Superfoods #3: Chia Seeds

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.

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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! 😀

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The wonderful folks from Cheap Super Foods sent me three different 250g samples:

  1. Cacao Powder
  2. Coconut Sugar
  3. Chia Seeds

Let’s begin making raw, organic, totally delicious desserts shall we?

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Chia Seeds:

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Grocer: Poppy seeds?

Me: Puh-lease.

Grocer: Sunflower seeds?

Me: Yeah, alright buddy, what-evUH.

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Grocer: Pumpkin seeds?

Me: Do I look like I need those?!

Grocer: Perhaps madam would like some… chia seeds?

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*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!

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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 😀

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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 😀

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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 😉

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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!
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Method:

  1. Mix eggs and caster sugar together well with a fork or whisk
  2. Stir through the melted butter alternately with the buttermilk until mixed through
  3. Add in the orange zest with vanilla essence and stir
  4. Add in the plain flour, baking powder, chia seeds and salt
  5. Mix through until just combined, if the batter is lumpy then it is fine 🙂
  6. Let batter sit for 10 minutes
  7. 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
  8. 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
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  9. Let cool until bubbles begin to appear on top
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  10. 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)
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  11. 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
  12. Stack on a plate, dress them up and devour like you have never seen food before 🙂

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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!)
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  • 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

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114 Comments

  3. Heather says:

    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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  6. Minnie Gupta says:

    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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  8. Bam's Kitchen says:

    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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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      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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  16. helene dsouza says:

    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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  18. simplyvegetarian777 says:

    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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  24. Suzie says:

    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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  27. Sophie33 says:

    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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  38. gottagetbaked says:

    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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    • Choc Chip Uru says:

      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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  41. navane64 says:

    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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  42. Zoe says:

    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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  44. Hotly Spiced says:

    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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  45. Starr says:

    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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  58. Susan says:

    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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  61. bec {daisy and the fox} says:

    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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  62. Ali says:

    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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  63. kalamitykelli says:

    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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  67. Hannah (BitterSweet) says:

    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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  68. Saskia (1=2) says:

    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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  71. Shirley Tay says:

    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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  73. apuginthekitchen says:

    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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  85. viveka says:

    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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  88. luvnorcal says:

    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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