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Objects may be smaller than they appear and that is certainly the case with this image and the actual size of Chia Seeds. They are really the size of a grain of sand. Have you ever heard the saying, green is the new black? Well, Chia Seeds are the new Flaxseeds. If you can get past the “Cha Cha Cha Chia…” infomercial theme song, they really are a great addition to your diet.

While Chia Seeds may be the new Flax Seeds, they are not new. There is evidence that the seeds were first used as food as early as 3500 B.C. The seeds were eaten alone and mixed with other seed crops, drank as a beverage when dissolved in water, ground into flour, included in medicines, and pressed for oil.

I first read about using Chia Seeds for endurance sports in this amazing book Born to Run, that made me want to be a runner, a barefoot runner. It still hasn’t happened, but it’s on my list!

Here are the top 7 reasons to eat Chia Seeds:

1. Chia Seeds are high in Omega 3 – 1 oz of Chia Seeds has 4915mg of Omega 3. Omega 3 fatty acids are loaded with protein which is great for healthy skin, hair, and nails. Chia Seeds are also high in calcium.

2. Chia Seeds are great for vegetarians because unlike Flaxseed, Chia Seeds can be stored for long periods without becoming rancid and don’t require grinding. The oil they contain does not go rancid because of the high level of antioxidants.

3. 1/4 cup of Chia Seeds has 160 calories and a whopping 11 grams of fiber.

4. 30% of the Chia Seed’s oil is Omega 3 oil. 40% of its oil is Omega 6 oil. This provides the nice balance for those who take supplemental Essential Fatty Acids.

5. You do not need to grind the Chia Seeds to digest. It is a relatively easy to digest seed, whereas flax seeds are not.

6. The Chia Seeds are great for athletes because they are highly hydrophilic. Being hydrophilic means it absorbs large amounts of water. Chia Seeds can absorb over 10 times their weight in water making them a great enhancer in hydrating our bodies. They absorb the water we drink holding it in our system longer.

7. Studies show that eating Chia Seed slows down how fast our bodies convert carbohydrate calories into simple sugars. This leads scientists to believe that the Chia Seed may have great benefits for diabetics.

How to use Chia Seeds

Add a scoop to your water bottle before running or working out.

Sprinkle on yogurt, salad, oatmeal or just about anything.

Try my favorite breakfast smoothie…..

• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1 tablespoon soy yogurt
• 1 teaspoon – 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon chocolate vegetarian protein powder
• 1/4 cup dry oatmeal slightly moistened with water
• 1-2 tablespoons Chia Seeds
• 1/2 cup ice

Blend all ingredients and enjoy!

I know what you’re thinking…”healthy” muffins. Whenever I think of a “healthy” muffin, I think it will be dry and flavorless. Thanks to Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero, authors of  Vegan with a Vengeance : Over 150 Delicious, Cheap, Animal-Free Recipes That Rock, “healthy” food actually tastes really good. I just finished baking a batch of their Banana-Wheat Germ Muffins from  Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook and they are delicious!

Banana-Wheat Germ Muffins

• 1 cup soy milk (I used Silk light)
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 3/4 cup wheat germ
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray.

Pour the soy milk into a measuring cup and add the vinegar to it. Set it aside to curdle. Meanwhile, mash the bananas in a large ixing bowl. Add the soy milk mixture to the bowl along with the oil, sugar, and vanilla, and mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, wheat germ, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Add this to the banana mixture and use a wooden spoon to getnly stir the ingredients, until all the dry ingredients are just moistened. Fill the muffin cups three-quarters full and bake for 22 minutes. Remove from the oven and, once cool enough to handle, transfer to a cooling rack to cool the rest of the way.

Try them warm, right out of the oven!

Hummus is packed full of healthy fats and protein and one of my favorite spreads/dips or however you want to classify it. This is a recipe that I have changed slightly  from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan: Everyday Vegan Recipes Worth Celebrating

3/4 cup raw cashews

6 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

1 clove garlic

1 tbsp tahini

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp sea salt

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1-2 tbsp ground flaxseed

4-6 tbsp water (to thin dip as desired)

In a food processor, combine cashews with 3 tbsp lemon juice and puree until almost smooth. Add remaining ingredients except water and remaining lemon juice and puree again until smooth, gradually adding lemon juice and water as desired to thin dip. Season to taste with additional salt or lemon juice. (I make mine really lemony!)

Serve with veggies or toasted pita points or use as spread for sandwiches. Enjoy!

This is a favorite recipe of mine. I serve it over pasta or veggie hot dogs.

Cincinnati Chili

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 12 oz. pkg. frozen veggie burger crumbles
• 1 Tbsp. minced garlic
• 1 Cup tomato sauce
• 1 cup water
• 2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and saute the onions until tender. Mix in the veggie burger crumbles and garlic and cook until the crumbles are no longer frozen. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until thickened.

Serve over pasta or veggie dogs and top with shredded soy cheese and diced onion.

I am all about a smooth soup. I typically blend almost any soup I make so I was really excited to find a soup recipe that included blending in the directions! I recently wrote about The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide to Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving the Planet HERE. The latest addition to my Vegan cookbook collection is The Conscious Cook: Delicious Meatless Recipes That Will Change the Way You Eat (thanks Mom and Dad!)

I made several (all very successful) recipes from this book over the weekend and this was one of my favorites.

tomato bisque

• Sea salt                                                                         1 (28oz) can whole fire roasted
• 4 tablespoons Earth Balance                                     tomatoes, juice included
• 1 onion, chopped                                                        1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 carrot, chopped                                                       Leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1 stalk celery, chopped                                             1  bay leaf
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed                                         Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour      1 1/2 cups regular Cashew Cream
• 5 cups faux chicken stock                                       Parsley for garnish

1. Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Sprinkle the bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute. Add the Earth Balance adn stir until melted, being careful not to let it burn. This will create a nonstick effect. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and continue cooking and stirring for 2 minutes.

2. Add the stock, tomatoes with juice, parsley, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then add the Cashew Cream. Continue to simmer (do not boil) for 10 minutes.

3. Remove the bay leaf. Working in batches, pour the soup into a blender, cover the lid with a towel (the hot liquid tends to erupt), and blend on high for several minutes, until very smooth. Pour the soup through a fine-mesh sieve. Ladle into bowls and garnish with parsley.

Find Tal Ronnen’s recipe for cashew cream (great in soups, dips, sauces and desserts!) HERE.