Ch ch ch chia!
I loveeee Chia Seeds! My sister and I just finished off this entire jar of Ch Ch Ch Chia Pudding! And I can’t stop saying CH CH CH CHIA! Somebody, make it stop!
There is much more to these seeds, than the power to grow a pet out of a terra cotta pot! Chia seeds are the latest craze in superfoods and healthy plant-based fat. Do you think that Joe Pedott, the creator of the famous Chia Pet had any idea that these would later be considered a superfood?
What is a Chia seed?
The Chia plant (Salvia hispanica) is a member of the mint family that’s native to Mexico and Guatemala. Chia seeds are often eaten raw, but can also be soaked in liquid to form a gelatinous mixture. Chia seeds can also be ground into a powder for baking.
What do they taste like?
Chia seeds don’t really taste like anything. Their flavor is practically non-existent, but he magic is in the texture. When combined with water or liquid, they absorb 9 times their weight in water, forming a gel-like consistency. They are great in smoothies and oatmeal because they add texture and a thicker consistency. The proof is in the pudding… ha ha ha
Why Chia?
Chia seeds are an amazing source of plant-based fat, and are especially high in Omega 3 fatty acids which reduce inflammation and may help lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and arthritis. They also contain a large amount of Fiber, which aids with weight loss by keeping your stomach feeling full. Last but not least, these tiny little seeds are filled with powerful antioxidants to help rid our bodies of free radicals, and Magnesium and Potassium. Talk about big things in small packages!
Depending on the brand, 1 Tablespoon of dry Chia seeds tallies up to about 55 calories, 5g of Fat, 5g of Carbohydrate, 6g of Fiber, 3g of Protein.
Below is an example of dry chia seeds before they have swelled, and after they have been left in liquid for 10 minutes.
Ch Ch Ch Chia Pudding
serves 2
¼ cup whole chia seeds
¾ cup unsweetened almond milk (I love Almond Breeze by Blue Diamond!)
½ ripe banana
1 Tbsp rolled oats
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
4-6 drops of liquid stevia or other natural sweetener to taste
Set the dry Chia seeds aside in their own bowl – they will be added last. In a blender, combine almond milk, banana, rolled oats, cinnamon, vanilla, and sweetener. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture and whole chia seeds into a jar and stir. Refrigerate for 10 minutes and stir again. Let the pudding stand in the refrigerator for 10 more minutes until the chia seeds have expanded. Enjoy cold. Or prepare them and leave in the refrigerator overnight like overnight oats.
Note: I use unsweetened almond milk and add my own vanilla and stevia, but you could use sweetened vanilla almond milk if you would like. If so, omit the vanilla extract and sweetener from the recipe.
Adapted from Eating Bird Food
Jessica
May 11, 2012 at 10:20 pm (13 years ago)I’m sorry to say it was so delicious there is none left in the fridge anymore!
Catherine
May 11, 2012 at 10:59 pm (13 years ago)Haha I’m glad you loved it! I’ll make you another batch tomorrow!
Leigh Anne
May 23, 2012 at 12:59 pm (13 years ago)We make oatmeal like this every Sunday night for breakfast on Monday morning. I use flax instead of chia (my 3 yr old says the chia seeds look like bugs… sigh) and whatever fruit we happen to have: strawberries, blueberries, peaches, pears… I may have to get some chia seeds at Sprouts and try out this version – looks yummy!
Catherine
May 23, 2012 at 1:04 pm (13 years ago)Hi Leigh Anne! So happy to meet another oatmeal lover 🙂 Your 3 yr old is too cute! Maybe you could mask the chia seeds by adding a darker colored fruit (blueberries?) so they blend in and don’t look like “bugs” haha Let me know if you can get your kiddo into Chia Seed Pudding!
Rachel
May 29, 2012 at 7:23 pm (13 years ago)Chia seeds are my favorite to experiment with, thanks for the new recipe! I combine them with rolled oats, nonfat milk, cinnamon, and blueberries then let it sit overnight and in the morning I add nonfat greek yogurt and pecans…. LOVE, LOVE LOVE.
Catherine
May 29, 2012 at 7:51 pm (13 years ago)Omg Rachel that sounds amazing! I’m allergic to blueberries, but I’m going to have to give that a try with another fruit! Thank you for sharing!
Elizabeth
July 23, 2012 at 11:56 am (12 years ago)Rachel,
What measurements do you use?
Jacqualyn B.
June 27, 2012 at 11:33 pm (12 years ago)Just made this, and OMG so tasty. This was my first experiment with chia seeds. They are so crazy I love how they get all squishy.
Catherine
June 27, 2012 at 11:35 pm (12 years ago)Aren’t they awesome?! I’m obsessed!
