How do ya chia?
Morning! How’s your day going so far?
Last night, I hit up the gym for a little HIIT and strength. One of my favorite HIIT methods of late has been alternating cardio modes for each set. I did 10 minutes on the treadmill (sprinting the chorus of each song, hills during the verses), 10 on the indoor rower (30 seconds hard, 30 seconds easy) and five on the stair mill.
After that fun, I busted out some strength from the Winter Shape Up Week 3 workout. Boom.
A sweaty, grainy pic:
(Cropped the elliptical guy out. Didn’t think he’d want to be on my blog haha)
Wednesdays are writing days, so madre comes over for a few hours so play with Livi. I’ll usually park myself at a coffeehouse and crank out as much as I can, and it’s been amazing for getting some progress done on the book, which is due in less than a month. Today, breakfast is already packed up and ready to go:
Chia pudding is one of my go-to healthy, portable breakfasts. (I also adore breakfast cookies, cookie dough cereal and egg burritos.)
Just let two tablespoons of chia seeds soak in almond milk (1/2 cup) overnight, or at least for a couple of hours. Then, after it’s reached a nice gelatinous texture, I stir in more almond milk, 1/2 scoop of protein powder and layer the mixture with fruit and/or cereal.
Currently digging:
I layered the mixture with the above granola, berries, banana and some smoothie I had leftover from Whole Foods. (A maca malt that was extremely thick so I thought I’d be lovely with the pudding.)
Ready to feast:
Even though I love chia seeds, I realized that I don’t have a ton of uses for them. They’re great in pudding, yogurt, blended into smoothies or as an addition to baked goods (like these pancakes!), but that’s about as crazy as I get.
Any fun uses for chia seeds?
Here are some of the benefits, if you’ve never tried them:
-They’re an unprocessed whole-grain food that can be absorbed by the body (unlike flax). They provide a dose of healthy fats, protein, fiber and antioxidants, and have a mild, nutty flavor.
-Studies have shown that chia seeds have possible effectiveness on allergies, performance enhancement, heart health and hormonal disorders (source), though more research is needed.
-Chia seeds are hydrating. Since they’re known for soaking up liquid, they can help to provide additional hydration benefits by including them in a smoothie, yogurt or pudding.
-The healthy fats boost brain power, and the combination of fat, protein and carbohydrates can provide increased energy levels.
Tip: make sure to have some floss on hand 😉
Hope you have a wonderful day!
xoxo
Gina
Check in with your daily workout here!
THE GREAT MOVING SALE: Since Sasha and I are both moving, we thought we’d throw a little Soli Beat party. This week, Soli Beat is available for $7 off (discount shows at checkout). It’s a fun steady state cardio option, especially during the wintery weather. xo
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Too funny….your comment to make sure to have floss on hand! I love it! Chia seeds totally stick in between my teeth. I toss mine in greek yogurt or when I fry egg whites (I know it’s weird). I also get plenty of chia seeds in my favorite peanut butter NutZo. It’s heaven! Where is the granola from? I hear it calling my name.
I love chia! I eat some almost every day. I made my first batch of chia pudding a few days ago and it’s still sitting in the fridge; for some odd reason, I’m not craving it.
I found a recipe using cold coffee, almond milk, chia, almond butter, and a couple other ingredients.
Your photos make it look appetizing.
Happy writing day.
I have them all the time!! I put some in my smoothie this morning and let it sit for an hour before I drank it…so yummy!
I have a raw strawberry jam recipe that uses chia seeds to thicken. (1 cup mashed berries, 1 TB water if needed, 1 TB Chia seeds, little sweetener if needed). Should keep in the fridge about 2 weeks. Hoping to try it out today!
Ha – I made the mistake last year when I bought chia seeds for the first time. I took a big scoop and stirred it into my Greek yogurt at work… and walked around the entire day with a bunch of chia seeds in between my teeth. Definitely need the floss. 🙂
I don’t know – maybe the elliptical guy would have liked being on your blog? 😉
your chia is so pretty! i am so happy you love chia too 🙂 xo
Love chia, I’ve been eating for about 5 years thanks to my naturopathic mom’s suggestion when I stated my absolute hate to the Nth degree for flax. I STILL get people asking me if I am eating my chia pet when I make this, lol.
