Chia seeds have been making the health food store rounds for a number of years now, but they only recently broke through into the mainstream. I'd written them off as some sort of diet fad until I tried a chia seed smoothie and thought Hmmm, these aren't half bad. But somehow, I missed the fact that their resemblance to the fad Chia Pet was more than a coincidence.
Did everyone know that Chia Pets are made with the same chia seeds so many are swearing by in their food these days? Honestly I didn't think so. But, as the New York Times points out, they are one in the same. The same properties that make chia seeds gelatinous when exposed to liquid (and result in a sort of bubble tea drink, if one can compare such things), make the seeds adhere to terra cotta animal shapes. Who knew these little seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, protein, dietary fiber, and antioxidants?
So you've likely heard of chia seeds, but do you regularly eat this superfood?
→ Read more: 30 Years After Chia Pets, Seeds Hit Food Aisles at The New York Times
Related: Ingredient Spotlight: Chia Seeds
(Image: Sandy Huffaker for The New York Times)
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Yup, they're great on Greek yogurt. It's the ultimate trendy super food power couple.
"cha - cha - cha - chia!"
To me they taste like pepper or dirt. I'm the only one I know who detests them, which is challenging when all my friends are on the chia kick. Then again, they always jump on the next food fad bandwagon.
chia seeds are magical! they turn liquid into pudding!
What's that in the picture? Just chia and juice? Bet that would make good ice cream...
I love chia seeds and I use them to replace flax in smoothies, etc. (I can't stand flax seeds.) The product packaging for the brand I purchase calls them "Aztec Super Food," and that makes me chuckle every morning.
Yes, I eat/drink chia regularly ... sprinkled in cereal, smoothies, juice, iced tea & pancake batter. Recently, my hot cocoa experiment (used a coconut milk/almond milk combo instead of cow's milk) morphed into dark chocolate chia pudding. Poured cocoa in my mug to cool (results of experiment were so yummy that it was hard to avoid scalding my mouth!), To distract myself, I decided to try making chia pudding ... added chia seed to what was left in the pot, stirred, let it rest for five minutes (stirring at times) allowing it to thicken into pudding as the seeds blossomed. Chocolate pudding. Yum.
I first discovered chia pudding via a link on Pinterest ... http://www.skinnytaste.com/2012/06/mango-coconut-chia-pudding.html
Love chia! In greek yogurt to make it SUPER thick, so rich tasting! Or blended into smoothies, stirred into oatmeal, etc.
In answer to the question, I think the photo might be of a version of Aguas Frescas, which are juice drinks to which chia seeds may be added. They gelatinize a bit in the liquid and add an unusual texture (think like miniature boba).
... forgot to mention a favorite snack/breakfast:
Layer as follows ... hot, eight-grain bread/toast, a little coconut oil, teaspoon of Nutella, thin banana slices & a sprinkle of chia seeds ... sighhhhhh! <3
I adore the chia cereal from Ruth's Hemp Foods, just mix with soymilk and it turns to porridge. I use chia in vegan and gluten-free baking too, great stuff.
Chia seeds are wonderful in gluten-free breads. Use instead of gums in about equal parts when using xanthum gum. Soak in liquid before adding to other ingredients
Ever since I discovered them, I eat them almost every day. I never have had a chia pet though...
I chuck it in with homemade kombucha, so I can start my day off right with moral superiority! Even if dinner winds up being cookies...
The pictures shown look pretty much exactly like how I used to do my chia seeds: mix them with water in a pitcher and keep the jug of plain hydrated seeds in my fridge all week. In the mornings I would pour them into a lidded cup til it was about 3/4 full, then cut that with juice (strong, 100% juices like pomegranate or blackberry, not juice cocktails). Then that would usually be most of breakfast, or if I was hungry, the side drink to my yogurt cup.
Yes! A tablespoon of chia seeds mixed with oats and non-dairy milk or yog, put in the fridge overnight and it's so thick and delicious..especially topped with fresh fruit and almond butter.
This made me LOL. Thanks!
You can get chia flour at Your Dekalb Farmers Market in Atlanta. I've been experimenting with it in baking as a gluten-free alternative and so far so good. Pumpkin bread and cornmeal pancakes have been the best so far. No need to add gums and you can do a one for one substitution for AP. There's not a whole lot of info on the web about cooking with chia flour, so it's mostly been trial and error, but the success so far has me sold.