Just a reminder, my newest giveaway is still running so if you haven’t entered already, go right ahead 😀
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How lucky am I? A couple of days back, Justin from Cheap Super Foods Australia, contacted me, asking me to try some wonderful up and coming raw, organic ingredients from their huge range. As if I could turn down a huge opportunity like that! I know many bloggers, especially Vegan, focusing on all these new foods, so I knew I had plenty of inspiration to start making recipes.
But what are superfoods? Why is using them considered ‘super’ but using caster sugar, isn’t? We are not being ingredient-ist here, but the term ‘superfoods’ means that particular ingredient has been classified as “Food with high nutrient and phytochemical content that may confer health benefits. It has few negative properties if any, considering it is highly unprocessed (natural), does not contain contaminants, saturated fats, artificial ingredients or food additives.” – Wikipedia
When I say ‘phytochemicals’, I mean naturally occurring beneficial chemical compounds in plants, such as antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and polyphenol. I used this think anything ‘organic’ equated in some way, to marijuana and hippie food, tasting like dirt despite any ‘benefits.’ Since I started food blogging, I have learnt a heck of a lot about all of it, and am glad to learn that is not the case! 😀
The wonderful folks from Cheap Super Foods sent me three different 250g samples:
- Cacao Powder
- Coconut Sugar
- Chia Seeds
Let’s begin making raw, organic, totally delicious desserts shall we?
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Chia Seeds:
Grocer: Poppy seeds?
Me: Puh-lease.
Grocer: Sunflower seeds?
Me: Yeah, alright buddy, what-evUH.
Grocer: Pumpkin seeds?
Me: Do I look like I need those?!
Grocer: Perhaps madam would like some… chia seeds?
*Haaaallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, Haaaallle -“
Grocer: Ugh… madam?
Chia seeds are amazing. Drop dead, fabulous, the newest seed on the block and the most popular one at that! The health benefits are never-ending, they can help you out with so many problems and because of their teeny-tiny size, you can quite literally, add them to whatever you eat!
Oh, you want a smoothie? Tip in some chia!
Feeling like oatmeal? Sprinkle some chia!
Making brownies? Mix through some chia!’
Eating a salad? Toss in that chia!
Ok, every health magazine and every health guru just goes about saying how great these seeds are. But why? WHY?
Allow me to shed some light for you and share my own personal experience 😀 – Taken from this source 😀
Chia seeds contain a high number of different nutrients that can bring you a lot of benefits without increasing calorie count! It contains an abnormally high amount of protein (20%) for such a lil seed AND is rich in omega 3, which is really helpful for aiding you in memory and digestion!
Along with how rich it is in antioxidants, it is all full of minerals like calcium and potassium, along with so many different vitamins you would need your toes to count them! And for all you constipated out there, it is full of fibre too (thumbs up!) 🙂
I started eating a spoon a day of chia seeds ground with flaxseed by putting it in my mouth, taking a sip of water to let the dry mixture clump together and then swallowing it. Sounds hard but it actually works 😀
My skin is pretty gorgeous (;)) but after eating that, there was a glow, I cannot really explain it! And my hair is growing faster (I should know, it has taken basically 18 years for it to reach my waist, sheesh!) 😀
Also the strength of my nails and their length. It is all chia!
Also, because weight is so important to maintain, i find after eating it (I used to eat it after breakfast), it does keep you feeling fuller which everyone knows I could use because I am like a cow, housing 4 stomachs instead of 1 😛
So, I decided to make a recipe in which you can eat your breakfast with your chia seeds together. It is so delicious, your head will spin, I promise 😉
These orange chia seed pancakes were super soft and fluffy, and the chia seeds just slipped into my system, unnoticed and delicious – please make this and mix it up by adding in some chocolate chips or cacao powder – the sky’s the limit!
