Simple Chia Desserts

I love chia for so many reasons. They have a high amount of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. The whole seeds can easily be broken down and absorbed in the body, unlike other seeds (that you would have to grind up to gain any benefits) and the best part, you can add chia to virtually any dish you like.

The seeds pretty much don’t have much taste, so you can toss them in sandwiches, salads, soups cereals and more. You can add them as dry seeds or you can soak them in water or milk, which will make them look like little balls of jelly.  I soak them in water overnight in a container so they’re ready for breakfast.

The photo above is one of the chia milk desserts that we absolutely love in our home.  If you would like to try it out sometime, here’s the recipe:

Chia Chai Dessert

Ingredients:

1½ -2½ cups milk
½ cup water
1-2 vanilla chai tea bags (depending on how strong you like the flavour)
3-4 tablespoons honey or cane sugar
1 cup chia jelly

Procedure:

1. Soak dry chia seeds in water or milk overnight to create the chia jelly(approximately ½ cup dry chia seeds with 1 cup water/milk equals 1 cup chia jelly.)
2. Over medium heat, bring milk to a boil.
3. Add vanilla chai tea bags and honey/cane sugar then reduce heat to simmer for approximately 2 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
5. Once cooled, remove tea bags and add chia to milky chai.
6. Spoon into small bowls and enjoy!

If you would like something different for breakfast or a snack, try this one:

Chia Blueberries and Yogurt Dessert

Combine 1 cup fresh blueberries with 4-6 large tablespoons Greek blackberry yogurt and add 3-4 tablespoons chia jelly.  You can also add granola or cereal for a healthy breakfast packed with vitamins and minerals (it will also help keep you full for a longer period of time).

If you haven’t had a chance to try chia, I recommend trying it for at least a short period of time to see if it does make a difference in your diet and lifestyle. You can pretty much find it in any health food store or larger grocery store.

Let me know your findings, I would love to hear what you think of chia!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video Pick – How to Rilakkuma Bento

I was thinking of buying a new bento box for myself the other day but I haven’t found one that I love just yet. I have a few small ones that I like making up every now and then, but mine are usually standard bento filled with regular Japanese food. Today, I came across this great video showing you how to make adorable Rilakkuma for lunch!

Looks easy enough to do. I’ll have to try it out some day!