How to Eat Chia Seeds

More recently Chia Seeds became known as the all powerful superfood that they actually are. The list of benefits for these nutrient-packed little seeds is a long one for sure, they’re loaded with essential nutrients like omega-3s, calcium, potassium and magnesium.

Today they’re gaining popularity as a functional food item that supplies an impressive variety of nutrients in just a small dose, such as two tablespoons. Although they’re mostly grown in Mexico and Bolivia, in 2014 the first US Company growing chia seeds was established.

Chia seeds are also flavorless, making them easy to add to many foods and recipes, in this article we will see some ways on how to make chia seeds.

Chia Pudding

You can easily make chia pudding, one of the most popular ways to eat the seeds, by mixing a quarter-cup of the seeds in one cup of liquid (almond milk and fruit juice are popular choices). Once the seeds have gelled up and the mixture is no longer watery, the “pudding” is ready to eat. This can take as little as 15 minutes, although chia pudding keeps well in the fridge for several days. Since chia doesn’t have a ton of flavor on its own, feel free to add spices, chopped fruit, nuts, and any other toppings you’d like.

Chia Brownies

Luckily for us, good quality dark chocolate in the form of unsweetened cocoa is very high in anti-oxidants and flavanols. Flavonols may help lower blood pressure and improve blood flow to the brain and heart. Cocoa is also a great source of magnesium, which is a mineral that many people are deficient in.

Cocoa gives you a nice energy boost without any jitters and helps with focus, attention, and athletic training, making it one of the most popular “superfoods”. For this particular recipe, use coconut palm sugar as your sweetener and also replace regular butter with grassfed butter or coconut oil, in order to give these brownies plenty of healthy moisture.

Banana Chia Seed Cake

Almond flour, tapioca flour and flaxseed meal come together to make the base of this moist, gluten-free breakfast-friendly cake. Banana and eggs help to bind everything together, and vanilla extract, coconut milk, honey and coconut oil add to the naturally sweet flavor. While the name says “cake,” the wholesome ingredients in this recipe make it healthy enough to count as breakfast or a snack, too. Top with a bit of butter for breakfast, or add a dollop of cream cheese frosting to make it a healthier dessert option.

Cherry Chia Seed Pudding

Here’s a bona fide chia-based dessert recipe — and it’s pretty inventive, too. First, you blend almond milk, cherries, cardamom, stevia and vanilla into a smooth and creamy mixture. Then, soak the chia seeds in it until thickened. The cherry-chia pudding is topped with homemade cashew cream, which is made by blending water-soaked cashews, cherries, vanilla and stevia. We promise, this one will impress any dinner guest.

Chia in Smoothies

If you want to make your smoothie even more nutritious, then add some chia seeds.
You can add chia seeds to any smoothie recipe. First, soak the seeds to make a chia gel and soften them and then add it to your smoothie. You can add it to the finished product or add it before blending so it’s smoother.

You can also put the seeds in raw, although they will be grainy in the smoothie. It’s whatever your personal preference is.

Salad Dressing

If you’re looking to make your salad dressing healthier, look no further than chia seeds. Commercially prepared salad dressings are often loaded with sugar, so making your own salad dressing can be a great alternative to the limited options at the store.

Chia Seeds into Muffin

Another way on how to eat chia seeds you should try is adding them into baked goods such as bread, muffin, pancake, waffles, etc. Since the seeds have little flavor, they seem to make no change to your foods.
You can choose either grinding the chia seeds into powder form and mix with your baked flour or directly adding them into your baked goods. This chia seeds recipe will make your foods crunchier.

Casseroles with Chia Seeds

One good thing about chia seeds is that the ingredient has a little flavor so you can mix it with any dishes you want, from bread, yogurt, and sweet foods to casseroles, burgers or lasagna.
For lunch or dinner’s chia seeds recipes, use 3-4 tablespoons of chia seeds to mix with a casserole or other similar dishes and enjoy.

Alternatively, you can mix them with ground meat or eggs to make meatballs, omelets, scrambled eggs, etc.

Vanilla-Almond Chia Seed

A quick, healthy breakfast is possible with this Vanilla-Almond Chia Seed Breakfast Pudding recipe. Top it with figs, plums or blueberries. Ample antioxidants and omega-3s make this a meal to start your day with vitality and nourishment. You can make your own almond milk at home, if you are leery of grocery store versions. One of the best reasons to prepare meals at home is that you get to control the amount of sugar and other ingredients used. This recipe can rely on its own natural sweetness or you can add some extra. The choice is yours. You’ll need raw almonds and at least 3 hours to pre-soak the chia seeds. Preparing the chia seeds overnight so they’re ready for your morning is ideal.

Chia Jam

Making chia into jam is another way for how to eat chia seeds. Let’s start with 1 pound of strawberries or any kinds of fruit you like such as blueberries, raspberries, etc. After washing, dry then chop strawberries into pieces. Put all of them on a saucepan, smash and heat up slightly. Add sweetener like honey or sugar as much as you wish. When the fruit becomes a saucy consistency, add 2 tablespoons of chia seeds and stir well. After a few minutes, remove the saucepan from the hit and leave it for 10 minutes. Chia seeds will absorb water and make the mixture a thick jam.

Bubble Tea

If you’re interested in brewing up bubble tea at home, but are intimidated by the process of cooking up your own bubbles, consider making your chilled tea and adding in chia seeds. The “bubbles” will definitely be smaller than those typically found in bubble tea, but they have a similarly chewy texture. There are so many fruit and tea flavors to try!
The dark “pearls” used in bubble tea are usually made with vegan-friendly tapioca, although there seems to be some concern on vegan forums that some might contain gelatin, and that the tea itself could use diary or honey. But that’s a conversation you can have with your local bubble tea shop.

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