chia seeds

The word about the benefits of Chia Seed has really snowballed in the last few years. However, as this is not a food with which most of us are familiar, some of us may be at a loss to know how to prepare it for consumption. However, it is easy to prepare Chia Seed in a number of ways that are quick and easy. As Chia Seed has little or no taste of its own, it is usually added to other foods.

Probably the easiest way to receive all the health benefits of Chia Seed is to prepare it for drinking. A great way to begin the day is with your favorite fruit juice reinforced with Chia Seeds. To do this, it is only necessary to put a tablespoon of Chia Seeds into the juice. Stir it around and wait for five to ten minutes. By this time, the Chia Seeds will have dissolved into the juice. Stir the juice again and drink. Nothing could be simpler.

Chia Seeds can also be prepared as a gel to be added to almost any food. To make Chia Seed gel, you will need a plastic container that can be sealed. The ratio of water to Chia Seed will be 9 to 1, so begin by putting the water into your container. As you add the Chia Seed, be sure to stir it to prevent the formation of lumps. Let your mixture stand for about 10 minutes, then stir it again. It is now ready for immediate use. This mixture can be kept refrigerated for 2 weeks. The Chia Seed gel can now easily be added to soup, pudding, salad dressing, or cereal, among other things. The gel adds no flavor of its own, and is even said to enhance the flavor of the food to which it was added. Children will love Chia Seed gel added to their smoothies or milkshakes.

While it would be possible to grind Chia Seeds yourself, it is going to be much easier for you to buy the flour from a reputable company. Chia Seed flour can be used in almost any baked recipe, either using Chia Seed flour only, or mixing it with another flour, often in a ration of one part Chia Seed flour to three parts other flour. Chia Seed flour has a higher moisture content than other flours and when using it in a recipe, you should allow the baked goods to remain in the oven for 15% to 20% longer. Chia Seed flour can also be sprinkled into the slow cooker when making stew or added to almost any dish, even meat dishes and casseroles. Every meal can be made that much healthier with the addition of Chia Seed.