Chia Seed Recipes

Basic Chia Gel

Chia gel takes advantage of the capacity of chia to absorb many times its weight in water. The gel may be taken by itself or added to creamy and liquid foods—significantly boosting nutrition and acting both as a food extender and calorie displacer.

Chia gel provides all the beneficial nutrients in chia, including essential fats (EFAs), protein, complex carbohydrates, soluble fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Perhaps the primary benefit of chia gel is that it slows the conversion of carbohydrates into sugars, thereby regulating and sustaining healthy blood sugar levels in the body.

Making Chia Gel is Easy...and Fun!

Add 1/3 cup chia seeds to 2 cups water (filtered). That is, use 2 cups water for every 1/3 cup chia seeds. This makes a 9:1 ratio (water to seed), which is an ideal ratio for a basic chia gel. You can experiment with using more or less water, depending on your preference, or the consistency of the food item to which you’re adding it.

How to Make

Put water (slightly warm water will form gel faster) into a container with a tight-fitting lid (e.g., a mason jar). Pour dry seeds into the water. Shake container for 15 seconds. Let stand for 1 minute and shake again. This mixture (Chia Gel) will store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

How to Use

Add this mixture up to equal parts by weight to sauces, drinks, yogurt, salad dressings, cream cheese (or cream cheese substitutes), jams, jellies, preserves, salsa, hot/cold cereals, yogurt, dips, puddings, soups, or other liquid or creamy foods. The gel won’t affect flavor, but definitely increases nutritional value.

More Benefits of Chia Gel

Chia’s hydrophilic structure holds water, so when mixed with foods (e.g., sauces), it displaces calories and fats without compromising flavor. Chia gel is therefore also a great replacement for fats in baked goods.

Tip for Blood Sugar Regulation: For individuals having diabetes or anyone desiring to stabilize blood sugar levels, research suggests taking 3 tablespoons of chia gel with each meal for an optimal slowing of the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar, as well as providing better assimilation of the foods that you eat.

Courtesy of Menu 4 Life.

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Chia Pudding

1-2 teaspoons organic chia seeds (whole or ground)
1 scoop Living Fuel (or other protein powder)
1 scoop chlorella (or REJUVENATE!^TM)
1 tablespoon organic almond butter
1-2 oz organic almond milk (or other nut milk)
Fresh or frozen organic fruit (apple, banana, berries etc.) (optional)
cacao nibs (optional)

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. You can use chia seeds whole or grind them in a coffee grinder. For greater smoothness, add more almond milk, oat milk, fruit juice, or water.

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Chia Rice Salad

3 cups cooked brown rice and Basmati rice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 cloves garlic (diced)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2-1 teaspoon rosemary (fresh or dried)
1/2-1 teaspoon oregano (fresh or dried)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup chia gel (see chia gel recipe)
1 zucchini (julienned or thinly sliced)
1 tomato (chopped)
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese or a cheese substitute (rice or soy cheese, etc.) (optional)

Place rice in a large bowl. Combine oil, lemon, garlic, salt, herbs in jar, and shake well to mix. Pour over rice and lightly toss. Cover and let cool. Stir in vegetables and sprinkle on cheese or alternative cheese. Serve.

Courtesy of Menu 4 Life

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Chia Vegetable Stir Fry

1/2 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons dry chia seed
1-2 tablespoons ginger root (minced)
3-4 garlic cloves (finely chopped)
1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons tamari
1-2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar (optional)
3/4 cup water (filtered)
2-4 cups kale (coarsely chopped)
2 carrots (thinly sliced)
1/2 onion (sliced)
1/2 bell pepper (thinly sliced)
3 oz mushrooms (your choice)
2 tomatoes (chopped)
5 cups cooked brown rice (or brown basmati rice)

In a large wok or skillet, sauté ginger & onion in oil over medium heat until softened (approximately 3 minutes). Add tamari, rice wine vinegar, and water. Stir fry for additional 3 minutes. Add vegetables, garlic, tomatoes, and chia seeds. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender, but still firm. Stir occasionally. Serve over rice.

Courtesy of Menu 4 Life

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Creamy Chia Mushroom Soup (Non-Dairy)

1 lb mushrooms (mixed variety or your favorite)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 onions
1 cup cashews (preferably raw) or other nuts (for making nut milk)
1 1/2 cups chia seeds (dry)
2 stalks celery
1 tomato (diced)
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 tsp tamari (optional)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Add raw cashews to 5 1/2 cups water and blend until smooth to make 6 1/2 cups cashew nut milk. Add chia seeds and allow to stand for 15 minutes. Sauté 1/2 lb mushrooms in sesame oil for approx. 4 minutes. Mix sautéed mushrooms into nut milk by hand and pour into a sauce pan. Dice and sauté onion, celery, and garlic in olive oil with basil and tamari for 4 minutes. Fold sautéed vegetables into the saucepan containing the nut milk and mushrooms. Slice the remaining mushrooms and add to the mix along with sesame oil, cayenne pepper, and sea salt. Cook for 30 minutes on medium high heat. Add diced tomato 1-2 minutes before serving. Serve and enjoy.

