Find Your Balance

We all scream for Chia Cream

August 7th, 2009

What’s creamy and sweet and comes in all sorts of flavors? You scream, I scream – well, go ahead. ICE CREAM!

Who can imagine summer without it? My first waitressing job was at Friendly’s believe it or not…I’d leave covered in hot fudge, thousand island dressing and Fribble. But I was young so somehow I’d get changed in my car and head out for a night with friends without a second thought. Sometimes on those nights ice cream was what I ate for dinner! No wonder those years felt crazy. Later when I was living alone in Boston on a laughable salary, I’d buy a cheap half gallon of ice cream and nosh while watching TV. Those years also felt crazy.

No more. Now I’ve got another treat that’s cool, creamy and delicious.

Enter stage left, Chia Cream!

I have to give credit to Ricki for this fantastic idea. It’s a dessert you can feel 100% good about. And I’ve found it to be a satisfying stand-in for ice cream. Of course I still have some ice cream from time to time. But chia pudding is starting to make a more frequent appearance because it is so easy and so yummy. Did I mention it’s good for you?

Ok, let’s get down to business. The chia seed. Heard of it? Maybe a little 80′s TV jingle comes to mind? Yes, the same seeds used in the Chia Pet is also sold at food grade quality and is a great source of nutrition. They’re full of Omega-3′s, calcium, fiber and antioxidants. Who knew? Learn more about ‘em here.

One time I used chia seeds alongside sesame seeds in a cookie recipe. They were good, but I noticed that I’d get the chia seeds stuck in my teeth and they’d turn sort of…gelatinous? Gross, huh. But this is a negative that turned into a huge positive, as you’ll see.

For this recipe you can use any kind of liquid you like. I used whole fat organic coconut milk for a very thick consistency that comes close to ice cream. Other types of milk or juice will create more of a pudding. I found chia seeds at Harvest Co-op in Cambridge, MA. If you can’t find ‘em, order ‘em here! Thank you, Interweb!

Ch-ch-ch-Chia Cream
4 Tbl. chia seeds
3/4 cup organic whole-fat coconut milk
1 Tbl. maple syrup
Topping options are endless: fruit, nuts, shredded coconut, cocoa, cinammon…

In a bowl, combine seeds with coconut milk. Stir well. Let mixture sit for 20-30 minutes. Stir every 5-10 minutes. The consistency will become thick and tapioca like. Add maple syrup and stir. You may refrigerate at this point for a cool treat, but it’s also good at room temperature. Add toppings and enjoy!

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This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays.

24 Comments calcium, quick and easy, recipe, Uncategorized, vegan, vegetarian