Chia Seed Recipes

Experience the health benefits of chia when you add this ancient seed to your family’s meals. Below are a few of my favorite chia seed recipes to help you get started cooking and baking with chia. You can also look at recent chia recipes on the blog.

Chia Gel

Chia gel can replace oil, butter or eggs in many recipes.

Mix 1 part chia seeds to 9 parts water. Whisk to break up any clumping. Let stand 15 minutes. Whisk again. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate. Keeps for up to 3 weeks. Here are some great photos I took of chia gel in the making.

Chia Spread

Place chia gel in a blender and blend until smooth. Add softened butter and blend until smooth. Place in airtight container and use as you would normal butter.

Chia Salad Dressing

  • ½ cup chia gel
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 chopped garlic clove
  • 1 tsp mustard
  • 1 tsp dried tarragon
  • 1 tsp dried basil

Mix well and toss with salad. Refrigerate any remaining.

chia seeds2 Chia Seed Recipes

Crunchy Apricot and Hazelnut Granola

  • 300g rolled oats
  • 120g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
  • 100g shredded coconut
  • 60g sunflower seeds
  • 30g black chia seeds
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/3 cup honey, warmed
  • 2 tablespoons light olive oil
  • 100g sultanas
  • 100g dried apricots, diced

Pre-heat oven to 160 C. Combine all ingredients except for sultanas and apricots in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into a large greased baking tray. Bake for 25 minutes or until the granola becomes golden and crunchy. Stir frequently while cooking. When finished, add sultanas and apricots and stir through granola.

Chicken Chia Loaf

  • 500g minced chicken
  • 1/2 cup chia gel
  • 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 red capsicum, chopped
  • 4 tb dried sage
  • 1 tsp turmeric
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper

Pre-heat oven to 180 C. Mix all ingredients together, then shape into a loaf. Place foil on baking pan and spray lightly with olive oil.
Place chia loaf in centre. Brush with tomato sauce, cover with foil, and cook for 1 hour.

Chia Polenta Bake

  • 1/2 cup stone ground cornmeal
  • 2 cups unsweetened chia milk
  • 2 tb chia seeds
  • 1 tsp chia butter
  • 1 tb nutritional yeast

Preheat oven to 400 F. Whisk together cornmeal, milk, and chia seeds in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes. When mixture is thick and creamy, remove from heat. Stir in butter and nutritional yeast. Transfer polenta to miniature loaf pan. Bake for 40 minutes.

Chia Pancakes

  • 1 cup wholemeal flour
  • 1 cup wholemeal spelt flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tb brown sugar
  • 2 tbs honey
  • 3/4 cup chia gel
  • 2 cups milk chia milk
  • pinch of salt

Mix spelt, wholemeal, salt, baking powder and brown sugar together. Stir in chia gel, milk and honey. Mix until pancake batter is smooth with no lumps. Cook pancakes on lightly oiled pan. Serve with chia butter and honey.

Frozen Chia Delight

  • 2 cups chia gel
  • 1 cup fresh fruit, juiced
  • Pulp from juiced fruit

Mix gel, fruit juice and pulp together. Place in freezer for 1 hour and serve.

Chocolate Chia Brownies

  • 16 oz almond butter
  • 4 tb chia seeds soaked in 1 cup water for 30 minutes
  • 1 cup agave
  • 1 tb vanilla
  • 1/2 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 cup chocolate morsels

Mix all ingredients except chocolate together until smooth. Fold in chocolate morsels. Bake at 325 for 40 minutes.

These recipes will help you enjoy chia seeds’ health benefits and are delicious! If you have a recipe to contribute, please contact me.