My check-in today for the WSU is 7.9 mile run to work this morning at (tempo at marathon pace of 8:34), I’m walking into crossfit for a lunch WOD (hate that word also), and this evening is a run/bike brick training for Ironman.
I sprinkle chia seeds on the inside of my turkey sandwiches! Also in PB&Js! Or it would be good sprinkled on a piece of bread with almond butter. Yum…
I put chia seeds in my overnight oats to make them really thick and creamy.
I’ve always wanted to make chia pudding at home, but don’t use either almond milk or protein powder. I assume normal milk would work just as well, but do I need to find a substitute for the powder? I’ve seen recipes with honey in which seems very different! Any suggestions? Yours looks so appetizing!
My most common use for chia seeds is in overnight oats. They just help everything plump and soak up! I’ve also thrown them in smoothies. But that’s really where my use ends! I eat overnight oats and smoothies a lot thought so I always have chia on hand.
I love chia! But you’re right, I don’t use it in super fun stuff.
I have been wanting to buy chia seeds for so long now but haven’t because they can be a little pricey. I am going to buy them next time I go to a natural grocers though!!
When I use chia seeds I usually put them in my overnight oats. I did once make an orange chia seed muffin recipe, as a play on a lemon poppy seed muffin, and they turned out great!
I really need to break out my chia seeds again. They’ve been abandoned for so long now. This is a great portable breakfast recipe!
I have been wanting to try chia seeds for a long time now, but was never sure what to make with them. Thanks for the tips and new idea.
I don’t get too crazy with chia either, but I do love the nutritional benefits of it! I typically sprinkle it on my toast, add it to smoothies, cereal, yogurt, and oatmeal. I’ve also made jam with it before! That was fun and pretty yummy.
I’ve got to try that! I keep meaning to do chia pudding and then I never do. Sounds so good, though.
Love the switching it up for HIIT idea. I might try that today.
Now I know how you get it all done–having a writing day is a great idea! I might have to incorporate that into my life because I’m finding it difficult to find time to write more of the meaningful posts I’ve been wanting to.
Thanks for all the inspiration!
it’s fun to switch things up for HIIT 🙂
and yes. if i didn’t have help with liv, there’s no way i could write this thing. i have it figured out where i can write blog posts during nap time and before she wakes in the am, but adding in the book, i knew i’d need some time to get it cranked out during the day. 🙂
I need to jump on this chia seed train, I doubt Id use them more than in pancakes and smoothies but they still seem like a good thing to have around.
I like to sprinkle them over salad… may sound weird, but my salads don’t last long enough for the chia to get “jellied”.
i don’t think i’ve tried them on salads! great idea 🙂
Your last point – floss!! Totally haha!! Nothing worse than gelled chia seeds in your teeth! I use them in oatmeal too, but you’re right, limited for how to use them!! Totally going to gel them like this!
hahah! there have been SO many times i’ve realized i’ve been walking around with chia in my teeth. sexy 🙂
Love them stirred into yogurt or sprinkled over the top of a super thick smoothie like sprinkles 🙂
I also love adding them to homemade energy balls or granola bars!
ohh, i love them in granola bars too!
I usually just drink a Tbsp of chia mixed in water, but my boyfriend makes a cayenne, lemon juice and apple cider vinegar chia drink. Its awful.
that is hardcore
chia pudding–nothing fancy! coconut cream, chia seeds, cocoa powder, and sweetner of choice (i don’t use anything b/c the coconut cream is sweet enough for me). stir, chill overnight, and enjoy. yummmm!
the classic never dies 🙂
Thanks for posting about chia seeds. I have never tried them. I would love to try them mixed with my Greek yogurt and granola that I enjoy every morning :).
hope you enjoy them 🙂
I tried chia seeds in a smoothie with banana, coconut water, cocoa powder, and goji berries. Was yummy. But definitely needed the floss afterwards:)
that sounds like an incredible combo!