Shana
July 2, 2012 at 12:37 pm (12 years ago)I made this and thought it was very tasty. We have actually had the chia seed in the fridge for awhile because my husband read about it and thought it would be healthy to try but didn’t really know how to use it. I actually drank it in a glass of water once and thought it was awful. He has been sprinkling it on his salads. Now that we know how delicious it can be we will be eating it all the time. I was going to say the batch I made was a little dry and I was going to try more oats and less chia or not to let it sit overnight but then I read Rachel’s post above and I think that sounds amazing. So many new ideas………
Catherine
July 2, 2012 at 3:22 pm (12 years ago)I’m so glad you gave the Chia seeds another try after the water experiment haha They are sooo yummy! I love the texture once they have absorbed liquid! Health & Happiness xo
Rachel
July 5, 2012 at 4:23 am (12 years ago)I have never tried chia before and most of your recipes call for a decent amount. Is this something I should ease into? Or is jumping right in ok? I am most concerned with upsetting little tummies.
Catherine
July 5, 2012 at 2:22 pm (12 years ago)If your stomach is sensitive to nuts and seeds you might want to ease into them. They are full of fiber, which for some could cause bloating and or gas, so if you are worried, try springing a pinch into smoothies and then build up to a full Tbsp.!
Lindsey
July 11, 2012 at 9:55 pm (12 years ago)What is your favorite brand of chia seeds.
Catherine
July 12, 2012 at 12:56 am (12 years ago)Hi Lindsey! I have bought all different brands of chia seeds (both black and white seeds)! Right now I am using Navitas chia seeds. My last bag was the brand Tru Roots! Any brand of whole chia seeds are great 🙂
Jillian
July 15, 2012 at 11:23 pm (12 years ago)Hey Catherine, I was reading some comments on your recipe for protein cheesecake and noticed a reader was looking for a vegan substitute for jell-o. Since this does get gelatinous, would it make a good substitute? I have a recipe for coconut mango chia pudding that I eat with greek yogurt so I already know it would be yummy! Can’t wait to try your version, yummm.
Catherine
July 16, 2012 at 10:21 am (12 years ago)That is a great idea Jillian! I am not sure how the texture would be with the chia seeds but I would love to try it!
Veronica
July 17, 2012 at 4:26 pm (12 years ago)I am so wanting to try this……but I’ve read, and re-read the recipe, and I don’t know if I’m missing something, but the directions say to add the “rolled oats” and I don’t see them listed in the ingrdients? How much rolled oats does it take? I have everything and I can’t wait to try it! Thanks!
Catherine
July 17, 2012 at 4:43 pm (12 years ago)I have no idea how the rolled oats went missing off of the ingredient list, but they are back! 1 Tbsp 🙂 haha thanks for catching that! xo
Brittany @ eatingbirdfood
July 18, 2012 at 3:42 am (12 years ago)Isn’t chia pudding awesome?!? I love the texture.
Not sure if you just forgot, but the adapted from Eating Bird Food isn’t linked to my blog. Would you mind doing that? Thanks so much lady! 🙂
Catherine
July 18, 2012 at 9:23 am (12 years ago)All linked up! Totally forgot to hyperlink, duh! haha I’m now addicted to Chia Pudding!
Veronica
July 18, 2012 at 5:36 pm (12 years ago)Yay! Got it in the fridge chillin’ right now! can’t wait to try it! Thanks!
Catherine
July 18, 2012 at 9:49 pm (12 years ago)I am so excited for you to try it Veronica! It’s so yummy!
Carrie
July 19, 2012 at 8:23 pm (12 years ago)I had never heard of Chia seeds until you posted some recipes a few days ago. I just found some at Trader Joe’s today and can’t wait to try them out. Sounds like a yummy superfood!
Hey, I was curious if you have recommendations for a blog that has additional recipes like yours but isn’t necessarily vegetarian? I am doing a lot of recipes from your blog but my husband refuses to give up meat so trying to find a balance.
Catherine
July 20, 2012 at 4:11 pm (12 years ago)That’s great! I just heard that Trader Joe’s is now carrying Chia Seeds! I am so excited, because their prices are great 🙂
You could always cook meat separately and add it into his portion of the meal, but another recipe blog that I like (which does contain healthy meat recipes) is Iowa Girl Eats. Health & Happiness xo
Tonya
December 17, 2012 at 11:46 am (12 years ago)I love my warm breakfast oatmeal on cold winter days but have been reading about Chia… would it work to warm the chia pudding up?
Julie
March 5, 2013 at 8:38 pm (12 years ago)I don’t like bananas at all! What would you recommend to substitute? I love your blog, by the way. So inspirational!
Jesse
March 29, 2013 at 6:32 am (12 years ago)My 4 year old daughter and I made this last night! It was so yummy, and we mashed up the bananas with our hands for added fun/messiness =) Thanks for the wonderful recipes!
Catherine
March 29, 2013 at 10:49 am (12 years ago)Awwww that’s fantastic, how fun!!! xo
mandi
May 28, 2013 at 7:03 pm (12 years ago)Is this considered a ‘snack’ for you? Or ‘breakfast’? Or is it an indulge? Just trying to understand your healthy weight loss system and the correlation with your recipes. Love this blog! Just stumbled upon it tonight..And love chia seeds! So now its time to love my body.. I’m excited! You are truely inspirational.