Pages

Monday, April 9, 2012

Ch ch ch chia... a delicious gluten & dairy free supersnack


Hello friends. Yes I know I promised a special not to be missed post on the dirty dozen. The post is on it's way taking a little longer then expected. Last week #TheFoodingCompany was slammed with a bunch of passover orders. As I've been told by a bunch of happy well fed family and friends the holiday orders went over very well. We catered two full seders from start to finish including a number of parve desserts that actually came out pretty delicious. Who knew desserts without butter or flour could be so good. I hope everyone - Jews & Christians had a wonderful holiday weekend. Today I'm going to let you in on a wonderful (& healthy) dish i've become obsessed with. I eat for breakfast or after dinner for a sweet treat. If you've never heard about it chia seeds are the new posh health food item. I first bought it a few months ago having no clue what it was or how it was eaten. I saw it on a shelf at my go-to grocery store Lady York next to some sesame crisps snacks and fancy tamari almonds. The packaging looked cool and It seemed to have a good balance of fiber, protein and calcium. I first tried putting the chia seeds into a protein shake. It had a weird slimy texture -
I wasn't into it at all. It actually took a few months and going through a detox to find out the best way to consume this super food to realize how much I really love it. I had seen this beautiful photo in Food & Wine magazine and when I was told by my Naturopath I would have to eliminate dairy & sugar from my diet for a while I decided it was the perfect time to try out the pudding.  What I have found is that fruits that are slimy just suit the texture of the pudding better, kiwi and mango are two of my favorites, however if you are watching your total sugar intake raspberries are great too. 

INGREDIENTS: CHIA SEED PUDDING - 4 servings
2 cups almond milk - original flavor has the least sugar 
1/2 cup black chopped chia seeds (I like these the best)
1/2 tsp or more stevia  or a few agave 
pinch of ground cardamom 
chopped walnuts
chopped mango 

PREP: Whisk chia, almond milk, stevia & cardamom. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or over night to set. 
SERVE: Chop up desired fruit and or nuts and enjoy.


14 comments:

  1. Thanks Jaime for posting this unusual super food pudding recipe. I can't wait to use my chia seeds in something other than my protein shake which frankly I'm also sick of but drink non the less for optimal good health. I can't wait to try out the pudding.....going to the store for some mangos and kiwi asap! xoxo Mom

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am both intrigued and scared by chia seeds. I see it everywhere now, but I haven't gotten over myself yet.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love chia seeds! They are such an easy way to sneak in some extra omega-3s to your diet. I've made something similar to this except I added cocoa powder so it was chocolate chia pudding. Delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  4. We dont get chia seeds here, is there any substitute to it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Bloggy Writer - there isn't really a substitute for this powerful seed. You can order them online at amazon.com :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Love Chia - such an easy, healthy, & filling snack!! It's funny how we only knew about chia from those goofy plant commercials for years!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks for posting this! I bought a bag of chia seeds too and have only used them once in a smoothie, being cautious of their slimy texture. Can't wait to try this new take. I've recently learned that I have to severely reduce (if not eliminate) wheat and dairy from my diet, so alternative carbs and almond milk have been my go-to staples!

    www.treatswithatwist.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Honestly Almond milk is one of my favorite new things. So tasty!

      Delete
  8. I have never heard of chia seed. What are they and where could I get them so that I can try making your recipe. :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Check this out about chia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salvia_hispanica You can find them in some grocery stores, health food stores and you can definitely buy them online @ amazon.com

      Delete
  9. Chia seeds have gained popularity beyond just growing "hair" on a ceramic head! I'm adding this to my list of must-try!

    ReplyDelete
  10. You inspired my Chia Seed Coconut Pudding that I posted today! Thanks so much for a fun idea :) http://www.treatswithatwist.com/2012/04/chia-seed-coconut-pudding-with-toasted.html

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yay, I'm so excited about this. Going to check it out now. Thanks for letting me know!

      Delete
  11. How interesting.I am in need of a super food. I have never tried Chia

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for your two cents. I love change!