Courtesy of Menu 4 Life

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Curried Potato Salad with Chia Seeds

12 potatoes (boiled)
1-2 onions
1 bell pepper
2 jalapeno peppers (or your favorite peppers whether sweet, mild, warm, or hot)
2 Serrano peppers (optional)
1/2 bunch parsley (preferably flat leaf, i.e., Italian parsley)
1-2 stalks celery (finely chopped)
1 package soft tofu (or equivalent alternative)
1/4-1/2 cup chia gel (see chia gel recipe)
1/2 tsp mustard (or ground mustard seed)
2 teaspoons fresh curry powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 cup olive oil
Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

Chop potatoes, onion, bell pepper and place in a large bowl. Finely chop jalapeno peppers, Serrano peppers, and parsley, and add to bowl. In blender, whip oil and tofu until smooth. In a separate bowl, mix chia gel and spices together and whip (by hand) until smooth. Mix all ingredients together. Chill and serve.

Courtesy of Menu 4 Life

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Chia French Toast

Mix 1 or 2 teaspoons of chia gel (per slice of toast) into egg mixture. Prepare French toast as you would normally. Serve and enjoy.

Courtesy of Menu 4 Life

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Chia Corn Cakes

2 tablespoons chia seeds (dry)
1 cup corn meal (yellow or blue)
1 cup potato flour or flakes (or freshly baked potato)
2 cups vegetable broth
1/3-1/2 onion (diced)
1/4 cup jalapeno pepper (or your favorite pepper, whether sweet, mild, warm, or hot) (diced)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper powder (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
Olive oil, coconut oil, or butter (thin coat for skillet)

Place corn meal and potato flour/flakes and chia seeds in a bowl. Boil vegetable broth and pour into flour. Mix and set aside. Sauté onion, peppers, garlic, sea salt, and cumin in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat until tender. Fold sautéed vegetables into corn meal and potato flour mixture. Form dough into approximately 12 patties. Cover bottom of skillet with a light coating of oil (olive, coconut, or butter). Brown chia corn cakes on both sides and serve warm.

Courtesy of Menu 4 Life

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Chia Seeds Garnish

The simplest way to use chia seeds is sprinkling them directly on your foods, either whole or ground. You can grind them in a pepper mill or coffee/nut grinder.

Try sprinkling 1/4-1 teaspoon (or more) on foods, including:

Salads
Smoothies
Blender drinks
Cereals (hot or cold)
Dressings
Soups
Sandwiches/wraps
Eggs
Fruit and vegetable juices
Herbal teas
Ground meats (e.g., mix into meatloaf before cooking)
Salsas
Sauces
Pastas/noodles
Nut butters (e.g., peanut or almond butter)
Nut milks
Humus
Tahini
Spreads
Fresh fruits
Rice
Potatoes
Grilled foods
Beans
Fish
Stir Frys

Chia seeds are also excellent when included in baked goods, including breads, muffins, cookies, cakes, pies, macaroons, etc. Be creative: consider adding chia seeds for recipes that you might usually use flax, sesame, poppy, or hemp seeds.

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Chia Fruit Delight

This is a truly delightful, nutritious, fruit-oriented dessert. Add more fruit, nuts, or any of your favorite ingredients or “toppings” for a customized taste experience. Also try adding natural extracts (vanilla, almond, orange, etc). Yummy.

1-2 teaspoons chia seeds
2-3 tablespoons almond butter
1-2 scoops Living Fuel (Supergreens or Superberry)
1 apple (diced)
1/2 banana (sliced) (optional)
2 teaspoons raisins or dried cranberries (or other dried fruit) (optional)
1/2-1 scoop chlorella powder or REJUVENATE!^TM (optional)
1 tablespoon Therasweet (optional)
Handful of nuts (walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, etc.)
Splash of nut or grain milk (e.g., oat milk, almond milk, rice milk, etc.)
Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
Water (filtered) to achieve desired consistency.
1 cup berries (blueberries, raspberries, strawberries) (fresh or frozen) (optional)

Note: A more basic version may be made simply with chia seeds, almond butter, nut milk, and/or Living Fuel.

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Points To Remember

Chia seeds can be added to fortify just about any recipe that you can imagine. You can use the seeds right from the container, sprouted, ground, roasted, gelled, or baked and they will retain their nutritional benefits. Use chia seeds where you would normally use flax seeds or sesame seeds, such as mixing them in with drinks, smoothies, cereal, yogurt, shredded coconut, soups, salads, desserts, etc. You can grind chia seeds in a pepper mill, a coffee grinder, or a nut grinder. Chia seeds represent one of nature's most perfect whole foods - you will soon discover creative ways to include their health-enhancing benefits in your daily diet. Enjoy renewed health!