Chia Seeds

MernyMac
MernyMac Posts: 37 Member
edited 3:05AM in Food and Nutrition
I've heard a lot about the benefits of Chia Seeds, so i bought a small amount to try from the health food store yesterday.....I want to try that overnight oatmeal recipe.....Do the Chia seeds have to be ground up before I use them in a recipe ?

Replies

  • oopshowdidigethere
    oopshowdidigethere Posts: 6 Member
    I haven't tried Chia seeds yet, but when using flax seed in foods i grind them in my mini coffee coffee grinder. I cannot recall all the reasons why but i went to a nutritional seminar years ago and they said that they needed to be grinded or they just pass through your system without nutritional benefit. I would think chia seeds are the same way....
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    If you wet chia seeds they form a sort of gel on the outside, I often use them whole but milled some recently too. Depends what you're using them for - they could go whole into bread or sprinkled on salad / yoghurt, maybe milled if mixed into a cake or something. They are quite small.
  • darkchocolate68
    darkchocolate68 Posts: 104
    You do not have to grind chia seeds. I have been using them for 10 months and I love them. The other great thing is that you don't have to refrigerate them like you do with the Flax Seed. I get my chia seeds from Amazon, although in 10 months they keep going up in price. I just bought a 10# bag. The two previous times, I bought 6# bags. I am still using my 2nd 6# bag, but I don't want to run out, so I keep myself stocked, plus with the price increases, I come out ahead. This last bag cost me $6.66 a pound.
  • freckled_lady
    freckled_lady Posts: 38
    If you have a WinCo near you, Chia seeds are in the bulk section for around 3.75/ lb stock up!
  • rainunrefined
    rainunrefined Posts: 850 Member
    I've heard a lot about the benefits of Chia Seeds, so i bought a small amount to try from the health food store yesterday.....I want to try that overnight oatmeal recipe.....Do the Chia seeds have to be ground up before I use them in a recipe ?

    No they don't. But, I hate their slimy lumpy texture (after they absorb the liquid) in anything... so the next time I use them (even in the overnight oatmeal) I will be grinding them up first.
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
    STEP 1:

    Add 1/4 cup of water to 2 teaspoons of Chia seeds. Stir the mixture after 15 minutes to moisten all seeds, then let it set for 24 hours. This process softens the seed coat and begins the growth cycle of your Chia seeds. In another container, also soak your Chia® planter for 24 hours.

    STEP 2:

    Carefully apply the seeds evenly to the grooves of your planter, using your fingers, a small knife, or a spatula. Fill your Chia® to the top with water. Check the water level daily and add additional water whenever necessary. Some leakage in the drip tray is normal. Discard the accumulated water daily.

    STEP 3:

    Keep full of water. Moist seeds should sprout in 3-5 days.

    STEP 4:

    When the air is dry, it is more challenging to keep the seeds moist enough to sprout properly. To promote germination of the seeds, "tent" a plastic bag over your Chia®. Do not allow the plastic to touch the planter! This will create a greenhouse environment for your Chia®. When most of the seeds have sprouted (about 3 to 4 days), remove the bag and place your Chia® in a sunny location.

    STEP 5:

    A small amount of white "fuzz" is normal when your Chia seeds first sprout. This is actually the emergence of "root hairs," and is the second stage of growth for your Chia seeds. "Misting" your Chia® with a spray bottle will give the root hairs a less fuzzy appearance. If the fuzz persists past the first week, it is likely that you have a mildew problem. Your Chia® can still be used. Scrub the seeds off the planter using a brush. Soak your Chia® in a solution of 1 tablespoon bleach to 1 gallon of water for a half hour to remove any mildew residue. Rinse well with clear water and proceed as above. Grows quickly to full coat. Reuse your Chia® indefinitely. Simply replant with Chia® (extra seeds included) or similar herb seeds, such as basil, timothy, alfalfa, marjoram or thyme.
  • klacoille
    klacoille Posts: 53
    I did the overnight oatmeal with chia seeds for the first time just this week!! It came out really good. I used the recipe off this blog. http://www.theyummylife.com/Refrigerator_Oatmeal I used almond milk instead of cow milk, and used regular yogurt instead of greek. I pulled out all of my frozen fruits, nuts and sweeteners and let the whole family make there own flavor blends. Definitely worth it. But heavy on calories. Each was around 300.
  • SPBROOKS68
    SPBROOKS68 Posts: 561 Member
    I eat them right out of the bag, but I love them on my spinach salads. I do not think they would be good wet and no you do not grind them, that is the flax seed that has to be ground.
  • BoxingAli
    BoxingAli Posts: 117 Member
    I found a drink at Whole Foods called Mama Chia. It is weird and yummy at the same time. They have different flavors (cranberry lemonade, coconut mango) and there are chia seeds suspended throughout it. they are pricey but every once in awhile a yummy treat.
  • rainunrefined
    rainunrefined Posts: 850 Member
    STEP 1:

    Add 1/4 cup of water to 2 teaspoons of Chia seeds. Stir the mixture after 15 minutes to moisten all seeds, then let it set for 24 hours. This process softens the seed coat and begins the growth cycle of your Chia seeds. In another container, also soak your Chia® planter for 24 hours.

    STEP 2:

    Carefully apply the seeds evenly to the grooves of your planter, using your fingers, a small knife, or a spatula. Fill your Chia® to the top with water. Check the water level daily and add additional water whenever necessary. Some leakage in the drip tray is normal. Discard the accumulated water daily.

    STEP 3:

    Keep full of water. Moist seeds should sprout in 3-5 days.

    STEP 4:

    When the air is dry, it is more challenging to keep the seeds moist enough to sprout properly. To promote germination of the seeds, "tent" a plastic bag over your Chia®. Do not allow the plastic to touch the planter! This will create a greenhouse environment for your Chia®. When most of the seeds have sprouted (about 3 to 4 days), remove the bag and place your Chia® in a sunny location.

    STEP 5:

    A small amount of white "fuzz" is normal when your Chia seeds first sprout. This is actually the emergence of "root hairs," and is the second stage of growth for your Chia seeds. "Misting" your Chia® with a spray bottle will give the root hairs a less fuzzy appearance. If the fuzz persists past the first week, it is likely that you have a mildew problem. Your Chia® can still be used. Scrub the seeds off the planter using a brush. Soak your Chia® in a solution of 1 tablespoon bleach to 1 gallon of water for a half hour to remove any mildew residue. Rinse well with clear water and proceed as above. Grows quickly to full coat. Reuse your Chia® indefinitely. Simply replant with Chia® (extra seeds included) or similar herb seeds, such as basil, timothy, alfalfa, marjoram or thyme.

    funny.
  • MernyMac
    MernyMac Posts: 37 Member
    Thank you all very much for your replies......I'll be trying it tonight
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