If you mix it too much, you can let the pudding sit for another 30 minutes or overnight to thicken up again. I left little chunks of whip cream in mine, and my kids loved getting chunks of the whip cream in every spoonful.
The pudding will keep for several days in the frig - if it doesn't get eaten by then! Makes 6 servings
Nutrition Information:
116 Calories 5 grams Carbohydrates, 9 grams Protein, 6 grams Fat