Not everyone knows that chia seeds (common name of Salvia hispanica, a plant endemic to Mexico and Guatemala) are a very nutritious food and are comparable to those of sesame or flax. These tiny seeds are made up of a large number of nutrients, including fiber, protein, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and minerals. You can enrich your diet with these important substances; find out how by continuing to read.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Breakfast
Step 1. Mix the chia seeds with the yogurt
- The combination of the probiotics contained in yogurt with the antioxidants found in chia seeds makes this dish very nutritious.
- Add fruit for more vitamins.
Step 2. Sprinkle chia seeds on cereal or oatmeal for breakfast
- A little chia seeds in oats or in another whole grain dish will be almost invisible, but they will be a perfect and substantial addition.
- Chia seeds go well with fruit in a cup of bran flakes or other breakfast cereals.
- Mix the chia with miso paste and add them to a hot portion of oat flakes. Let this blend sit overnight in the refrigerator and you'll be greeted in the morning with this fermented, flavorful breakfast. Don't be frightened by the stringy appearance, it will taste delicious and rich in probiotics.
Step 3. Add them to a milkshake
- It's a great way to enjoy chia seeds, especially if you don't like their jelly-like texture.
- Mixed with fruit they resemble nothing more than raspberry seeds.
Step 4. Make a pudding with chia seeds and milk
- Mix the seeds with an equal amount of milk, or another product you like that isn't dairy, to make a light, tapioca-like pudding that you can enjoy with nuts, fruit, or on its own.
- It is also an excellent substitute for sour cream.
Method 2 of 4: Lunch and Dinner
Step 1. Mix the chia seeds with peanut butter
- Use whole grain bread with seeds and chopped peanut butter for a delicious jam and peanut butter sandwich.
- Spread peanut butter mixed with chia seeds and dried cranberries on celery stalks for a lunchtime snack kids will love.
- Mix the peanut butter and seed mixture with soy sauce, lime juice, ginger, brown sugar, and hot sauce to make a Thai peanut sauce that's ideal as a side dish for cold noodles. You can also substitute brown sugar with agave syrup.
Step 2. Use chia sprouts to make salads
- As with bean and alfalfa sprouts, chia seeds make delicious sprouts to enrich salads and sandwiches.
- Dip some chia seeds in the water, drain the water and leave them in a jar for a few days.
- About every 12 hours, rinse with water and drain.
- In 1 or 2 days they will be ready to eat.
Step 3. Add chia seeds to soups to make them thicker
Whole or ground chia seeds are a great substitute for cornstarch to make soups thicker. For a simple and hearty vegetable soup, thickened with chia seeds, you will need:
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 2 celery sticks, sliced
- 1 medium green pepper, sliced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 cups of fresh green beans
- half a liter of vegetable, chicken or beef broth
- 4 large tomatoes, sliced and peeled
- 2 corn on the cob, only the kernels
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
- 1/8 cup of whole or powdered chia seeds
- black pepper to taste
- Salt to taste.
- lemon juice (optional)
- dried chilli (optional)
- Fry the garlic, onion, celery, green peppers, carrots and green beans in olive oil over medium heat. After 5-10 minutes, when the vegetables begin to soften, add the tomatoes, broth, corn and season with salt and pepper. Increase the heat and bring to a boil. When it starts to boil, lower the heat again and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Then mix the chia seeds to make the soup thick and pour in the lemon juice and other spices to taste. When the soup sets, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately. These are doses for 6 people.
Step 4. Use them to bread baked chicken or fish
- Mix the seeds with garlic powder (to taste) and some flour for a delicious, crunchy addition to your breading.
- Be careful not to burn the seeds while cooking.
Step 5. Mix the seeds with minced meat, they form a binder for meatballs and meatballs
It is a perfect substitute for breadcrumbs or oats in all meat-based recipes that require a binder. Replace half with chia seeds and add a little coconut milk
Method 3 of 4: Baking
Step 1. Include chia seeds in all bread doughs
Alongside sunflower and flax seeds, chia seeds are a fantastic addition to all sweet and savory doughs. For a delicious unleavened bread try this recipe:
- a 19x9 pan, lined with non-stick paper
- 1/2 cup of chia seeds
- 1 cup pumpkin seeds (you can substitute other seeds, such as sesame seeds)
- 3/4 cup of oat flour (you can use gluten-free oats)
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon of thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon of fine sea salt
- 1 cup of water
- Preheat the oven to 162⁰C. Make sure the pan is lined with non-stick paper.
- Mix all the ingredients together, then add the water and mix for about 2 minutes or until it begins to thicken.
- Pour the mixture into the pan and also onto the edges using a spoon.
- Bake for about 25 minutes, remove from the oven and let cool.
- Enjoy your meal!
Step 2. Use them as an egg substitute
Although it is impossible to make an omelette with chia seeds alone, half a teaspoon of ground seeds can replace eggs in baked recipes.
Step 3. Use ground flour to substitute ¼ cup of flour in baked recipes
Add them to your favorite muffin recipe to make them more substantial. Chia looks great in banana muffins or sweet banana bread.
Step 4. Make a chia gel by adding ¼ cup of seeds to 2 cups of water, stirring often until you see the seeds suspended in the gel
- Use chia gel as a substitute for half the oil used to prepare baked recipes, such as muffins or pancakes.
- You can keep the gel in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Step 5. Experiment
The possibilities to experiment with chia seeds are limitless, it depends on your creativity. Try making cakes or cookies as well
Method 4 of 4: Drinks
Step 1. Prepare the “Chia Fresca”
- Mix the juice of one lime with 350-450ml of water and two tablespoons of chia seeds.
- Stir every now and then until you see the seeds suspended in the water, as you did previously to prepare the dough for desserts.
- Enjoy this refreshing, nutritious and filling drink.
- Try using grape juice or another type of fruit in place of lime juice to get different flavors.
Step 2. Make an energy gel
- Add two tablespoons of chia seeds to a cup of coconut water.
- Leave them for ten minutes.
- As with recent energy drinks and sports supplements, you'll get a thick, hearty gel that's recommended for recovery after running or other physical activities.