Orange & Poppy Chia Seed Pancakes
Adapted from: Inquiring Chef
Makes: 8 super large pancakes 😀
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbs caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence (or orange)
- 1/4 cup (56g) butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 cups buttermilk (or milk slightly curdled by 1 tbs of lemon juice)
- 1 tbs orange zest
- 2 cups plain flour
- 2 tbs baking powder
- 3 tbs chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Extra butter, for making pancakes
- Optional: Maple syrup, ice cream (my stack features Connoisseur’s Snowy Mountain Blueberry Crumble), bananas and all other pancake toppings!
Method:
- Mix eggs and caster sugar together well with a fork or whisk
- Stir through the melted butter alternately with the buttermilk until mixed through
- Add in the orange zest with vanilla essence and stir
- Add in the plain flour, baking powder, chia seeds and salt
- Mix through until just combined, if the batter is lumpy then it is fine 🙂
- Let batter sit for 10 minutes
- Near the end of the 10 minutes, heat up a frypan at high temperature (I started off at 7, my stove goes to 9) and put some butter on
- Once butter starts bubbling, get a solid 1/4 cup of batter and plop on top of it, using a spoon to spread the pancake out into a nice circle
- Let cool until bubbles begin to appear on top
- Flip and cook the other side until golden brown (remember, NEVER squash down the pancakes with your spatula otherwise you will lose all your air and fluffiness)
- Place pancake on a wire rack, replace the butter on the frypan and bring your temperature down (otherwise there will be burning butter and uneven cooking – my stove eventually ended up at 4, low-medium heat for the last pancake) – Repeat with remaining batter
- Stack on a plate, dress them up and devour like you have never seen food before 🙂
Notes:
- You place the pancakes on a wire rack so they stay slightly crispy outside but soft inside – If you immediately put them on a plate, thus covering their bottom, the condensation will make the pancakes soggy (ugh!)
- To reheat them, just stick them in the grill for a quick second or have an oven preheated at 180 degrees for a few minutes
- Be like Inquiring Chef and use whole wheat flour instead – even healthier (discounting the maple syrup and ice cream of course ;))
Would I recommend buying this product? They last very long in a cool, dry area and are full of antioxidants that you can devour with just about every meal. They are organic and a little expensive but in my opinion, a seed definitely worth fighting for (didya see that little Mulan reference there? :D)
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Cheap Super Foods Australia boasts of the best organic quality in their products and this is definitely evident in the good packaging and delicious flavour. Not only do they have a wide range of ingredients to try such as acai powder (what even…) and goji berries, but check out theirSuperfoods Blog, to get fabulous ideas on how to implement them in day to day recipes!
*Disclaimer: I have received these products courtesy of the company but my opinion of each ingredient was all my own
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it. Pinning it now!
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I love adding chia seeds in pancake. DO it most of the time. Thank you for the wonderful review.
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Loving your Super foods posts- the Chia seed is pretty amazing, you go girl, I am not sure I could down a spoonful of flax seed and chia seeds together all alone 🙂
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I’ve loved chia seeds for a long time without knowing what they really are. Such a bonus point to find out from food bloggers that they are really good for us! 😀
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I love this idea! I think I need to go out and buy some chia seeds. I love it in bread, but didn’t think of putting it in pancakes.
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I can’t say I am a fan of chia seeds, but then I did not know they are this good for you……I like the idea of sticking them up in pancakes. The pan cakes look sensational!
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I could definitely use a package of chia seeds 😀 need to buy them.
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Those are some delicious fluffy looking pancakes. I bet they are a bit more filling with the chia seeds. Do chia seeds taste anything like sesame seeds. I have not tried them yet so will have to keep a look out for them in HK. Take Care, BAM
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To be honest, I don’t really know the exact taste of sesame and chia seeds well enough to precisely tell you, but definitely chia seeds on their own are quite bitter and earthy 🙂
Cheers
CCU
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Chia pancakes sound so good, what a great idea. I use chia seeds a lot so this is another thing I can now add them to!
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Love how extra fluffy these pancakes look! I love chia seeds, my favorite thing to do is add them to my bottled water and let them hydrate. Better than an energy drink! 😀
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I am just discovering how delicious chia seeds are! Love these delectable pancakes!
