CHIA........

My Chia arrived today. In case you aren’t familiar with Chia, here’s the lowdown: Salvia hispanica (Chia) is a plant of the genus Salvia in the family Lamiaceae native to Mexico. 

It was cultivated by the Aztecs in pre-Columbian times, and was so valued that it was given as an annual tribute by the people to the rulers. It is still widely used in Mexico and South America, with the seeds ground for nutritious drinks and as a food source.

Chia seeds are typically small ovals with a diameter of about one millimetre. They are mottle-coloured with brown, gray, black and white. Chia seeds typically contain 20% protein, 34% oil, 25% dietary fibre (mostly soluble with high molecular weight), and significant levels of antioxidants (chlorogenic and caffeic acids, myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol flavonols). The oil from Chia seeds contains a very high concentration of omega-3 fatty acid — approximately 64%. Chia seeds contain no gluten and trace levels of sodium. The seeds can be eaten raw or added to nearly any food without affecting the flavour. Sprouted seeds can be added to salads or sandwiches in the same way as alfalfa sprouts. Many people enjoy using Chia seeds in their baked goods as a fat replacement as well.

Chia plants and seeds are very hardy. This is not surprising considering that they thrive in low-moisture areas like California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona. In fact, the danger for Chia plants comes with potential over-watering. This is why it is important to grow any Chia shrub away from lawns and other thirsty plants.

Chia seeds are mucilaginous. When they get wet, a slippery, mucus layer begins to form. The seeds then become hard to handle. This can happen in as little as five minutes. For this reason, the seeds must be carefully stored and kept dry.

Planting Chia seeds simply requires scattering them over soil and raking lightly. If starting these plants in flats, they do best in light, porous soil. Later they should be transplanted to an area that gets a lot of sun.

Chia plants are what are known as "fire following plants." Ancient cultivators found that if they burned the plant after harvest, next year's crop was more plentiful. Sprinkle some burned remnants of the shrub over newly planted seed to quicken germination.

In addition, the Chia plant is self sowing because the seeds naturally drop off the plant. If they are not eaten by birds and mice, they should grow into new plants.

In temperate areas such as ours, planting is best done in spring, at the latest early summer. The plants need full sun to grow best. They are not frost tolerant. The Chia plants have small flower clusters which are purple or white with a spike on the end of each stem.

Observe your Chia plants as they flower. The bloom will fade, dry and turn yellow. Choose a time to harvest after the bloom has dried, but before the seeds have fallen on their own.

Pull the entire plant out of the ground. As the Chia is an annual plant, this is the easiest way to harvest the seeds and you will not be ruining further growth of the plant.

Beat the dried flower blooms against the inside edge of a container and the seeds will fall into the container.

This annual herb grows up to three feet tall with leaves that are two or three inches long and up to two inches wide.

CHIA RECIPES:

Lemonada 

1 Tbsp chia seeds 

½ cup water 

4 apples 

½ lemon 

Soak the chia in ½ cup water, whisk to distribute seeds evenly. Juice or blend the apples and lemon. Mix in chia/water. No need for sugar if you enjoy the bite. 

Peach/Mango Smoothie 

1 1/2 cups milk of choice 

1 cup peaches or mango (canned or fresh) 

3-5 dates, soaked and drained 

¼ cup orange juice 

½ cup water 

1 Tbsp Chia seeds 

Soak the Chia in ½ cup water, whisk to distribute seeds evenly. Blend fruit, orange juice, and dates and freeze for half an hour. Return to blender with milk until frothy. Mix in Chia/water. 

Chocolate Brittle
• 35 salted or unsalted soda crackers
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup Thomson raisins
• ¼ cup shaved coconut
• ¼ cup Superseeds Chia

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Cover cookie sheet with foil. Spray foil with cooking oil spray
2. Place crackers on foil covering the entire cookie sheet
3. Cut butter into and melt at MED heat in saucepan, add brown sugar slowly and stir well until it’s boiled for a few seconds
4. Pour evenly over crackers. Bake 17 - 20 minutes (should bubble but not burn)
5. Sprinkle mixed chocolate chips over crackers/butter mix. Spread after 2 minutes when chips have softened.(try a wet spoon to spread if its sticky)
6. Sprinkle chia, nuts, raisins and coconut evenly over melted chocolate.( press down lightly to secure)
7. Refrigerate 1 hour
8. Break into smaller pieces once cooled and store in fridge or freezer

Pina Colada 

(Make sure you have one of those paper umbrellas for decoration!) 

½ cup water 

1Tbsp Chia 

1 cup any juice 

1 cup pineapple juice

½ cup fresh or canned coconut milk 

Soak the Chia in ½ cup water, whisk to distribute seeds evenly. Blend the rest in blender until smooth. Mix in Chia/water. 

Anti-oxidant Re-energiser

Combine the anti-oxidants from the chia and grapes with pineapple’s natural healing enzyme bromelain, and you have a powerful re-energiser.

½ cup water 

1Tbsp Chia 

2 cups red grapes 

1 cup fresh pineapple slices 

½ lemon 

Soak the Chia in ½ cup water, whisk to distribute seeds evenly. Blend the rest in blender until smooth. Mix in Chia/water. 

Making Chia Gel is Easy

Add 1/3 cup Chia seeds to 2 cups water (filtered). That is, use 2 cups water for every 1/3 cup chia seeds. This makes a 9:1 ratio (water to seed), which is an ideal ratio for a basic Chia gel. You can experiment with using more or less water, depending on your preference, or the consistency of the food item to which you’re adding it.

Put water (slightly warm water will form gel faster) into a container with a tight-fitting lid (e.g., a mason jar). Pour dry seeds into the water. Shake container for 15 seconds. Let stand for 1 minute and shake again. This mixture (Chia Gel) will store in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

How to Use

Add this mixture up to equal parts by weight to sauces, drinks, yogurt, salad dressings, cream cheese (or cream cheese substitutes), jams, jellies, preserves, salsa, hot/cold cereals, yogurt, dips, puddings, soups, or other liquid or creamy foods. The gel won’t affect flavour, but definitely increases nutritional value.

Tip for Blood Sugar Regulation: For individuals with diabetes or anyone desiring to stabilise blood sugar levels, research suggests taking 3 tablespoons of Chia gel with each meal for an optimal slowing of the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar, as well as providing better absorption of the foods eaten.  
Please check with your doctor before trying this information.