As someone who loves to cook, I am always interested to hear about ingredient replacements in recipes to make the final product healthier. When the American Dietetic Association released a recent monthly journal, I found an article containing the crown jewel of nutritious ingredient replacements: chia gel.
While the ADA journal research study used chia gel to replace oil and eggs in cakes, I tried brownies. Chia seeds not only lower the total calories and fat content of a yummy dessert, but they also provide antioxidants, linolenic acid, fiber, and protein. Chia gel has zero flavor, so don’t be put off by thinking your delicious dessert is a goner. Feel like your dessert needs a power up? I’ll guide you through a step by step so you can make quick chia brownies too!
Ingredients:
1 boxed brownie mix
2 eggs
1/3 C + 1 t chia gel
2 T water
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Making chia gel:
To make the chia gel you need 1/3 C of dried chia seeds and 2 C room temperature water. This ratio will give you extra chia gel to use in other baking or smoothies for up to 2 weeks in the refridgerater. Place the seeds and the water in a plastic container with a top and give it a few shakes. Wait about 3 minutes and take a peek! You’ll see a gelatinous mass dotted with the seeds (It’s not pretty, but it’s nutrient packed).
Add the brownie mix and the other ingredients into a stand mixer, or a bowl. Mix for 3 minutes on a low speed until completely combined. Empty the batter into a baking dish and place in the oven. Consult the box for an approximate baking time, but watch closely! These tend to finish baking about 3 minutes early, depending on your oven.
The result
With the chia seed completely replacing the oil in the brownies I made, I saved myself (and my family) some fat calories from this fun snack. The brownies were a little denser than if I had used oil and had a slight crunch sprinkled throughout from the seeds (think poppy seed texture) but had the same great taste.
Those look great! I recently made brownies using black beans in place of the flour & oil for a friend with allergies and they came out great. Perhaps I'll have to try these next. I love chia seeds!
ReplyDeleteI love using chia seeds! i usually just make "pudding" by soaking them in soy or almond milk, but I should use them to replace some of the fat in baking! thanks!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try this recipe, been looking for more ways to incorporate chia seeds into my diet. I usually sprinkle them on my salad or blend them into my soy milk fruit smoothie.
ReplyDeletei haven't tried it yet but surely soon.. :)
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