Recipe of the Week - Chia Seeds

Early this year I read an article about chia seeds and decided to give them a try. I was initially motivated by their impressive nutritional properties. Fiber, oil, protein, vitamins and minerals….chia seeds could easily be viewed as a ‘super-food.’ Incorporating at least 1 tablespoon a day, and sometimes 2, into my diet has been surprisingly easy. They form a gel-like slurry in water and can be easily combined with many other foods. Here are the ways I have used them so far:

• 1 tablespoon of chia seeds in a glass of herbal tea or lemon water (letting it stand for 15 minutes before consuming using a straw to swirl the seeds and slurp). This has become my standard ‘breakfast’ every morning. I thought I might get tired of it but changing the liquid the seeds get hydrated in has provided enough variety.
• Using the last bit of creamy salad dressing in the bottle. I added milk to the bottle and shook it to blend the dregs of dressing and milk before pouring both into a small bowl. I added 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds to thicken the dressing and a few sprinkles of Mrs. Dash. After letting it sit for 10 minutes, I stirred in up and used on a salad.
• Muffins. I always substitute a tablespoon of chia seeds for a tablespoon of flour. It adds nutrition plus makes any muffin less crumbly.
• Stir fry sauce. I like orange juice and zest, fresh ginger, 1 tablespoon chia seeds…with enough herbal tea to make the consistency right as the gel forms (and assuming some liquid will be lost as it is poured over the stir fry in the last segment of cooking).
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds cooked with 1/4 cup oatmeal for breakfast. I liked this combination so much that I used less sugar than with plain oatmeal and needed no butter at all! It works best to let the seeds, oatmeal, and water sit in the pan for 5 minutes or so before beginning to heat (gives the chia seeds time to start hydrating). Round up on the amount of water if you want a creamy consistency!

There are lots of other chia seed recipes available. My favorite site is http://www.chiaseedrecipes.com/