May Recipe of the Month: Chia Seeds, Feel the Power!

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They were originally cultivated by the Aztecs as early as 3500 B.C. and were valued for their nutritional and medicinal properties.

Chis Seeds
Today, chia seeds are sought after for their high content of omega 3 fatty acids, fiber and numerous vitamins and minerals. Chia can also increase fat-burning metabolism and help improve one’s hydration.

Try this easy coconut chia protein pancake recipe for a new way to add chia and coconut to your diet. Remember that both coconut and Chia, feed and protect the brain! We need to bring much more healthy fats into our diets.

Coconut Chia Protein Pancakes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS:
  • 1/4 cup GF pancake flour
  • 2 tbsp coconut flour
  • 3 Tbsp vanilla protein powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  •  pinch of sea salt
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp coconut flakes
  • 1 egg
  • 4 tbsp almond milk
DIRECTIONS:
  1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl. Then add wet ingredients and stir together.
  2. Heat a pan and coat with coconut oil. Pour 2 tbsp of batter to form each pancake.
  3. Cook a few minutes. Once it starts to bubble on top, flip and cook an additional minute or two.
Chia Seed Jam

Besides being rich in antioxidants, chia seeds are special because of their gelatinous properties: once immersed in liquid, the seeds inflate and give off a jellylike texture. This means that instead of loading up the jam with refined sugar to make sure it thickens, we can rely on chia seeds to thicken the fruit and sweeten the blackberries with just a touch of honey instead.

Treat this recipe as you would any other jam – slather it generously on a piece of toast with almond butter, stir it into your morning oatmeal, or fold it into a yogurt parfait.

Blackberry, Blueberry or Raspberry Chia Jam
Serves 6 to 8
  • 1 cup blackberries
  • 1 nectarine (or peach), cored and cubed
  • Half a lemon, juiced
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons honey
  • 2 tablespoons chia seeds

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the blackberries, cubed nectarine and lemon juice. As the fruit heats up and the juices bubble and boil, smash the fruit using the back of a fork until they break down. This should take 3 to 5 minutes.

Sweeten the mashed fruit with 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey, to your liking. Add the chia seeds and stir once. Remove from the heat and let the jam set for about 5 minutes to thicken. Cool and transfer to an air tight container and refrigerate. (Makes about 1 cup of jam.)

This jam will typically keep for 2 weeks in the fridge.