chia seeds Archives -

Smoothies are always a welcome treat at breakfast and I like them because they are quick and a great way to load up on nutrients to begin the day. Once in a while I also like to surprise my kids with a smoothie for their afternoon snack while we chat about their school days. When it comes to smoothies, my style is more the “throw random fruits and vegetables into the blender” method rather than the “read and follow a recipe” method. I even have a beautiful smoothie cookbook, but it always seems so much easier to improvise. Despite the lack of measuring, the smoothies somehow always end up tasting fine. This is one combination that we enjoy so much however that I measured everything out just so that I could share it with you. Its flavor is similar to a pina colada minus the rum (since I’m usually making these for the kids) and it’s fun to dream about being at the beach on a sunny tropical island whenever we have these. The chia seeds thicken up the smoothie into more of a “shake” consistency while adding a healthy dose of Omega-3s. Just note that the chia seeds need at least a few hours to soak so this is probably best made the evening before if you’re planning for breakfast.

Pinapple Coconut Chia Shakes

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

2½- 3 cups fresh pineapple chunks
½ banana
1 13.5-ounce can light coconut milk, about 1½ cups
2 tablespoons chia seeds

Instructions

Place the pineapple chunks, banana, and coconut milk into the blender and blend on high until completely smooth and creamy.
Pour half of mixture into a quart size mason jar along with the chia seeds. Close lid and shake until chia seeds are well distributed. Add the rest of the pineapple mixture and shake again. Refrigerate for at least a 3 hours until thoroughly chilled and chia seeds thicken.

Notes

inspired by Amy Chapin's Peach Chia Shake from At Home in the Whole Foods Kitchen

Today it was cloudy and rainy and the forecast for the entire week is…. cloudy and rainy. So I made Honey Lemon Chia Seed Muffins! Nothing like a little lemon to brighten up a cloudy day. These whole grain muffins are made with spelt flour, sweetened with honey, and contain omega-3-rich chia seeds. Spelt flour is officially part of the wheat family, but it has a higher protein content and is more easily digested than the more common wheat. (Although it does contain gluten and is not gluten-free.) These spelt muffins are tender and moist and best eaten warm out of the oven.

Honey Lemon Chia Seed Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups spelt flour
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
½ cup honey
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (from 2 large lemons)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400. Grease or line 12 muffins cups.
In a large bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, chia seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a medium bowl, lightly whisk together the eggs. Add the yogurt, honey, melted butter, lemon zest, lemon juice, and vanilla.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

Notes

inspired by Lemon-Poppy Seed Muffins from Lorna Sass's Whole Grains Every Day, Every Way