Chia Power

I’ve written before about why I am such a big fan of chia. Here’s a synopsis:

A single ounce of chia seed contains a whopping 11 grams of dietary fiber. In fact, almost all of the carbs in this pipsqueak seed is fiber. A 2010 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study involving more than 89,000 subjects found that those who consumed the most fiber were least likely to pack on weight over a period of 6.5 years. One reason why fiber is such a fat-fighter is that it fills you up, which prevents overeating. Chia is very satiating because its fiber forms a type of gel in your gut to slow digestion. Men should aim for 38 grams of fiber per day and women need to shoot for 25 grams. Data indicates processed food loving North Americans are not coming close to these numbers.

Chia is well-endowed with omega-3 fats (almost 5grams per ounce). These omega-3s have anti-inflammatory powers to help fend off heart disease, cancer and other chronic diseases.

Chia is also packed with a wide assortment of vitamins and minerals including calcium (more than milk on a per weight basis), magnesium, iron, zinc and phosphorus.

Unlike flax, chia seeds do not have to be ground prior to consumption for proper absorption.

In the kitchen, you can now take advantage of several different forms of chia.

Chia seeds: Sprinkle these gems into oatmeal, yogurt, cottage cheese, baked goods, and salads. Chia seeds unique hydrophilic integrity lets them absorb several times their weight in water to form a gel. A couple of the recipes below show why this is such a wonderful perk.

Chia oil: Light tasting omega loaded chia oil is now starting to hit store shelves. It’s too delicate for the frying pan but excellent in dressings, dips, spreads or drizzled on hearty bread. It tastes much better than flax oil, which in my opinion if kind off raunchy.

Chia powder: 100% gluten-free super nutritious chia powder can replace a quarter of the flour a recipe calls for. Try it in pancakes, brownies, cookies, muffins, breads and cakes.

Get your chia fix

Here in Canada, one of my favorite chia sources is Prana (www.pranana.com). They have chia seeds, chia oil and chia powder along with some great recipes on their website. Look for them in natural food stores.












South of the border (and here in Canada as well) Navitas (www.navitasnaturals.com) is always a reliable chia source. They actually sprout their chia powder for an added nutrition boost.


















Asheville, North Carolina based eco-savvy UliMana (www.ulimana.com) has some very toothsome Chia Moon Drops as well as many other raw chocolate inspired no-so-guilty indulgences. If you are looking for healthier snack options, give their product line a look over.

Want to give chia a try? Here’s a wack load of recipes to get you started.

Chia Fruit Spread













A wonderful, no sugar added fruit spread for bread, crackers or mixed into yogurt.The recipe takes advantage of chia's ability to absorb several times its weight in water to form a gel. You can pretty much use any berry you like. I had a bunch of red currants in the freezer so I used those.

1.5 cups water
4 tablespoons chia
¾ cup berry of choice

In a bowl, mix together chia and water and let sit for at least 30 minutes to form a gel. Stir with a whisk occasionally to prevent clumping. Put the fruit and chia seed gel in a blender and process till desired consistency. Store in the fridge.

Chia Bars













This no-cook bar recipe comes from the January 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times that was a side-kick to my chia article in the magazine. You could also toss some dried fruit or shredded coconut into the mix. For a little extra zing, incorporate some lemon or orange zest.

Makes 8 bars

1.5 pitted dates
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup chia seeds
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
1 cup slivered almonds or shelled pistachios

Place dates in bowl of food processor; puree until a thick paste forms. Add cocoa powder, chia, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Process until all the ingredients are combined and sticky. Add nuts and pulse until finely chopped and distributed through the date mixture. Spread mixture onto a lightly greased baking sheet and form into a square about ½-inch thick. A rolling pin is helpful with this. Chill in the freezer for about 1 hour and then cut into squares.

Chia lentil burgers with chia quinoa tabouleh













This incredibly nutritious dinner uses chia in all its marvelous guises.

Makes 4 servings

Burgers:

1 cup green lentils
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon paprika
1/3 cup chia seed powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup sunflower seeds

Add lentils to a pot and cover with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until lentils are very soft. Meanwhile, cook onion in a skillet over medium heat until translucent and softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, cumin and paprika and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. In a bowl of a food processor, combine cooked lentils, onion mixture, chia poweder, vegetable oil, cilantro and salt and pepper. Process until everything is well mixed but still slightly grainy. Add in sunflower seeds and pulse a few times to mix in seeds. From into eight patties and cook in a non-stick skillet over medium heat until well browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Serve with desired condiments.

Tabouleh:
1 cup quinoa
1 cup chopped parsley
¼ cup fresh mint
2 garlic cloves
1 cup diced tomato (about 2 tomatoes)
1 medium red pepper, diced
Juice from 1 lemon
¼ cup chia oil (or extra virgin olive oil)
¼ cup chia seeds
Salt and pepper to taste

Place quinoa in a small pot with 2 cups of water, bring to a boil, cover and simmer until all the water is gone, about 15 minutes. In a large bowl combine quinoa and the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Serve warm or chilled.

Coconut Chia Pudding
















Another recipe that makes use of chia's tendency to glob up. This has a different consitency than traditional pudding but is very tasty (and nutritious!).

Makes 2-3 servings

¾ cup coconut milk
1 banana
4 tablespoons chia seed
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Dash of sea salt
2 tablespoons maple syrup or agave syrup
Cocoa nibs (optional)
Unsweetened coconut flakes (optional)

Combine coconut milk, banana, chia seed, cinnmaon, cocoa powder and salt in a food processor or blender and whirl until mixed. Let the mixture sit for several minutes until it has thickened. Top with cocoa nibs and coconut flakes before serving if desired.

Hemp Chia Oat Cookies













These are crazy moist. Hemp flour is available in some health stores or online at www.manitobaharvest.com. Like chia, it contains omega fats and gives baked goods a nice earthy, nutty flavor. If you don't have hemp flour, you can try other types of flour as well.

Makes 12 cookies

1.5 cup rolled oats
1 cup hemp flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2/3 cup applesauce
¼ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. molasses
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
½ cup unsweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly greased foil. In a large bowl, combine oats, hemp flour, baking powder and baking soda. In a separate bowl, combine applesauce, oil, white sugar, brown sugar, and molasses. Mix in egg and then stir in vanilla, coconut and chia seeds. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until moist throughout. Wet hands and form into 1-1.5 inch balls and gently press down. Bake for about 12 minutes or until darkened. They should still be moist.

Chia Crusted Tofu














The chia seeds lend tofu a wonderful crunchy crust. This would also work for chicken breast.

Serves 4

12 ounce package of firm tofu, drained
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons chia seeds
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Zest of 1 lime
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil

Rinse tofu under cold water and slice in half lengthwise. Wrap it in a double layer of paper towel and place on a plate. Place a second plate on top of the tofu, and let sit at least 15 minutes to drain out any excess water. On a plate, mix together chia seeds, salt, pepper, cayenne, lime zest. Slice tofu pieces into halves crosswise so you have four pieces of tofu and brush each side with sesame oil. Press each side of the tofu into the chia mixture to coat thoroughly. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sear the tofu blocks until crisp and golden brown, about 5 minutes on each side.

Hemp Orange Vinaigrette













Try this dressing on almost any type of salad. You can use honey instead of maple syrup and red wine vinegar is an adequate stand-in for balsamic.

1 orange
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Juice from ½ lime
1/3 cup chia oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Add all the ingredients to a blender and whirl until smooth. Add more oil if needed in order to reach desired consistency. Can be stored in the fridge for about 1 week.