Ch-ch-ch-chia. Yep. It’s that crazy little commercial earworm you get right before the holidays when Chia Pet spots permeate the airwaves. Those nifty little terra-cotta planters have grown from simple animals (the ram was the first Chia Pet) to include cartoon characters and even a bust of our Commander-in-Chief, Mr. Obama that grows green hair.
While Chia Pets might be amusing, chia seeds pack some serious nutritional punch. To quote Shakespeare, “Though they be but little, they be fierce!”
Chia is Salvia hispanica, a species of flowering plant in the mint family, Lamiaceae. These plants are native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala.
With a slightly nutty flavor, chia makes an addition to your diet. Simply sprinkle them onto fruit salad or into cereals. Here are some of the nutritional benefits that chia seeds bring to the table:
BOX:
In two tablespoons you’ll find:
Dietary fiber (11g – 42% recommended daily value)
Protein (4.4g – 9% RDV)
Omega-3 fatty acids (4915 mg)
Omega-6 fatty acids (1620 mg)
Calcium (77 mg – 18% RDV)
Copper (0.1 mg – 3% RDV)
Phosphorus (265 mg – 27% RDV)
Potassium (44.8 mg – 1% RDV)
Zinc (1.0 mg – 7% RDV)
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As good (and easy) as this sounds, we’re going to blow your mind with the awesomeness that is chia. Chia seeds make an amazing pudding that is simple to make and frankly, we think it is a delicious (and somewhat decadent) breakfast that you can grab and go.
You can eat chia pudding unblended. The texture is similar to tapioca. Or, you can blend it for super creamy deliciousness.
THIS GOES IN ANOTHER BOX:
Chia Pudding (makes two servings)
• 1.5 cups of milk. This can easily be a vegan recipe, simply substitute regular milk with almond milk, soymilk or coconut milk.
• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• Sweetener. You have a lot of choices here. You can use maple syrup, or sorghum syrup, honey or agave syrup
• A dash of sea salt. (Salt enhances the sweet)
• 1/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
Other optional ingredients:
• 1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder.
• Dash of cinnamon
Add all of the ingredients (except the sweetener) to a mixing bowl and whisk. Then sweeten to taste. To keep this recipe vegan, use maple, agave or sorghum syrup. Start with 2 teaspoons and work your way up until the mixture is as sweet as you’d like. If you’re adding unsweetened cocoa powder, you may need a little more than if you’re making the pudding “plain.”
Cover and pop into the refrigerator overnight. In the morning, the mixture has magically turned into a pudding like consistency. You can eat it just like it is or you can run it through the blender to make it smooth and creamy.
Serve topped with your favorite fruits, nuts or cereal. The chocolate version topped with fresh raspberries is a particular favorite.
