Chia Seeds

Remember the Chia Pet? Cha-cha-cha-chia! Well, I’m now EATING those seeds! Instead of slathering them on a clay pot, I’m mixing them in my oatmeal, protein shakes, and baked goods!

Since the day I heard someone say they sprinkle said seeds on their cereal – I needed to find out what they were all about. I've been doing some research into these little gems and cannot believe how good for you they are and thought I’d share my new found knowledge with you.

• ·         They have been around since the Aztec and Mayan days.
• ·         They can absorb up to 12 times their own weight which keeps you fuller longer and can add in weight loss.
• ·         They have nearly 11 grams of soluble fiber per ounce – which is around 42% of your daily recommended value!
• ·         They have more Omega-3 fatty acids than salmon – almost 5 grams per ounce. They are considered one of the most concentrated sources of Omega-3 in ANY food.
• ·         They contain high amounts of Omega-6.
• ·         Per ounce these little super seeds contain 18% of your daily calcium value, which is three times as much as skim milk!
• ·         Unlike Flax Seeds which have to be ground, nothing has to be done to the seed in order to benefit from its bounty.
• ·         They are basically tasteless so you can add them to anything and everything.
• ·         Manganese – nearly 30% of the daily value per ounce.
• ·         Phosphorus – close to 27% of the daily value per ounce.
• ·         Protein – 4.4 grams per ounce!
• ·         Chia seeds have a stabilizing effect on your blood sugar and fight insulin resistance.
• ·         Some say they give you an energy boost - and who doesn't love that?!

There is soooo much information I could go on and on – but I think these are enough reasons to go out RIGHT NOW and get yourself some! I already use them in my Refrigerated Oatmeal and last night I made the hubs some Almond Poppy/Chia Seed Muffins (with added protein powder, as usual) and they’re yum yum yummy! You can’t tell the difference between the Poppy and Chia seeds and there is no change in the flavor profile.

Seriously people – the ways in which you can use this super food are endless! And you have nothing to lose, except some unwanted weight maybe – but everything to gain!

Maple Cinnamon Refrigerated Oatmeal

I've got a crazy commute. I only live about 10 miles away from where I work but those 10 miles are separated by water. So I either take the ferry across or drive 60 plus miles in heavy traffic to and from work. I chose the ferry. It's expensive and you're at the mercy of their schedule, but I really hate traffic and lets face it, driving a stick shift for 3 hours in stop and go traffic is... well, I'll use the word tiring. Taking the ferry allows me to relax, read, write, play games or even nap. Because of this, however, I spend around 12-14 hours away from the house between the commute and work. Now I fully admit I am not a morning person of ANY kind and waking up at 4 am (to be at work at 7) is difficult for me, to say the least.

This is the reason for my most recent obsession - super quick, basically already prepared, breakfast foods.  Hot or cold it doesn't matter. I just don't have time in the morning to prepare anything but I need to eat. I've been focusing a lot lately on oats. And while I like basic instant oatmeal, sometimes I don't even have the few minutes it takes to prepare and microwave it (a few minutes late to the ferry can mean I miss it and the next one doesn't come for an hour! Yikes!). Imagine my jubilation when I found something called refrigerator oatmeal! Basically you take the oats and any flavorings/fruit, put in a small container, add milk and yogurt. Shake. Put it in the fridge overnight and it's ready to grab and go in the morning. Crazy awesome, right? Now I couldn't wait to try it out but I didn't have any yogurt so I added a little more milk. And I recently learned about Chia seeds and how healthy they are for you so I added some of those too - with a little more milk since they can absorb somewhere near 10 times their size in liquid. And what do you know? I've found a new favorite breakfast! I've only tried one flavor profile so far but I've got many more planned for the future. This particular recipe is 2 servings for me (the oats and chia seeds really fill me up) and the texture is still the same on day 2.

Maple Cinnamon Refrigerated Oatmeal
3/4 cup regular rolled oats
1 cup milk of your choice (3/4 cup if you don't add Chia seeds)
1/2-1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp Sugar Free Maple syrup (I want the flavor without all the calories and sugar)
1 1/2 tsp Chia seeds

Layer all ingredients in a small container (I use a mason jar).  

Put lid on and shake well. 

Put in refrigerator overnight and it'll be ready to eat in the morning.


As with most recipes, add more of what you like and less of what you don't. I'm planning to add our homemade blueberry and blackberry jellies next! And when I buy some yogurt, I'll try that too. Do you have a flavor idea? I want to hear about it!

Oh and we're planning to go camping this weekend, so I'll make a few of these up ahead of time and just add the milk the night before we want to eat them! How cool and convenient is that?!

Anyway as you can see I'm really excited about this deliciously easy grab and go breakfast. Give it a try - you may like it too!

A little about me

Let me see if I can explain myself, my current situation and thought process so as to give you an idea of where I’m coming from. I will try to make this as short as possible, but for a talker like me – that’ll be a feat in and of itself!

This “city girl” got swept off her feet by a self proclaimed “red neck” and whisked away to live the rural life. So far – it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me! I still work in the city, so I get my daily fix of the fast life. When I get home, it’s nothing but peace and quiet (with the occasional dog bark and cats running amuck). We have a few acres of land with fruit trees, a pond and animals galore (we will be getting some chickens and ducks in the very near future)!

Since moving out of the city, my eyes have been opened to all the wonderful things nature provides and I have a new found zest for all things natural. I've also decided I want to eat healthier – which, for me means, less processed sugar, more protein. Both of these things are what made me decide to start this blog. My husband says I've got some good ideas and thinks someone out there might benefit from what I have to share – so – here it goes! I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I’m enjoying writing it!