How I came to love chia seeds
In the midst of an experiment to see how certain foods effect my health, I decided to eliminate gluten-rich foods (that's wheat, including durum, graham, kamut, semolina, and spelt, plus rye, barley and triticale) for 90 days. Today is day 52.
Living without gluten breads, pastas, and baked goods hasn't been difficult, in fact, it's much easier than I expected. Being more conscious of where gluten might show up unexpectedly requires a little more thought but not enough to be bothersome. Mainly, i've just steered clear of anything that might be breaded, dusted or mixed with flour, and decided not to indulge any of the numerous gluten-free breads on the market.
There's something about elimination that begs of new discoveries, and so this month began my exploration of a food I've noticed from afar for quite a while - chia seeds. Other than adding them to an occasional smoothie, I hadn't really thought much, in the past, about what else could be done with these teeny tiny seeds.
Chia seeds come in two varieties - dark & light
My research led to a week-long chia seed obsession. I experimented with adding chia seeds to smoothies and soups and stir-fry and oatmeal, making fruity chia seed puddings, sprinkling over salads, and even mixing the seeds with water to see if they worked as a vegan egg substitute in baking (they do!). What I discovered is that I LOVE CHIA SEEDS. With barely a flavor of their own, they hide/mix well in just about everything. It's a bonus that they are easy, delicious, and each little seed is loaded with amazing stuff (vitamins, minerals, omega-3s, soluble and insoluble fiber, complete protein, calcium, magnesium, antioxidants, ...) that's good for you. So chia seed has become a staple in the Qi To Wellness kitchen!
Chia seed pudding topped with maple syrup & berries
Up next on the gluten-free (GF) journey:
- My adventures with Polenta!
In the meantime, I'm enjoying life without gluten and it feels great! Do you have a gluten-free story or recipe to share? Please do so in the comments section below or email me. I love learning from YOU!