When I first tried chia seeds (in the form of chia pudding), I wasn’t a fan. I wanted to like them: they’re so good for you. But eating something just because it’s good for you?
Ridiculous!
You don’t have to suffer for health.
If you aren’t big on a certain food, there are plenty of ways to get all your nutrients somewhere else. For example, my sister hates bananas. So she gets her potassium from foods she does like, such as yams, spinach, and broccoli. No big deal. Remember that mental health is an important component to overall health, too. If you’re choking down foods you detest, your mental health will suffer.
Going back to the chia… Although I didn’t like the pudding, I was willing to give the seeds a second chance. Perhaps I’d enjoy them in a different form. After all, everyone in the blogworld seems to adore them. So when the Health Warrior Company offered me some samples, I accepted.
And I discovered that I do like chia seeds. They are awesome in oatmeal!
Never-Ending Oatmeal Bowl
(serves 1)
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 1/2 cups milk of choice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup more milk of choice
- sweetener and add-ins of choice
Either cook oats, milk, and salt on the stovetop, or place your oats and salt in a large, microwaveable dish (I use a pyrex 4-cup measurer) with the milk of choice. Microwave 1 and 1/2 minutes, then add your chia and 1/2 cup more liquid. Microwave 2 more minutes. Don’t open the microwave door yet. Instead, leave your mixture for five minutes. Then stir and put in the fridge—uncovered—overnight. Next day, it will magically be thick and ready for your favorite add-ins!
For sweetener, try using The Melted Banana Trick.
Also, I really like to put the cooked oatmeal in my Magic Bullet and blend just a little. This “blended grains” trick really helps all the flavors to meld together.
Do you ever eat foods you don’t really like, just because they’re good for you?
Or do you ever feel pressured to eat a certain food because other bloggers like it? We are all different and our bodies crave different things (and amounts). We should NOT base our food choices on what anyone else is eating. It’d be really weird (not to mention boring) if we were all exactly the same.
This is one of the main reasons I’m not planning on doing another “day in the life” post even though a lot of readers have asked. I don’t feel comfortable knowing others will compare their eating habits to mine or try to mimic what I eat. The way I eat is only perfect for me. You need to listen to your own body, not to what anyone around you is doing.
I would see if the chia sprouts would work in smoothies, and let’s be honest…I’d totally bring my Chia Head out of retirement.
i would love to try chia seeds in my oatmeal. i use xanthan gum as a thickener, but would love to have some variety and use cha-cha-chia!
I already eat them in my oatmeal every morning. I’ve been meaning to try chia pudding.
Soooo..I know you said someone ONLY from the US could win this. However, IF by chance I did win, the chia seeds could be sent to my mom, and she could send them to me!! 🙂
I currently live in Seoul, South Korea. Therefore, I sadly can not buy chia seeds here…
If I had them, I would sprout and add them to your AMAZING green smoothie/mint-choc chip ice-cream (which I can’t get enough of, by the way^^)!!!
Oh wow, so cool that you live in Seoul! I went once, when I lived in China, and it was so much fun!
Chocolate hugs from TX 🙂
WOW… you are such a traveller!! I love it! Before I go home (I’m on an ESL teaching contract here), I REALLY want to go to China!! If you are interested in cooking/baking vegan Korean food, check out: http://www.aliensdayout.com. She is AMAZING (be warned though, with her restaurant reviews… you may find yourself wanting to come back here!! haha). She also has TONSSSSS of veganized Korean recipes!!!
There is a traditional Korean dessert/celebratory/snack food called 떡 (pronounced dduck…), or in English, simply rice cake (don’t be fooled, it isn’t ANYTHING like a dry, crispy, Americanized rice cake…). You may even know what I’m talking about since you lived in China! Not that I’m hinting at anything (hehehe), but I always imagined what it would be like to have it flavored with chocolate/pb or blueberry/banana^^.
On a completely different and random note… I might actually be moving to TX next April/May/June!!
Rice and kimchi (vegan, of course^^) hugs from Seoul!!! 🙂
I would do exactly what you did! That looks delicious! I usually just place them in my oats and mix them around and eat them up!
I think I would like to try chia pancakes!! I usually make pancakes with raspberry preserves, but could you imagine snickerdoodle chia pancakes? Healthy AND delicious! (Need those omega-3’s from somewhere!)
I LOVE chia seeds! I would definitely use them for smoothies or oatmeal!
I really want to try them! i’d add them to my oatbran and peanutflour pudding i make to make both more vulumptious!
I generally put some chia seeds with water and let them sit overnight (and bulk up), then I throw them in a smoothie in the morning!
I’ve been adding Chia seeds to my To my oatmeal for quite a while now!:) they’re a great thickener for that, yogurt, And Smoothies.