Daily Plate: Chia Seeds

Are you guys familiar with chia seeds? I’d been hearing a lot about these on various blogs and in magazines, and I eventually gave in and bought some to try out at home.

These little guys are packed with omega-3, antioxidants, fiber, calcium and protein and are touted as something of a super-food. They’re also easy to digest. An added bonus is that, unlike flax seeds, your body can digest the chia seed whole, making the nutrients more readily available to your body.

I tend to be wary of products with big-font, bold-letter health claims on the packaging, but I was so curious, I just had to see what the fuss is all about.

What I consider the best part of chia seeds is the fact that they can absorb about ten times their weight in liquid. No joke. You let the seeds hang out and absorb until you’re left with a gelatinous mass of “whoa…how does that even happen?”

The first thing I decided to make was chia pudding. I took ¼ cup of chia seeds and poured a cup of soymilk over it. After stirring, I let it sit for about ten minutes, stirring every now and then to avoid clumps from forming. When it was done, I added some cinnamon and honey and sliced half a banana on top.
It was pretty good. Very weird, but it hit the spot. The picture really doesn’t do it justice. This stuff might be fun to try in a smoothie sometime.