Chia Seeds + Chia Pudding and Chia Lemonade!
I have used chia seeds in the past, but hadn’t bought them
in a while because they aren’t the cheapest things to purchase (grocery budgets
can be tough sometimes!). However, these
little seeds are high in Omega-3’s, making them a viable food option. The following article from Mark’s Daily Apple
discusses the different types of seeds and their health benefits. Go ahead and take a gander at it if you’re
curious to find out more about chia!
Back to how I purchased chia seeds recently…I recently
discovered Synergy’s Kombucha (http://synergydrinks.com/index.php/products#enlightened-kombucha)
and realized that I LOVE it, especially their Mystic Mango and Guava Goddess
flavors. These drinks are mixed with
mango or guava puree, which nicely cuts down the fermented flavor of Kombucha. They also have a few flavors of Kombucha that
contain chia seeds. I had been curious
to try one of these for a while, so I decided to splurge the other day and give
it a shot. I was definitely surprised
when I took my first sip! The chia seeds
turned somewhat gel-like after sitting in the liquid and it actually reminded
me of the tapioca pearls in Bubble Tea (which I haven’t had in forever
either).
This drink gave me the inspiration to try out my own recipes
with chia! The first one is a banana
coconut pudding, which turned out similar texture to tapioca pudding as
well. The second recipe is for a strawberry
lemonade chia drink. Also turned out
delicious!
Yield: 2 large servings or 3-4 small servings
Ingredients
2 bananas
2 bananas
½ cup coconut milk
¼ cup water
2 teaspoons raw honey
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
¼ cup chia seeds ]
*Do NOT add these to the food processor! They will get stirred in at the end.
*As with many of my recipes, feel free to experiment with
the spices used. Cardamom, nutmeg, or
even a little bit of allspice could give this pudding some interesting flavor
as well. Just try and stick with the 1
teaspoon of spices for the recipe.
Directions
1) Blend bananas and coconut milk in a food processor (a
blender could work too).
2) Add the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the chia seeds, and
continue to blend until smooth.
3) Pour the pudding mix into a sealable container, then mix
in the chia seeds and stir until evenly distributed.
4) Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour,
or overnight. Stir the pudding
occasionally to avoid clumping of the chia seeds.
I found the pudding to be much more flavorful after it had
been left in the fridge overnight, so I would recommend preparing it the night
before.
Yield: ~3-4 servings
Adapted from Busy Mommy
Ingredients
2 cups coconut water
½ cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries (or other fruit of juice,
such as raspberries, blueberries, mangoes, etc.)
2-3 Tablespoons raw honey, to taste
4 Tablespoons chia seeds
Directions
1) Place your fruit in a food processor or blender and blend
until smooth (it should be the consistency of a puree).
2) Mix all ingredients in a large pitcher and stir well.
3) Place the pitcher in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or
until the seeds form a gel consistency.
4) Shake or stir prior to serving.
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