Chia Seeds = Super Food + Suppress your appetite! (Chia Muffin recipes included)!

Sharing is caring!

I happen to find a pretty good deal on Amazon for Chia Seeds and it inspired me to tell you all everything I have learned about this magnificent power food!  I was able to grab a Chia Seeds 16 oz Pouch for only $8.24 shipped free when I checked out using subscribe & save option on Amazon.

What are Chia Seeds?   Chia seeds come from the desert plant Salvia Hispanica, a member of the mint family that grows in southern Mexico.  Chia actually got its name from the Mayan word for “strength.”

Every time I hear the word Chia I think of the commercial for the Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-chia pet!  Chia seeds have very quickly become popular because of their powerful health benefits in fighting cancer and the added benefit of the all natural appetite suppressant!  It’s wonderful for your heart, colon and blood pressure too!  Chia seeds are so full of antioxidants that they will keep for two years.

Did you know Chia seeds contain 500% more calcium than milk and the same amount of omega 3’s as wild salmon!  Three times more iron than spinach and Fifteen times more magnesium than broccoli!  It’s recommended to eat about 1 oz a day.  Chia helps with appetite because it expands about 9x it’s actual size!  WOW!

After learning tons of information about the Chia Seeds, my next question was how do I incorporate this into my diet!

You can find this in the powder form and it will easily add to cereal, oatmeal, breakfast shakes, soups, stews, yogurt, salads, stir fry etc…

Note:  Chia will turn to a “gel” form so you can use it as a thickening agent for your soups.

Here’s a recipe I jotted down while watching the Dr. Oz show a while back:

Chia Muffins

Ingredients

1 tbsp ground chia seeds
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sweet potato purée
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce
2 egg whites
1/2 cup agave syrup (I used the light)
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or blueberries)

Directions

1. Mix together wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients.
2. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients.
3. Scoop into muffin tins and bake for 15-20 minutes at 350ËšF.

11 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein and only 150 calories per muffin!!!

Chia Gel Recipe

To make a Chia Gel simply add liquid to Chia Seeds. Soak the seeds for a soft texture or eat them raw for a crunchy mild nut.

Ingredients

• 1 or 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
• 1 cup of liquid (water, milk, nut milk, fruit juice, stock, gravies, eggs, vegetable juice, or whatever other liquid you would like to try)

Other ideas for Chia Seeds:

• Grind seeds and mix with flour, milk and eggs to make pancakes.
• Eat Chia seeds whole and raw as a snack.
• Make Chia Pudding by adding whole seeds to milk, nut milk or soy milk.
•  Add chia seeds to beaten eggs, soak for 10 minutes and make an omelette.
• Mix with worcestershire or bbq sauce and brush over barbequed meats.
• Add whole chia seeds to a cake batter to make a heavy poppy seed like cake.
• Pureed fruit, chia seeds and a little fruit juice is a good topping for ice cream.
• Cook brown rice in vegetable stock and stir chia seeds through when rice is cooked.
• Top a cheesecake with chia seeds soaked in fruit juice to make a gel topping.
• Add whole or ground seeds to cookie mixes.
• Mix ground seeds with ground beef to make meatballs.
• Toasted ground chia seeds mixed with honey and cinnamon makes a wonderful base for cheesecake.
• Add whole seeds to granola.
• Mix ground seeds with butter or peanut butter for a nutritious spread.
• Mix the seeds, whole or ground through Nutella.
• Add ground seeds soaked in an egg to bind a hamburger mix.
• Whisk a dessertspoon of chia seeds into coconut water. This is especially good on a hot day for keeping hydrated and an excellent idea for athletes. It’s so effective and healthy I feel it will soon be marketed as a sports drink.

Enjoy!