Chia Seeds

[Aurelie48]

For all the great benefits of Chia Seeds, I'd like to take it more often.

Yesterday, I soaked about 1/3 cup of seeds to 2 cups pure water and placed it in the fridge overnight. This morning, I put 1/2 cup of the 'gel' in the Vitamix to smooth up and added that to my juiced orange/pineapple. It was really good. I am wondering if there is an easier way to have done this. I think I could have just grinded up the 2 tsp. of actual seeds and then put it in the juice or smoothie, but I heard the longer it sits, the more nutrients are extracted from the seeds.

Also, does anyone know what the safe 'dosage' would be if taken every day?
Thanks

[sport]

I am a big fan.
I soak 2 largespoonfuls in water in a bowl and let stand. They are ready in 20 minutes.
I then either chop 2 bananas in to the bowl or preferably I scoop the seeds out of 2 papayas and replace with the chia and just eat.
I like the texture and the taste is so light that it will not mask anything.
Did I say I was a big fan. Well I am a big fan.

[GlimR]

I grind enough to fill a small jar and keep it in my freezer (like flax seed) I put a heaping T or two in my smoothies every morning. You'd never know it was there.

[raweater]

I have a solid/powder blend of all the solid items I add to my smoothies, it has chia seeds, hemp seeds, green ground stevia leaf, celtic sea salt, spirulina, maca, mesquite all mixed togheter in the right proportions. I then add 2 tbsp of this mix to every smoothie I make.

I used to open up the 7 jars one by one each time I made a smoothie, got sick of so much jar opening and made this pre made smoothie mix. I keep it in the fridge due to the hemp seeds.

Do you get more benefits out of chia if you let it soak?

[raweater]

I grind enough to fill a small jar and keep it in my freezer (like flax seed) I put a heaping T or two in my smoothies every morning. You'd never know it was there.
I don't know about chia, but flax seed goes rancid VERY quickly after grinding, I beleive I read 15 minutes but I may be wrong. Even if you freeze it, it may have time to go rancid before it freezes.

Also, if you put them in smoothies, why pre grind anyway? I put whole seeds in my smoothies, they'll get grinded in the blender.

[Eveleaf]

I soak the seeds like sport described and keep a jar of the soaked and ready "gel" in my fridge at all times. Then I make chocolate pudding with them. :o

Throw in a food processor with coconut butter, agave, and cacao powder. The seeds have no taste whatsoever and the result is a mild, chocolately, tapioca-like (from the shape of the chia seeds) pudding. yummy...

[raweater]

You mean there are no other thickeners in your pudding than the chia gel? Would you mind posting the detailed recipe? And chia to water ratio for soaking?

Thanks

[Eveleaf]

I'll have to go by memory since I haven't made this fresh in about a week and I'm at work at the moment.

To make the seeds it is 1/3 cup dry seeds soaked in two cups water. I add extra water, so it's usually 2.5 cups or so, because I find the resulting "gel" is a bit too thick with only two cups.

Process approximately (sorry, you'd have to adjust for your tastes anyway)
1/3 c coconut butter
1/3 c honey or agave
1/3 c cacao powder
1 cup chia "gel"

[Aurelie48]

Thank you all for your input. It sure does help. I like the idea of the pudding where the seeds are actually blended in and also putting the seeds in the vitamix for juices/smoothies. The idea of eating the gel with the whole seeds doesn't appeal to me right now, but maybe in time I'll acquire a taste for it. I really want to take it regularly now for all the benefits it provides.

[walnutty]

Where do you get your chia seeds?

[sport]

I got mine from raw food world

[raven]

You can also make a delicious pudding by soaking the chia seeds overnight in almond or another nut milk. Add some vanilla and sweetener and it's to live for. The chia seeds absorb a lot of liquid use about one part seeds to three parts nut milk.

Suzy

[walnutty]

sport,

Could I please have the website for raw food world? I went to rawfoodworld.com and the site did not exist. Thanks!

[sport]

sport,

Could I please have the website for raw food world? I went to rawfoodworld.com and the site did not exist. Thanks!

Shortcut to: http://www.therawfoodworld.com/

[MrMike]

raweater, what are the proportions you use in your smoothie mixture? I just realized that I have all those indregidients :)

[raweater]

This is the mix I make for smoothies:
1 Cup Hemp seeds
1/3 Cup Chia seeds
1/3 cup Mesquite
2 1/4 Tsp Sea Salt
4 Tsp Stevia (green powder, NOT WHITE REFINED STEVIA)
8 Tsp Spirulina
8 Tsp Maca

I then add 2 Tbps of this mix to a 650 ml smoothie.

[MrMike]

Thanks, that sounds pretty good, I've never thought of adding salt to my GS.

[walnutty]

Does anyone have exact measurments for a vanilla chia pudding?

I am especially looking for a replacement for tapioca pudding (which I used to love).

Thanks!

[raven]

i use 1 part chia seeds to 4 parts sweetened nut milk and a bit of vanilla flavor. i pour the nut milk over the seeds and stir it well with a whisk and then let the mixture sit for a couple of hours. turns out great.

suzy

[RawKnitster]

Rcommended ratio for soaking chia seeds is 1 part seeds to 9 parts water. I put in a jar and shake up a few times until they don't sink to the bottom, this will avoid clumping. The info I have says it will store in the fridge for 2 weeks, but I only make 2 days worth at a time.

Here is a link to my favorite chia pudding recipe: Coconut Raisin Chia Pudding http://goneraw.com/node/10692

[LisaCorine]

Is coconut butter different from solidified coconut oil?

If so can I subsitute the solidified oil in the recipe anyway?