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.
My eating style is different from a lot of bloggers simply by virtue of my schedule. I eat a lot of leftovers because I cook at the beginning of the week. And I definitely only eat things I enjoy! Life’s too short. I’m glad you found a way to get your chia in!
Love this post – I hope your thoughts travel all around the blog world! And I’m with you…not a fan of chia pudding… but also thankful I was able to read about it and discover that for myself! (I’m also not an oatmeal person, but hopefully i make it up to you by still dreaming about your “hummus” cookie pie! :). Thanks always for speaking honestly and doing what you do. And for chocolate-coating it!
Mmmm I will never stop chocolate-coating things ;).
There are plenty of foods I don’t like — #1 being coconut!!! I’ll trade you all the coconuts in the world for the avocados that you don’t like 🙂
I don’t feel pressured to eat/try certain foods, I feel more pressure to make sure everything is organic, from mindful companies, etc — and for me that is hard to keep up with. I do the best I can but I’m not perfect.
Deal!!! 🙂
Great trick! I am all about getting the most volume out of the least ingredients!! 🙂
I don’t feel pressured to eat foods I don’t like-I typically will find a modification for the ingredient to make it more suitable for me! I am pretty open-minded when it comes to trying new foods though and willing to try pretty much anything!
Enjoy a lovely day!
I will make myself try a food even if I don’t think I’ll like it, but I won’t (and CANT) make myself actually like something. That’s just life!
Although, I think we balance the blog world perfectly. You can have all the icky coconut shtuff and I’ll take all of the avocado deliciousness. Deal?
Haha yes! You and Holly (@therunnyegg) can help yourselves to my portion of green avocado mush! 😉
What a great post! So true indeed: what we enjoy and how much we require is so unique to us and not the same for everybody. When I was little I was forced to eat veggies, nuts and other things I didn’t enjoy as I didn’t like them at all. Coincidentally, now, I love them– maybe eating a few things I didn’t like caused me to love them in adult life 🙂
Really though, so spot- on. We shouldn’t eat foods we don’t like just because we think it’s healthy. Lucky for us there’s SO many more options out there to get in healthy nutrition!
Also, I heart chia seeds!
I agree with ALL of your statements and feel the same way about posting my own daily eats. It’s never gonna happen. I also may never try chia seeds. Not my thang. Although, your voluminous oatmeal bowl is tempting me.
I have been trying to like avacado and cottage cheese for awhile….YUCK!! I dont wanna force-feed them any longer haha. I am actually still on the fence about chia seeds, I need to get more to try again 🙂 great post girl!!
I actually don’t like chia seeds either. I think they have no taste whatsoever and they get stuck in my teeth…yuck! I know they have good nutrients but I would rather eat nuts or flax for the same nutrients because atleast those add some flavor! Chia’s are just kind of….blaaaah.
That’s why I hate sesame seeds! They always get stuck in my teeth! Sooo annoying!
And I just tried Nutzo and love it… except for those seeds getting stuck. 🙁
Yay for this post 🙂 agreed that life is too short to eat things we don’t like. And everyone likes different things! That’s what there are so many interesting kinds of food.
I am so trying chia seeds in oats. I put them in smoothies to thicken them up but I’d never think to do it with oats.!