Chia Goodness

Wake up in the morning feeling like P-diddy...

Grab my Chia Goodness. I'm out the door. I've got my breakfast ready...

Something about Ke$ha's song "Tik-Tok" that just gets me thinking about my morning routine. Which has been relatively insane this summer between summer debate camps, vacations, and trainings. However during this insanity, I have had the opportunity to discover new breakfast options. Including a cereal that could be made hot or cold -- Chia Goodness!

While roaming the aisles of a Whole Foods somewhere in the United States, I stumbled across this bag that caught my eye. With the only ingredients being Chia, Buckwheat, Hulled Hemp Seeds, and Celtic Sea Salt is seemed like it was full of healthy benefits. The bag said you could make it cold or hot and all I would need is a couple of tablespoons of liquid (water or milk of your choice). 4 tablespoons of liquid for 2 tablespoons of seeds.

How was it? I tried making it and waiting the 3-5 minutes that the bag suggested. It was really seedy. So I tried again and let it sit overnight. I grabbed it in the morning and took it to the gym to each after my workout and before I went to work. It was delicious! Earthy and nutty. Still a little crunchy but in a good way. I tried it with blueberries and with bananas, with soy milk and with water. It has become a super easy-to-prep breakfast.

I have read countless articles and shared information on the health benefits of chia and hemp seeds. But health benefits aside, the bottom line is that this cereal is easy to make and good to eat.

Two tablespoons of Chia Goodness Original, according to their Web site, has 140 calories, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of protein.

Chia Seed Vanilla Pudding

Let me first say that I definitely didn't come up with the recipe on my own. No, I browsed a number of blogs mentioning Chia seeds and puddings before ever embarking on my own experiments. I did some tweaking and came up with this 75 calorie snack.

Chia seeds are this magical food that everyone is talking about lately and I had no idea why... other than they are good for you. It turns out that Chia seeds have been around since the Aztecs who prized Chia seeds like gold. A good source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids, Chia seeds are also chock full of fiber and other nutrients.

Nutritional Information for 1 Tablespoon of Chia Seeds:

• 40 Calories
• 4 grams of fat (1g saturated fat, .25g monounsaturated fat, 2.75g polyunsaturated fat)
• 5 grams of carbohydrates (5 grams of fiber: 1g soluble, 4g insoluble)
• 2 grams of protein
• 6 mg Vitamin C (10% DV)
• 76 mg Calcium (8% DV)
• 1.8mg Iron (10% DV)
• 150mg Phosphorus (15% DV)
• 38mg Magnesium (10% DV)
• 85mg Potassium (2% DV)
• 2,406mg Alpha Linolenic Acid (Omega-3 EFAs)
• 792mg Linoleic Acid (Omega-6 EFAs)
• 294mg Oleic Acid (Omega-9 EFAs)

Amazing stats, right? Why am I just now learning all of this. Chia seeds -- where have you been all my life????

Back to the pudding. What is cool about Chia seeds is that they also act as a thickening agent. When added to the almond milk, they become almost gelatinous with semi-crunchy beads throughout.

Uncovering Food's Chia Seed Vanilla Pudding
Serves One

3 ounces unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze
1.5 tbsp pure Chia Seeds
1/2 packet of a Stevia sweetener

Mix together and let sit chill for twenty minutes of up to 24 hours. It will continue to thicken overnight. I enjoy this as a dessert, a snack, or even as part of a morning meal.

Stats for the pudding: 75 calories, 8g fat, 10g fiber, 4g protein