CHA CHA CHA…CHIA
Happy Friday!
chia, the pet
Chia pets have been around since the late seventies and continue to be popular even today. They were originally made in Mexico but are now produced in China (shocker). Chia pets were first modeled after generic animals like turtles and puppies but you can also find chia pets of Shrek and Homer Simpson and even awesome presidents like Barack Obama. I know what you are thinking but it won’t look like him. The Trump comb-over takes skill and a lot of mousse.
chia, the seed
Anyway, I digressed. Today I am writing about the pure awesomeness of chia the food, namely the seeds. Chia, also known as salvia hispanica in Latin, is a species of flowering plant from the mint family, native to parts of Mexico and Guatemala. The seeds resemble poppy seeds but can also be white. This little seed may be a new craze in the modern health world but it has been revered for thousands of years by ancient civilizations. Before the Spanish conquered Latin America, chia seeds were a staple food for Aztec and Mayan peoples. Unfortunately, the Spanish conquerers banned the use of chia seeds and this lovely super food practically disappeared for a time. Fortunately, it hung on in some parts of Mexico during the ban and today is a thriving crop produced mainly in Latin America and Australia.
Chia seeds have many of the same benefits as flax seeds (another of my favorite super foods) like omega fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber and protein, but do not have to be ground like flax to unleash those benefits. Chia seeds are also high in calcium, iron and magnesium. The Standard American Diet (SAD) is severely lacking in these vital minerals and nutrients. Chia seeds are known to provide lots of energy to our bodies. Makes sense as the word chia comes from the Mayan word for “strength.” Apparently, ancient warriors ate chia seeds for stamina in battle. Today, the Mexican Tarahumara, an indigenous tribe of super athletes, run up to 200 miles at a time. Their two staple foods are pinole (a food made from corn) and yup, you guessed it… chia seeds in the form of a drink called iskiate. For more on this fascinating tribe, check out Christopher McDougall’s book, Born to Run.
Need one more reason to love chia seeds? They turn into a gel-like substance when immersed in liquid, which makes them a great egg-substitute in plant-based baking. They also make a stellar ‘tapioca’ style pudding, which I have created here for you in today’s recipe. The prep takes all of 5 minutes but the dessert will need to chill in the refrigerator for several hours.
Nota bene: the first time I made this dessert was for a dinner party with new guests to my home. I made the mistake of blending the seeds with everything else in my Vitamix rather than adding them in at the end. Bad move. The consistency was chalky and weird and the taste was strangely nutty. While I did not hit a home run for my dinner guests, I perfected it the next day and it was awesome. The trick is to whisk the chia seeds in at the end so the seeds remain whole.
SIMPLE CHIA PUDDING WITH BLUEBERRIES - gluten-free; serves 4
Ingredients
- 3 cups full fat coconut milk
- 3/4 cup of chia seeds
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
- fresh or frozen blueberries
- *organic ingredients are always best!
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients (except chia seeds and blueberries) together in a bowl or blender
- Fold in chia seeds and blueberries until evenly distributed (if using blender, turn off the power, add the seeds and berries, cover and shake)
- Pour into 4 glass serving containers
- Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours or overnight
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