Sounds like an awesome workout!
That chia pudding parfait looks amazing!! I’ve been loving adding chia seeds to my yogurt bowls. I’ll definitely be adding them to smoothies and oatmeal as well now! And floss is definitely a good thing to have. I’ve been out of the house with a few of those suckers stuck in my teeth before..
haha they cling on for dear life!
Chia!! My favourite chia recipe also happens to be a *ahem* great hang-over cure: A couple tablespoons in water, fresh squeezed lime juice, and a splash of orange juice for sweetness.
awesome 🙂
I wanna try that delicious chia breakfast!!!!!!
let me know if you do!
I love just adding them to my protein powder shake in the morning, when I’m in a hurry and on the run. Almond milk, protein powder, chia seeds. Boom! Gotta wait for a bit though because I want them to get the gelatin quality! That’s how I like them.
same. i like them better that way 😉
I’ve actually used chia seeds to make a “jelly/jam.” I defrost some frozen berries and mash them up with some chia seeds, and a little bit of honey and let it sit in the fridge overnight. It’s just like jelly but without all the added sugar!
amazing!! i can’t wait to try this!
I love Chia and my favorite is probably putting it in smoothies or on my yogurt in the morning! 🙂
I just cannot handle the texture of jellied chias. I love to make granola at home and I always add chia seeds and quinoa to it! The granola is much more crunchy that way. I will say that I like flax more than chia though and go through it so quickly compared to the sad chia bag that’s in my fridge for the longest time. I like adding chias to muffins as well – I usually grind them first. They turn out so moist that way!
that’s a great idea! i never thought of grinding them
CUTE BREAKFAST!
I’m plain Jane when it comes to chia seeds – all about the smoothies for a nice thick consistency. When we’re talking seeds, I generally prefer hemp hearts for a salad topping and that sort of thing (a little more versatile than chia seeds but also awesome health benefits!).
I just shared my go-to chia pudding recipe today, too! I haven’t tried stirring in protein powder but I love topping mine with peanut butter and banana!
Maca malt??? Sounds yum. Please share.
My mom picked me up a package of chia seeds the last time she went grocery shopping, and I’ve been putting them in my smoothies. I was kind of even surprised that she knew chia seeds were a thing, but I guess she had been eating a cereal with them in it.
That breakfast looks amazing. I like to put chia seeds in overnight oatmeal with 1/2 c gluten free oats, 1 c almond milk, mashed banana, cinnamon & nutmeg. Also good served warm ;).
I made chia seed pudding this morning mixing it with almond milk to start then pumpkin and yogurt.
Usually I’ll use chia seeds in a smoothie or recently in overnight oatmeal which is my newest breakfast craving. Absolutely love it! Can’t wait to try your chia pudding recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I love chia pudding for a dessert or snack!!
Did you try the Life-changing loaf of bread (from My New Roots)? It’s one of the ways I use chia seeds 🙂
I add them to my breakfast cookies to firm it up a bit. Not revolutionary, but really makes a difference for me in texture!
I love chia in lemon water! Of course, chia carob pudding is always a fun snack, too!
I’ve cooked with chia seeds and I have sprinkled them on yogurt, but I’ve never tried chia parfaits or puddings. I know the Fresh Market has new chia pods that I really want to try out. They come in different flavors. They are pricey, but they look fun to try
Due in less than a month? So soon – good luck! I’ll look forward to reading it 🙂 Also your breakfast has me wanting to get more chia again soon. You make them look so pretty…
Diggin’ the chia pudding recipe! I just bought some mason jars, and I’m ready to buy my first non-As Seen on TV chia!
I just came across this raspberry chia jam recipe and am very intrigued. Seems like it would work and be delicious! http://www.ahouseinthehills.com/ahouseinthehills/2014/1/28/raspberry-chia-jam.html
that looks amazing!!
Where did you buy the Go Raw Chocolate Granola?
whole foods