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I love chia seeds in smoothies! But I’ll eat them in pancakes too 🙂
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Love all this healthy superfood reviews you have going on.. Can’t live without chia seeds. Nope, I cant!!
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Haha you and my mum are one and the same 🙂
Cheers
CCU
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Right on with those pancakes!
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Lovely idea to add them to pancakes, they sound great.
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I hear a whole lots about chia seeds and still they haven’t appeared in the market here. I keep on looking out but no chia seeds. I wish I could try your pancakes Uru, they look super delicious and now I am hungry!
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Ugh that can be frustrating! Perhaps you could order online?
Glad you enjoyed these!
Cheers
CCU
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Haha my mum’s obsessed with chia seeds and for a while, I’d put them in my yoghurt. I’ve stopped doing it though but should perhaps get back on them again…
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Thanks to the blogging world that I am learning about super foods and noticing more of it in the grocery stores..
You have a great blog going on here girl 😉
Have added you in my follow blogs list
Please visit me at simplyvegetarian777@wordpress, whenever you get a chance 🙂
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Thank you so much my friend, can’t wait to check out your blog and undoubtedly, return the favour!
Cheers
CCU
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I like the idea of adding chia seeds to the pancake…I always add it on my morning oatmeal 🙂
Have a great week Uru!
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That is another great way of consuming them 😀
Yum!
Cheers
CCU
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I too agree that adding chia seeds to pancakes is a great and healthy idea.
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Just bought some chia seeds, and was just going to sprinkle them on some yogurt. Your idea of putting them in pancakes is much better!
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Mmm, over yoghurt, that is brilliant 😀
Cheers
CCU
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what a great package to receive!
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Looks so good! Chia seeds are ridiculously expensive here, otherwise they would be a staple in my kitchen.
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That is so true, I wish they were much more affordable – that is why when I got this free package, it was actually a dream come true!
Cheers
CCU
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I learned a lot about chia seeds, I never realized they had all those benefits. Hopefully I can find them around here. That’s a great idea putting them in pancakes, which look wonderful by the way!
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Such a great idea to mix chia seeds into pancakes! I love it!
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I love chia seeds! We add them to everything! Why not pancakes?
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I also love the organic black Chia seeds! This is a sort of power food & it is good that you shout about it. I don’ t use it often enough! I use it in smoothies, pancakes, waffels & in breakfasts! Your ticker fluffy pancakes look so appetizing. Fabulous even!
MMMMMMMM!
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I would love to start making smoothies full of chia regularly 😀
Cheers
CCU
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I love chia seeds, and they sounds great in pancakes! They pack a lot of energy for such tiny, little things.
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I love that you made them into pancakes, Uru! I just did a shake with chia seeds for a post soon…great minds!!!
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You know I love me some pancakes so I know delicious ones when I see them – – and yours look out of sight! I’m all about the wee chia, too ;-).
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Ice cream on top of pancakes…why have I never thought of that. 🙂 Nice post.
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Haha I would never dream of eating pancakes without that 😀
Cheers
CCU
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You are too cute!
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Chia seeds are super popular in low-carb circles too, Uru. How unusual to stick ’em in pancakes. Looks good!
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What a great idea to use chia seeds instead of poppy seeds. My sis SWEARS by chia!
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sold! *runs off to buy chia seeds* 🙂
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hahahahahahahahahaha 😀
Hope you found some!
Cheers
CCU
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These pancakes with chia seeds look great. After reading all these health benefits of chia seeds, I need to use it more regularly 🙂
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I’ve never used chia seeds in pancakes.. Healthy recipe.. Will definitely try.. Do visit my blog.. http://kitchenserenity.blogspot.in/
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Thanks for visiting me my friend 😀
I definitely will!
Cheers
CCU
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ahh yum, they look so tasty! Another great post 😀 I’m off to make me some pancakes!
