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Chia Seeds

EMTFreakGirl
EMTFreakGirl Posts: 597 Member
in Recipes
Anyone include these in their diet, regularly? I have recently discovered them and LOVE them as a gel/pudding (Pudding and cream pies were my favorite food, a daily treat, prior to my life-style change) but I'm wondering what else I can do with these things. Any suggestions? I would love to know what others do...please share! :smooched:

Replies

  • jazzie_red
    jazzie_red Posts: 180 Member
    I :heart: chia seeds! I put a tablespoon in my oatmeal... I make it the night before and the seeds get all plumpy.... i really dont like the texture of oatmeal without them. When I am super lazy and don't want to cook dinner, I have a slim fast and toss some in that and yummm... Sometimes I just dump them in my water and it totally freaks people out seeing them float around in my bottle. :drinker: makes me happy to see their freak on! Haha...

    There is a recipe floating around youtube that explains how to make jam with them... So want to try that.

    Also I heard that some people eat them raw...

    I also saw that people make chia gel as a butter/oil substitute in baking... but I don't bake.

    Mmmmmm... chia seeds!
  • cookeylady
    cookeylady Posts: 147 Member
    I eat Chia seeds in EVERYTHING, salads, soups, smoothies, coatings, PUDDINGS:P they are my favorite. MY other new fab favorite HEMP seeds, and protein.
  • Rosie_McA
    Rosie_McA Posts: 256 Member
    Bought some yesterday for the first time so keen to see how I get on with them. Very small and unassuming seeds but then so is quinoa and I eat that a lot.
    I suppose that chia can be used in a similar way to quinoa (I often have them savoury as a rice/pasta replacement or sweet in my porridge instead of oatmeal)?
  • jessery2014
    jessery2014 Posts: 1
    As a recovering bread crumb addict who used to spend nights curled up on the couch with a container and a spoon I now use chia seeds as a replacement when baking fish/chicken mixed with almond four and garlic powder. Also use as bc replacement to thicken meatballs/loaf.
  • tamlynfox
    tamlynfox Posts: 1
    There are tons of CHIA SEED recipes on pinterest. I can't recommend Pinterest enough for fitness/weight loss
    if you only pin the healthy things or modify the unhealthy ones.
    :huh:
  • Sixel
    Sixel Posts: 57 Member
    Do you cook chia seeds? Just like quinoa?

    Only recently discovered them and just added them to my breakfast (yoghurt, fruit and muesli). Works with hemp seeds as well.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
    We put them in smoothies.
  • jazzie_red
    jazzie_red Posts: 180 Member
    They are not a grain with a consistancy like rice.... when you put them in liquid they make a gel like substance. They are sort of like a little gel ball...
  • robert5891
    robert5891 Posts: 29
    1 Tablespoon in my smoothie every morning!
  • EMTFreakGirl
    EMTFreakGirl Posts: 597 Member
    Thank you all for the replies. I don't think I am ready to mix them into things yet, other than making the gel/puddings. I am loving those and they feel like such a delish treat on their own. Last night I mixed a couple TBSP with the little bit of left over coffee that I didn't have a chance to drink yesterday, added a bit of unsweetened coconut milk and a dash of my homemade dark cocoa Hot chocolate mix. Mocha pudding gel/pudding for dessert. LOVE it!

    "gel ball"... great description. I've been saying it's kind of like tapioca, but GOOD for you! lol
  • nielsonfam
    nielsonfam Posts: 138 Member
    Random, but where do you buy chia seeds? Do you have to go to a specialty/health store or can you find them in the regular grocery stores and if so, what section are they in (I don't even know what they look like :o)
  • bearwith
    bearwith Posts: 525 Member
    Buy the ground up and put them on weetabix with crushed seeds/nuts. Great for veggie protein source
  • angela233Z
    angela233Z Posts: 314 Member
    mix them into greek yogurt
  • bunnybutler84
    bunnybutler84 Posts: 2
    I buy mine from Costco. I put them in oatmeal in the morning. At night I put them in whatever I make for dinner. I tried to drink them with coffee once and ewww. It felt like I was trying to swallow a cup of worms LOL. I have had them with an ice coffee and it wasn't bad. I just drank it faster. Usually cooking them into things is the way to go at least for me and the family. Same thing with flax.
  • srdeaver
    srdeaver Posts: 38 Member
    Here's a recipe that you may want to try!

    Raspberry Chia Seed Jam
    Ingredients

    1 cup raspberries
    1 tbsp chia seeds + 2 tbsp water
    2 tbsp honey (try local!)
    Instructions

    Soak chia seeds in water for 10 minutes
    Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until combined
    Store in a glass jar in the fridge
  • woofer00
    woofer00 Posts: 123 Member
    I use them to thicken smoothies and veggie drinks. I use ground flax seeds for the same purpose.
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
    I bought some a couple months ago b/c I was feeling a little like a hippy. I haven't opened them since.
  • Great_Mazinga
    Great_Mazinga Posts: 214 Member
    I through ground chia seeds into my green/protein smoothies. I don't know that they add flavor, but I get the nutrition profile I want.
  • animalldy
    animalldy Posts: 140 Member
    As a recovering bread crumb addict who used to spend nights curled up on the couch with a container and a spoon I now use chia seeds as a replacement when baking fish/chicken mixed with almond four and garlic powder. Also use as bc replacement to thicken meatballs/loaf.

    Awesome idea to use in place of bread crumbs!

    I usually put them on top of yogurt with some chopped nuts. Or make "cereal" with chia seeds, coconut and finely chopped pecans. Also good in smoothies and chia pudding.
  • nielsonfam
    nielsonfam Posts: 138 Member
    So...buying ground seeds sounds like a better option that whole seeds? I'm thinking I would use them in smoothies, greek yogurt and oatmeal. Again, never bought them or tried them but hear about how great they are.
  • jazzie_red
    jazzie_red Posts: 180 Member
    I through ground chia seeds into my green/protein smoothies. I don't know that they add flavor, but I get the nutrition profile I want.

    Chia seeds don't have flavor, they soak up the flavor of what they are soaked in.
  • jazzie_red
    jazzie_red Posts: 180 Member
    So...buying ground seeds sounds like a better option that whole seeds? I'm thinking I would use them in smoothies, greek yogurt and oatmeal. Again, never bought them or tried them but hear about how great they are.

    I have never had the ground chia seeds.... I like them whole. They really do add something special to oarmeal.... I do a refrigerator oatmeal. Cranberries, raisens, oatmeal, chia seeds, skim milk, (I am thinking if trying plain almond milk though) a little raw sugar and a dash of vanilla. Mmmmmmm
  • happysquidmuffin
    happysquidmuffin Posts: 651 Member
    I bought a bunch at my local Sprouts when they went on sale in the bulk bin, and I like them okay in water, but haven't used them in a long time. I tried making them into a chocolate pudding of sorts, but I didn't really like it and that kinda turned me off to them.
  • EMTFreakGirl
    EMTFreakGirl Posts: 597 Member
    Tapioca pudding is my absolute fave...I think that's why I enjoy these little gems so much. lol

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