You've heard of the chia seed, the nutritional powerhouse with everything from fiber and protein, to B-vitamins inside. It's a tiny flavorless seed with complete protein, calcium and magnesium.
But just because they have no flavor, doesn't mean they're no-fun to eat. The unfamiliar health fanatic, may complain about having to "choke down" annoying flavorless chia gel, but this is totally unnecessary! Chia is one of the most fun & versatile foods you'll ever find. It's so easy to use, and easy to combine you'll find loads of delicious uses for these healthy seeds with just a little inspiration.
Jump right into health improvement & taste the fun with this chia top seven list. This list is in no particular order, so just choose your favorite, and make it your number one.
Chia Popsicles - The Healthy Frozen Treat
Chia pops are fantastic for when you want a snack, and they're also great for kids. Using a blender, or food processor, you can puree your favorite mixture of fruits, much like a smoothie. However, instead of drinking, just stir in your chia, and pour into pop molds. Plastic molds are super inexpensive, and you can use them over and over. Once you make up a batch of popsicles and freeze them, they're always ready to help you add another serving of fruit to your day... or fight off a snack craving.
Bonus! Want a "fudgy pop" that's actually totally good for you?
In a food processor or blender, add 1 banana, 3 tablespoons rice or almond milk, 1 to 2 teaspoons dry chia seeds & 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder. Blend & pour into molds. The banana sweetens the cocoa without added sugar AND makes the pops fudgy & creamy. What recipes can you think of?
Bake With Chia - Add Fiber & Cut Fat While Keeping the Flavor
Did you know that chia gel can substitute for up to half of the butter or oil in most baked recipes? Whether it's cookies, cakes, (non-yeast) breads or muffins, you can swap out chia gel for part of the fat. The gel adds moisture, while the seeds themselves add 2 kinds of fiber, and all the other nutrients chia contains. There are plenty of recipes available if you love to bake.
Chia Fruit Smoothies - Adding Fruit & Fiber to Breakfast
Want to get away from unhealthy breakfasts? Eliminate excuses for skipping breakfast? Try a chia smoothie. When you mix up a smoothie using whole fruits (be sure to leave the skin ON whenever possible, fruit peels are loaded with fiber & nutrients) and almond or rice milk, you get a delicious boost for your morning. Adding chia helps you feel full, so you can have just the smoothie, and you won't want to reach for a bagel, donut, or toaster pastry.
Smoothies are quick to mix up, so you just need minutes in the morning. Skipping breakfast has actually been proven to lead to weight gain in several studies.
Chia Snack Dips, Salsas & Appetizers
Chia is the perfect addition to your bean dips, salsas & even hummus. When you mix your own dips for appetizers, the big game, dinner, or just any-day snack time you can save money and customize them just how you like.
Chia helps blend flavors together, and also helps fill you up. If you enjoy a chia hummus before dinner, or at lunch you'll be full faster. Crunchy veggies, or baked crackers are better for you than fake cheese or fried chips. You still get the snack time crunch you crave, and the sheer variety of dips, dressings and seasonings will keep your menu fresh.
Chia in Your Favorite Meals - Enjoy What You Like To Eat... Now With More Nutrients
Simply because it has no taste of its own, chia is super easy to mix into the meals you already like, either dry, or as a gel. Everything from salad dressings to spaghetti sauce can have chia mixed right in.
You could never hope to put spirulina powder in your spaghetti (and have it look or taste remotely normal), but with chia seeds, you might not even know they're there. You can sprinkle dry seeds into sandwiches, mix gel into sauces, and stir into soups. This way, foods with low or no fiber content can have added fiber without changing the flavor.
Creative Chia Beverages - Substitute for Soda With Tasty Healthy Drinks
Sodas have a surprising amount of sugar, and some of the artificial sweeteners can actually make some people hungrier when they drink them. "Plain Water" may be too boring for some people, which makes it harder to stay hydrated, or more difficult to move away from sodas. Fruit juices often have lots of calories, but aren't filling.
Instead, try fruit teas you can brew yourself. Sweeten at home with natural calorie-free sweeteners like monk fruit, stevia or xylitol. They don't have the hunger-inducing effect of un-natural sweeteners. If you haven't tried tea in a while, you might be surprised at all the flavors you'll find on store shelves. Everything from peach to blueberry pomegranate comes in a tea bag. You can add your own twist, with a squeeze of lemon or lime. When you add chia to beverages that you really enjoy, staying hydrated is easy and fun.
Mix Your Own - Oatmeal & Yogurt For Snacks & Breakfast
Did you know that some brands of store-bought yogurt can contain more sugar than a candy bar? Individual-serving oatmeal isn't much better. You'll find everything from spoonfuls of brown sugar, to marshmallows, candy and even syrup to pour on top. These artificial add-ins provide flavor, but they reduce the nutritional value and even sabotage dieters' efforts with loads of sugar.
The solution is to mix up your own. Plain rolled/quick-cook oats are inexpensive. Plain, no-sugar-added yogurt is also easy to find, but it's boring on its own. You can sweeten with natural calorie-free sweeteners like monk fruit, stevia or xylitol. Add your own fresh or frozen fruits and berries. Fresh will have more flavor than freeze-dried, and you can customize your mix. Chia seeds help keep you feeling full, so you won't want a mid-morning snack.
Now that you know the top 7 most fun ways to use chia, why not get started?
It's so easy and fun to add nutrients, protein, fiber, and stay hydrated when you use chia seeds the way you want them. Chia is inexpensive and easy to find online. Great recipes are only a search engine away so you can explore the possibilities of chia right now.
Now that you know the many uses of chia, you can grab some quick, easy recipes right away too! Get your own chia seeds with free instant cook books at http://www.mychiaseeds.com, or if you'd like a hard cover book with all new & different recipes, you can grab it at Amazon at http://goo.gl/BBeie
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emily_N_Morris
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