Chia: tiny titans of power
As tiny seeds packed full of nutrients, Chia seeds are becoming increasingly popular, especially amongst healthy-eaters who want high protein and fibre without the calories.
But if you’ve never used them before, what do you do with them?
You can do lots more than mix them into a smoothie or sprinkle on your dessert. The seeds ability to absorb liquid until they become a kind of jelly makes them very useful in cooking too.
Here’s a few cooking ideas you might like to try:
1. Chia makes an alternative to pectin. To make a jam, all you need is a soft fruit like strawberries, some chia seeds, sweetener and water. For an indulgent spread you don’t even need water: mix a 3 tablespoons of honey and 40 grams of chia seeds to 300g of berries and cook, stirring, over a low heat until it thickens.
2. Chia means you can go egg-free. In recipes, substitute a tablespoon of ground chia seeds and 3 tablespoons of water for an egg.
3. Use chia instead of breadcrumbs. This is great if you are gluten free. If you’re making nut roast, meatballs, or breaded batter coatings a couple of tablespoons of chia makes a great replacement. For breaded coatings try mixing the chia with polenta/cornmeal.
4. Chia seeds make a great thickener. For soups, gravies and sauces, add one tablespoon of chia or ground chia at a time until you reach your desired thickness. The chia takes time to thicken so this is a slower cooking process. This works really well in slow cookers.
5. Create a thick omelette with chia seeds. Soaking chia with beaten eggs for 10 minutes gives really impressive results.
There’s no difference between white or black chia seeds, though white tends to be more expensive. Raw Health supply 450g jars of organic chia seeds in both white and black varieties, so try it for yourself and feel free to add more suggestions for clever things you can do with chia.
