Chia Seeds, my new love

I heard about Chia Seeds on the Dr Oz show last winter.    I found a big bag at Costco,  so decided to try them.  It has been a staple in my pantry ever since.     Mostly I use them in my salads,  I love the crunch it gives them.   They are also good in spaghetti sauce.   I make my own sauce and the chia seeds add a thickening to the finished product.   They are said to bring out the flavour of what ever you are cooking and that seems to be true.

Check out the nutrition values here Chia Seeds

This is a salad I eat many times a week,  whenever I am not sure what to make.     I love feta cheese, which also has many benefits.  It has Calcium, Vitamin B12, and also contains some  iron, folate and vitamin D.   Many years ago I worked in a Greek Restaurant,  and that is where I was introduced to Feta Cheese.   Growing up on a farm in Saskatchewan,  I had never heard of it before,  but once I tried it,  I was hooked.   So this salad has two of my favourite things,  Chia Seeds and Feta Cheese, if you try it, let me know how you like it!  

If you haven't tried this wonder food,  check it out,  and if you do use it ,  tell what your favourite ways are to incorporate into your diet! 

Scrumptious Salad 

Romaine Lettuce 
Red Onion
Mini Cucumber 
Cherry Tomatoes
Feta Cheese

Topped with Oil and Balsamic Vinegar, sprinkle 1 tbsp of Chia Seeds

In the middle of making a banana loaf one day I realized I was short eggs.   I knew I had read, use chia gel to substitute for eggs,  so thank goodness for google,  I checked it out,  found a recipe and it worked perfectly!   When I do a lot of baking,  I often use chia gel to cut back on the eggs I am using. 

Here is the recipe I found CHIA SEEDS GEL AS EGG SUBSTITUTE IN BAKING

I found it worked quite well,   it just had to be mixed up ahead of time. 

Chia Gel  can also be used for many things,  including cutting back on half your oil or butter in baking,  to thicken sauces or stews and it can be used in smoothies.   The gel will store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 

Thanks for stopping by.

  laureenhealthy

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Resources used   livingstrong.com

                            web.md.com

                            healthyeating.sfgate.com