© 2008 DBA Design Action MySeeds Chia
As versatile as it is, not everyone’s going to like the texture of chia pudding.
This popular snack/dessert/breakfast item is made when chia seeds are
hydrated with various flavored liquids and put in the fridge. Because of the
seed’s super high soluble fiber content, they’re able to absorb 9 times their
weight in liquid, and hold it on the outside of the seed shell in a drop of gel.
Get enough of this gel together, and you’ve got a thick pudding. It can be
flavored with almost anything from your favorite fruits to chocolate, peanut
butter, coconut, cashew and much more. Of course, many of the pudding
types are attractive to look at in food photography, so you’ll see them all
around the web and on blogs and pin sites too. But, what should you do
when you don’t like chia pudding?
But what if the texture’s just not for you?
Of course, since chia is a seed, the pudding, when made
normally, will be ‘pebbly’ in texture. Not everyone’s
going to like that. Then, soluble fiber can have a ‘gelatin’
like feel, as in it’s always wet and a little slippery. So if
you try the pudding, and just can’t get past the texture
because it’s too reminiscent of tapioca dots, can you
still enjoy the health benefits of chia seeds?
Of course!
Many photo blogs would have you think that pudding is
the only way to go with chia, but once you see what else
it can do, you never need to see that texture again. The
photo here is chia pudding made with coconut milk, but
a myriad of soaking-liquids can be used including plant
milks, fruit juices, coffee and more for various colors &
flavors.
First: Replacing butter or oil in baked recipes.
In many baked recipes like cookies, cakes, non-yeast breads (ex. Banana
bread), bars, brownies and more you can replace about half of the butter or
oil with chia gel and the recipe will bake the same, look the same and taste
the same, but have half the fat. Because the seeds are evenly distributed in
the baked goods, you won’t notice they’re there.
Second: Replacing an egg in some baked recipes
Does your recipe need 1 egg? You can generally replace an egg in
baked recipes (that don’t rely on whipped egg whites or similar) with
an equal amount of chia seed gel. Because an egg is generally a
binding ingredient, and chia gel is a fiber product, it can bind too. It’s
a good way to make some recipes vegan/vegetarian and tends to
work better than a “flax egg” since chia produces more gel than flax
does. (Again, you won’t notice the seeds) Interested? Learn More
About Chia Egg Replacement.
Lemon-cranberry upside-down cake & cinnamon-nut butternut muffins are
fluffy but have half the fat
What Should You Do When
You Don’t Like Chia Pudding?
Chewy chocolaty chia brownies &
pomegranate chip oatmeal cookies are egg free!
Third: Flavor blender / dressing helper
When chia produces gel, it can mix flavors together, sometimes
concentrating them. This is a great solution for healthier make-at-
home dressings. Make salad appealing, fun, and preservative-free
when you mix up a myriad of your own dressing flavors with chia.
Citrus and spice with a few fruits among the greens or honey and lime
for picnic fruit salad. Most dressings mix up in minutes in a simple
measuring cup, so you’re not missing out when you skip the store
bought bottle.
Antioxidant fresh fruit salad with chia-lime dressing & fiber-berry jicama
salad use mix-in-minutes dressings.
Fourth: Smoothie helper
Smoothies are great because unlike juicing, they keep all the fiber from the
fruit where it belongs: in the drink. However, they can be a calorie
catastrophe if you’re not replacing a meal, but adding to it, or if you’re
blending nothing but fruits.
When you put chia seeds in a smoothie, you’ll feel full longer because the
fiber helps slow down the conversion of carbohydrates into sugars.
Insoluble fiber also takes up space in the digestive system (while helping to
move food smoothly through it) which also contributes to feeling satisfied.
The other benefit here is the healthy omega-3 oils in chia unlock several
vitamins in fruits and vegetables (fat soluble vitamins) commonly found in
smoothie ingredients. Again, because you’re drinking a thick smooth
beverage, there’s no seed texture to be had here, either.
The chocolate smoothie has a secret ingredient for extra health & the
watermelon-blueberry refresher is packed with fiber.
Fifth: Burger binder
Bored of plain old burgers? You can add a variety of great mix-ins and
seasonings to the meat when you pair it up with some dry chia. The chia
absorbs moisture and helps burger patties cling together while you
customize the taste. It also adds fiber where there ordinarily wouldn’t be
any. Because there’s not a huge quantity of seeds mixed in, you won’t
know they’re there.
The ‘jerk chia burger’ is loaded with great spices & the hot-wings burger has
your favorite hot sauce, but they both hold together with all their seasonings,
thanks to the power of chia fiber.
What if you did want pudding?
If you did want pudding, but you didn’t want the texture, all you have to do
is make chia pudding normally, with whatever flavored liquid you prefer,
then add it to the blender. You’ll get a smooth, creamy treat with all the
fiber, omega 3 oils, plant protein, calcium, and antioxidants you were
looking for. This works best when you add another healthy element like
Greek yogurt or blendable fruits like strawberry, banana or peach.
Are these all the things you can do with chia that don’t involve pudding at
all?
Certainly not! There’s loads more ways to use it, and loads more benefits it
has for you. There are way more ideas and recipes than can fit into one
article. Eggs are good protein in the morning; but they’re a fiber-free food.
How to get protein and fiber at once? A sprinkle of chia in the scramble or
the omelet will do quite well. Let your taste be your guide as you look for
recipes that involve chia. How about getting a whole batch of recipes in one
place? Don’t waste time searching, get the best variety right here with
MySeeds free bonus books. They’re instant too, so you can be viewing
recipes in minutes. There’s no reason to let the proliferation of pudding
put you off of these super seeds when you know all the fun, healthy and
easy alternate uses. Get started with great recipes at MySeeds Bonus
Books today.