2. Crush chia seeds. You can sprinkle crushed chia seeds on salads, soups, cereal of juice. Not only will they add omega nutrients to your food but the crushed seeds also have a distinctive nutty flavor.
3. Sprinkle whole seeds onto your food and drink. Chia seeds go well with most foods, including fish, stew, vegetables and yogurt. When the seeds are whole, they have a neutral flavor so you can use them with both sweet and savory food.
4. Place the seeds in water or another beverage for at least 10 minutes. They will absorb a large amount of the liquid and turn into a gel-like substance. Add 1/3 cup of whole seeds to 2 cups of water or juice. Once you have the gel, you can eat it on its own, add it to stews or soups as a thickener, or mix it with an equal amount of jelly for a healthy dessert.
5. Add crushed seeds to your baked goods for extra nutrients. Chia seeds go well in cakes, biscuits, muffins or bread. Use them in baked foods as part of a wheat-free, gluten-free or grain-free diet and, as they are seeds, you can also add them to vegan goods, too.
6. Wanting to lose weight. Many people have reported that when they consume Chia seeds and water, as the seeds expand they feel fuller and eat less. Which has in turn led to less pounds on the scale.
In a one-ounce sample, dried chia seeds contain 9% of the daily value for protein (4g), 13% fat (9g) (57% of which is ALA) and 42% dietary fiber (11g), based on a daily intake of 2000 calories. The seeds also contain the essential minerals phosphorus manganese, calcium, calcium, potassium and sodium in amounts comparable to other edible seeds, such as flax or sesame.Chia's unique combination of soluble and insoluble fiber combine to slow down your body’s conversion of starches into sugars. If you eat chia with a meal, it will help you turn your food into constant, steady energy rather than a series of ups and downs that wear you out.
Because of the high level of anti-oxidants in Chia it has a shelf life of over 2 years at room temperature. That is with no chemicals or preservatives!
By weight, Chia has more calcium in it than whole milk. For me, who is trying to give up dairy (and it has worked, I have not had a sinus infection since I quit drinking dairy milk) Chia will give me the calcium I need.
chia gel. Chia only takes on the flavor of the foods it is being prepared in, so I don't have to worry about Chia changing the flavor of my recipe. If I can bake with 50% less fats, then I am sold. This is what I am going to try....
Chia Gel
1 tablespoon chia seeds
9 tablespoons reverse osmosis or filtered water (or any liquid)
Stir together the chia seeds and the water with a fork. Let the mixture set on counterop for 10-15 minutes. When you return your glass bowl will be filled with a thick gelatin, with the seeds suspended inside. This can be used in place of butter and oil in recipes. The gel with keep for 1 week covered in the refrigerator.
You can substitute 50% of the oil or butter with Chia gel. For example: if recipe calls for 8 tablespoons of butter, only use 4 tablespoons of butter and 4 tablespoons of Chia gel. You will notice the end result that you are baking will maintain moisture and freshness longer when preparing with Chia gel. (very cool!) And think about it, you are putting more anti-oxidants into your foods!!
Try this in your cookies, pancakes, brownies, cakes, breads,
I can't wait to try this!!!
To sum it up Chia has.......
- Magnesium – 15 times more than Broccoli
- Calcium – 6 times more than whole milk
- Omega-3 – nearly 9 times the amount found in Salmon
- Fiber – more than flax seed & 2 times more than bran flakes
- Iron – nearly 3 times more than spinach
- Protein – more than soy
- Unlike fish, Chia Seeds have no cholesterol
So, once again, this is a no-brainer! And thank you Lisa for giving me Chia seeds! Now I am more than ready to add them to our meals, snacks, etc.
So.....GO BUY Chia seeds and add them to your meals, snacks and desserts!! Winding Way Farms, Amazon, Costco and Whole Foods carry them.
(There is some controversy that eating them at the table instead of cooking with them provides more nutrition to your body. And controversy over buying Chia seeds organic. The research I have found states that the way the Chia plant grow, spraying with pesticides is not even necessary. The plant produces an oil that insects hate. Therefore pesticides are not necessary.)
*How to use Chia Seed's and nutritional info from My Chia Seeds 
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