Chia Seed Puddings

Having read somewhere that chia seeds are rich in vitamin A, for the past three months I've been eating some almost every morning. As soon as I get vitamin A testing again soon, I'll take a break because the other day I was reading that this seed is rich in micronutrients but no one knows the side effects of eating too much and so the recommended limit on a couple health-conscious web sites is to enjoy them regularly for a maximum of three months and then take a break. Hopefully, they will boost my vitamin A in conjunction with regular doses of spirulina, also rich in the vitamin, so that I'll be happy to take a break ... although I have to say, the seeds are wonderfully versatile for a quick breakfast food and I'll miss them when I take that break.

Anyway, my favorite easy breakfast for I'm-a-person-on-the-go is simple and made with these little seeds. I can either make breakfast the night before and have it ready in the fridge or make it in the morning, feed the cat and do a couple other things, and then it's ready to eat. It's simple, tasty and hopefully highly nutritious!!!

Chia Seed Pudding I

1 heaping tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 cup water
4 drops non-alcoholic cherry flavoring (The Spicery Shoppe)
1/2 Granny Smith apple
1 small handful washed almonds/walnuts

Stir all ingredients together (without stirring, the chia seeds will clump into a lumpy gel at the bottom of the dish). Place in refrigerator overnight to "activate" the chia seed nutrients and to soften them from a hard seed to a gelatinous sauce. If in a hurry, soak for a minimum of 15 minutes before eating. The chia seeds are basically flavorless so the other ingredients are what give the "pudding" its flavor.

Chia Seed Pudding II

2 heaping tablespoons chia seeds
4 tablespoons hemp seeds
1 cup water
5 drops stevia (vanilla creme or other choice)
8-10 blackberries
1 small handful washed almonds/walnuts

Make the same way as above. In choosing fruits that are low glycemic, some of the better choices for variation are: Granny Smith apples, cranberries (acidic so use moderately), blackberries, currants, lemons and limes, and cherries. Asian pears, pears, apricots and strawberries are also relatively low too ... but I'm not ready for more than a slice or two of them yet. Other citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits are quite low glycemic, but they really mess with candida so I carefully avoid them (even orange peel in a tea makes my throat burn - ugh!)

The following recipe I made for my family members. It's definitely not friendly for the person on the candida diet but while I make my "reduced glucose soy-free recipe" for me, for them I can quickly make a version more appealing to their taste-buds. Preparation: 5 minutes!

Soy Maple-syrup Chia Seed Pudding (non candida friendly)

1 heaping tablespoon chia seeds
1/2 - 1 cup soy milk
1 banana, cut small
optional - other fruit: strawberries, kiwi, pear, apple, peach
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup
1 small handful washed almonds/walnuts