"What is that in your water?" has probably been the most common statement I've heard about my usual water beverage (water + chia seeds) in the past two years. These seeds have been called a variety of names, including "tadpoles," "frog eyes," and "sesame boba." When they learn that the seeds are actually chia seeds, they say, "oh, so like the chia pet?" or "ch-ch-ch chia!" Yes, these are those seeds that form a chia pet.
Chia seeds mixed with water and organic honey
Besides being cute or unusual, chia seeds are quite nutritious and are a good source of Omega 3's. They are also a convenient and cheap (a pound of organic chia seeds go for around 10 USD) option for energy in beverages; now, you can even see chia seed beverages in markets! Chia seeds also keep the body hydrated, with each seed able to absorb 9-12 times its weight in water. The taste? In water, hydrated chia seeds provides a slightly sweet taste, with a soft, gelatinous exterior and lightly crunchy interior. Hydrated basil seeds, on the other hand, are crunchier (like a lychee) on the outside, and slightly more crunchier on the inside.
Chia seeds mixed with Silk Organic Vanilla Soymilk, water, and organic honey
Although I prefer drinking chia seeds in water (sometimes with lemon and/or honey), there are plenty of other ways to enjoy chia seeds. Mixed with some soymilk, the combination of the two ingredients becomes a smooth, delicious beverage reminiscent of tapioca dessert soup, only that the tapioca has been replaced with chia seeds. One of my friends tried chia seeds with chocolate soymilk and enjoyed it quite a bit.
 |
| Red tea and chia seeds (lightly hydrated) |
Tea likewise is a good candidate for a chia seed beverage. Essentially, almost anything that can go with basil seeds goes well with chia seeds!
You can make hydrated chia seeds by soaking chia seeds in a liquid of your choice. If soaked in water, they can last for more than a week, but usually by then I'd be finished. Sometimes they are just addicting to chew on!
(Happy 300th post!)
You can make hydrated chia seeds by soaking chia seeds in a liquid of your choice. If soaked in water, they can last for more than a week, but usually by then I'd be finished. Sometimes they are just addicting to chew on!
(Happy 300th post!)
Comments
Usually just about 10 minutes or so; you can put the dry seeds directly into the soymilk or tea if you wish. The amount of seeds depends on you-- I think the soymilk had a 1/2 tablespoon (dry) and it was quite a generous amount! You can leave prepared, hydrated seeds in the fridge for a few days or just keep them dry and add them to your beverage as you wish; it's all up to you!