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Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Here are 10 fun ways to eat chia seeds:



From Mindbodygreen.

1. Chia pudding with kiwi fruit and pomegranate seeds
Place 3 tablespoons of chia seed in a mason jar and pour over 12 ounces of almond milk.
Shake the jar until the chia seeds are fully immersed in the liquid. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
Once seeds have swelled to a tapioca consistency, stir in 1 tsp of coconut sugar.
Pour into a serving bowl and top with chopped kiwi fruit and pomegranate seeds.

2. Raspberry-coconut chia pops
Place 3 tablespoons of chia seed in a mason jar and pour over 12 ounces of coconut milk (from a can).
Shake the jar until the chia seeds are fully immersed in the liquid. Add 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar and 3/4 cup of raspberries. Stir well.
Let chia pudding set for 2 hours then pour into ice-pop molds and freeze overnight.

3. Chocolate-chia mousse
Pour 1 can of coconut cream into a blender, add 1/4 cup of chia seeds, 1/4 cup of maple syrup and 1/2 cup of cacao powder.
Let it sit it blender for 10 minutes to allow chia seed to swell to 10 times their size.
Once it has formed a tapioca consistency, puree it for 30 seconds or until smooth.
Pour into serving cups and let it set for 4 hours.
Top with fresh cherries.

4. Raspberry lemonade chia drink

Add the following to a pitcher:
2 cups of coconut water
Juice 1/2 lemon
3/4 cup of blended raspberries
2 teaspoons of coconut sugar
3 tablespoons of chia seed

Let it sit for 30 minutes until it has formed a gel-like consistency. Enjoy the drink!

5. Raw cherry and chia bars

In a food processor, add the following:
1 cup of raw pecans
1/2 cup of dried cherries
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons of chia seeds
1/3 cup of almond butter
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
1/4 cup of shredded coconut

Grind until a paste is formed, about 2 minutes. Add mixture to a baking try and place in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Slice into bars and serve.

6. Seeded granola with dried apricots

In a food processor, add the following:
1/2 cup of raw pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup of raw sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons of chia seeds

Pulse until seeds are in a chunky texture. Then add the following ingredients:
1/2 cup of shredded coconut
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup and salt.

Pulse for another 20 seconds. Spread mixture out on to a baking dish.

Add to pre-heated oven at 300F for about 20 minutes, stirring half-way through to avoid burning. You could also use a dehydrator set to 118F for 4 to 5 hours. Allow the toasted granola to cool completely, then stir in the chopped dried apricots and store in an airtight container. Serve with almond milk.

7. Lemon and mango chia parfait
Place 3 tablespoons of ground white chia seed in a mason jar and pour over a can of coconut milk.
Add a pinch of vanilla bean, 1 teaspoon of lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of maple syrup.
Let it sit for 30 minutes or overnight until thick.
Pour into serving glasses then top with freshly sliced mango.




8. Avocado on toast with chia seed.

Top gluten-free toast with avocado dusted in chia seeds, lemon zest, chili flakes and sea salt.

9. Cacao, chia cherry ice-cream

Add the following to a blender:
1/4 cup chia seeds
1.5 cans of coconut cream
2 tablespoons of cacao powder
3 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ounce melted unsweetened chocolate
4 pitted dates

Let it sit for 15 minutes then blend for 60 seconds or until smooth. The mixture should be thick and creamy. Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker and churn according to the manufacturers instructions. Freeze until firm enough to scoop.

10. Matcha chia smoothie

Blend 12 ounces of almond milk with 1 teaspoon of matcha green tea powder, 2 pitted dates, 2 cardamon pods and a pinch of vanilla bean for 30 seconds.
Pour into a large mason jar.
Add 1 tablespoon of chia seed and shake it well.
Let it sit for at least 15 minutes until chia seeds starts to swell. Serve over ice.

Monday, August 4, 2014

Good looking Peanut Butter Protein Bars

Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Protein Bars (Vegan + Gluten-Free)





Ingredients
3 cups gluten-free rolled oats, blended into a flour
1 cup protein powder (I used a mild vanilla pea protein)
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup peanut butter (or use any nut butter of your choice)
1 cup maple syrup (or use honey if you’d like)
1/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips or raw cacao nibs

Directions
Stir together oat flour, protein powder, sea salt and cinnamon.
Add in peanut butter and maple syrup, stirring well to combine. Mixture will be rather thick and dry. Add in a splash of almond milk if necessary.
Stir in chocolate chips or raw cacao nibs, distributing evenly.
Press the mixture into a wax paper-lined 9x13 pan, using a rolling pin on top to smooth if necessary.
Place in freezer for about 10 minutes for bars to harden up. Remove and cut into 20 bars.
To store: Wrap each bar individually in plastic wrap and store in the freezer in a container or air-tight bag.