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Uru, this post came at the right time. I’ve been reading a lot of books and watching a lot of documentaries (like Food Inc. – it’s terrifying!) about the foods we eat, how we should change our diets and the way food is raised/produced. I plan on doing a major overhaul of my diet soon to cut out processed, heavily salted, over-produced, sugary, fatty foods and adding super foods like chia seeds. Your pancakes look incredible! They’re crazy fluffy and I love the orange flavour.
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I totally agree, the more I read about them and other super foods, the more I wonder why I would bother eating processed or non-homemade sweets at all!
My family has a tendency to gain weight really easily so I am totally with you to get a better diet going 🙂
Glad you enjoyed these pancakes, they would be a great place to start!
Cheers
CCU
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We love chia seeds here! I love the texture that you get from them! 😀
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Chia seeds have been on my “try” list for ages. Thanks for the reminder!
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Great intro about the chia seeds but I am not to it.Certainly need to get some after reading that it added glow to your skin. Also, the seeds into the pancakes are simply inviting.
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I always have the impression that super-foods are never cheap. Got to checkout this website for products giving me a “better skin” – LOL!
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Haha go for it my friend, it is perfect!
Cheers
CCU
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Chia seeds will go on my grocery list!!! Great idea to use them in pancakes…yum, yum!
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I keep hearing how good chia seeds are for you but I didn’t know they were good for your hair. I have some in the pantry but I haven’t been as liberal with them as I should have been. I’d better start tossing them into a few more things. Great post, Uru xx
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Go for it my friend, you will not regret it 😀
Cheers
CCU
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I’ve heard all the hoopla about chia seeds, but for some reason I’ve been kind of lazy and slow to embrace them… Maybe I’ve been worried that they’ll turn out like hemp seeds. yuk!… That being said, you’ve convinced me. I’m going to give chia seeds a try! 🙂
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Haha I was too – it took my mum 4-5 months before I finally bothered 😉
But they are so much better than hemp, no comparison!
Cheers
CCU
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i bought a packet for my dad but he wont eat it, looks like i will have to make pancakes with them!
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I love chia seeds and use them in smoothies all the time. I haven’t tried them in pancakes yet! Can’t wait to try your delicious recipe.
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I can’t believe I haven’t tried chia seeds before. this looks SO good.
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this stuff is all the rage these days! very tasty way to use the seeds. 🙂
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So true, it is like the new quinoa!
Cheers
CCU
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You are so creative & those pancakes scrumptious.
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Yum! Chia seeds in pancakes sound divine. I’m all for it!
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Yum! Looks great and healthy! What a nice combination! 🙂
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I never ate chia seeds but heard so much about them. I think you gave a a great recipe here to try them out, Uru!
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You sold me on chia seeds…I’m going to get me some, and then I’m going to make your marvelous looking pancakes!
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I have not developed the taste for chia seeds but I am trying and like the idea of adding it to pancakes.
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awesome pancakes!! love the bit of orange in there!
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Excellent idea, Uru! Healthy and delicious in one plate 🙂
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I still have yet to try chia seeds! I’ve heard so much about them and I think pancakes would be the perfect vehicle to first try them :). Yours look scrumptious, my dear!
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Great idea to add chia to oatmeal. (And I love your Canadian maple syrup!!)
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I’ve never used chia seeds. I did have a chia pet once One of my children gave it to me. 🙂 Your pancakes look wonderful.
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ooo love the use of chia seeds! 🙂
now i have an excuse to eat pancakes more cause they are now healthier! woohoo! 😀
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I haven’t tried out these Chia seeds before. Being a relatively new convert to the superseed, I have eating quinoa like it’s going out of fashion, but must add Chia seeds to my diet.
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Do that my friend, I am sure you will love its effects 😀
Cheers
CCU
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I have to incorporate chia into my diet because of the protein. I don’t really care for them but it keeps my health good so………..I’m pinning this recipe because I think they would be great like this!!
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I also find that they are a tad expensive here!
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Chia seeds in pancakes. Nifty idea!
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Great idea putting the chia seeds in pancakes! I’ve seen them in smoothies and on cereal before, but never like this, love it!
