I have several health conscious friends who had been trying to get me to add chia seeds to my diet for months. In an effort to stop their nagging (!), I finally broke down and bought some, then promptly forgot all about them. (Hopeless, I know.)
Finally, there was an evening when I was over-tired from a long, complex business day and just wanted to curl up in bed with a good book. The prospect of cooking dinner didn’t appeal, so I was standing in front of the open refrigerator thoughtfully considering my options, when “blueberry smoothie” came to mind, followed quickly by “why not add some of those chia seeds?”.
Chia seeds are unprocessed whole grains that can be absorbed whole by the body (unlike flaxseeds). One ounce (about 2 tablespoons) contains 139 calories, 4 grams of protein, 9 grams fat, 12 grams carbohydrates and 11 grams of fiber. Additionally, in those two tablespoons, there’s 5,000 mg of omega-3 (8 times more than salmon), 18% of the RDA of calcium, and antioxidant levels equal to dark berries. Plus, they’re tasty: very mild and somewhat nutty.
Here’s what I concocted…
Chia Blueberry Smoothie
Yield: 1 serving
1 cup plain, unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup vegan vanilla yogurt
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
A few chunks of frozen banana
Blend on high. Pour. Drink. The chia seeds will make it sort of tapioca-like if you wait very long. I like that, but someone else might not. Easy to digest, tasty, filling…just the ticket for a quick, nutritious snack or light meal.