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Oh yes, I do love chia seeds! They’re both tasty and incredibly helpful for baking- I have yet to meet a better all purpose egg replacer. Your pancakes look so fluffy and fantastic, it looks like the perfect Sunday brunch option.
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Hey CCU. I woke up, read your recipe, and made them! We literally finished them 5 minutes ago. Absolutely delicious! My boys loved them too. I made one error, only using 2 teaspoons of baking powder, but they were still lovely and fluffy. This one is a keeper.
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YAY I am so glad you and your boys enjoyed them so much my friend 😀
I have a favourite pancake recipe but now am all divided because these were so tasty! 🙂
Cheers
CCU
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Great looking pancakes! Now you have me hungry for some. 😉 Chia seeds really are amazing, aren’t they? So much fun to use, and of course so healthy. Good stuff – thanks.
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Healthy and scrumptious! I need to make some pancakes for the breakfast!
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Wow, looks like I’m missing a lot! It’s nice to see u hosting giveaways too, sweetie. Sorry for not coming by as often as I’ve been real busy. I’m sure you’ve heard of the terrible haze situation in Singapore……. I’m almost dying!
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Thats ok my friend, I understand how life can get in the way! I love visiting your blog as much as I can 😀
Cheers
CCU
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I love chia seeds, and often use them in place of poppies. Anything to add a crunch. 🙂
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I’ve heard so much about chia seeds, their well documented health benefits but have yet to try them. Glad you did this, it reminds me that I need to move those little seeds to the top of my to try list. The chia pancakes look really delicious.
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You would make a great salesman! I loved your post and will keep my eyes open for chia seed. Have a wonderful weekend. Blessings…Mary
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Yum! I’ve been curious about chia but too afraid to experiment… haha… thanks for the useful info!
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ahhhhhhh I’m in looooove with these pancakes!!! And yay for chia seeds!
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I have wondered about chia seeds and have yet to incorporate them into my diet..thanks for the push Uru! Your pancakes look fabulous and so healthy.
Nazneen
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Fantastic ideas using chia seeds in pancakes. I bought a big bag from costco and now I’m excited to have a new way to use them up. 🙂
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Aren´t you the healthy girl lately?! Good for you, and for us. I love chia seeds and have them ground in my yogurt regularly. Gorgeous pancakes Uru!
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Haha don’t worry my friend, my health kick will not be lasting for long 😉
Cheers
CCU
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Very informative write up! I love that you’ve used them in pancakes!
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Those pancakes look sooooo good. I think fluffy mcduffy is my favorite. 😉
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You have good taste 😀
Cheers
CCU
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I’ve never thought to put chia seeds in pancakes before! Genius idea!
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you have convinced me and it is not only because you used Canadian maplel syrup!
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Can buy online … great stuff – will give it a go … not great on making pancakes.
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Don’t worry my friend, anybody can make pancakes, it just takes a little practice 😀
Cheers
CCU
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Uru, I’m not too sure about that … but I will start practice. *smile
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Uru, never heard of … and I think it will be heard to find in Landskrona, maybe in the bigger cities – will check out.
Other superfood is red wine, chocolate, broccoli .. and all nuts … I know where to get them.
Your pancakes are just so tempting. I love that they became so thick … delicious – now I will look for seeds. Have a fantastic weekend, Uru.
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I also enjoy knowing that what I am eating has good nutritional value so I like to “sneak” the super foods into dishes where I can too… this is such a great use for Chia!
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Very excellent idea. It just cracks me up the we are now so much it o chia seeds when they used to only be popular on Chia Pets. (Do you have those?)
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Chia Pets? Ooh, it rings a bell but I don’t think I own any haha I was a tamagochi carer in my day 😉
Cheers
CCU
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These look delicious delicious! I haven’t made pancakes in a long time. Usually they come out too thick and cakey. I want to give these a try. With the chia seeds!
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I love the idea of making things healthier and still scrumity – your pancakes look heaveny CCu.
Have a lovely weekend.
🙂 Mandy xo
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