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a homeschooling mom of four who used to blog about food, has a book about sourdough, and who is now walking through the grief of losing my dad.
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The Best Sourdough Glazed Donuts

Two years ago my husband bought a book to read during our Christmas vacation from school. It was called, Born to Run. He started it on Christmas eve and stayed up until 4:30 a.m. to finish it. He is not usually a very fast reader and I was shocked that he finished it so quickly. I had to read it to see what kept him so intrigued. I also loved the book (we had both recently started running again) and it motivated me as well as got me thinking a lot about how we run and how we fuel our bodies. If you aren’t familiar with the book, it is a true story written by a man who organizes an ultra race against a tribe in Mexico. The tribe members run barefoot and can run extremely long distances and have done for hundreds of years. One of the “secrets” to their success is the Chia seed. The people of the ancient Aztec and Mayan empires revered the seeds as a vital source of nourishment.

Chia seeds have many nutritional benefits and have recently made a huge comeback in the health food world. Because they are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids (an anti-inflammatory agent that is good for healthy skin and is used in the cholesterol metabolism function), protein, antioxidants, fiber, calcium, potassium, iron, and more, Chia is referred to a super food. They pack in the maximum nutritional benefits, with the least amount of calories. One serving (1 T) of Chia seeds contains 5 g of fiber, 3 g protein, and 2.5 g of Omega-3. They have virtually no taste, making them an excellent additive to ANY dish. Because Chia is such a good source of fiber, they are excellent in aiding weight loss and digestion. When mixed with liquid, Chia seeds form a gel-like substance, which binds to and helps move along food in your system. Because of their expansive properties, Chia seeds help you feel fuller longer. Chia is one of the most concentrated sources of Omega-3 in any food. Ounce for ounce, it has more Omega-3 than salmon, more potassium than bananas, more iron than spinach (six times more, to be exact), more protein than kidney beans, and more antioxidants than blueberries.

My favorite way (and the easiest for me) to use them is in our morning smoothie. I just toss in a couple of tablespoons and call it good. They don’t have to be blended though, to reap the benefits. I have also used them in hot cereal and granola. My husband eats them by the spoonful, followed by a glass of water.

Some other quick and easy ways to use Chia:

  • mix one teaspoon of chia seeds with 1/4 cup of water to make an egg substitute in baking cakes and cookies
  • blend into smoothies
  • mix ground seeds with butter or peanut butter for a nutritious spread
  • add one teaspoon of chia seeds with coconut water or your favorite juice or herb tea and chill in the fridge overnight. This option is a great way to stay hydrated and enhance your endurance.
  • make a chia seed pudding (recipe to come shortly)
  • add to oatmeal, cereal, yogurt, or granola
  • toss in stir fry or basically any other dish you’re preparing for dinner
A sampling of our daily smoothies. Yum. 
The possibilities are endless. I buy the Nutiva brand of chia seeds from Amazon. I trust Nutiva and love their coconut oil and coconut sugar as well. I like to stick with brands that work for me, and this one does! Since having this baby I have been making smoothies every day. I love that my girls will drink them too; at least I know that they’ve had something good put into their tiny bodies each day. Over the past 2 weeks I have noticed a significant change in how I feel because I’ve been doing this. I have been consistent, 1-2 smoothies with chia, spinach, kefir, juice, and frozen fruit each day and Crio Bru at least once a day, and it’s paid off ten-fold. I feel amazing. My mood is fabulous, I have energy, and I’m staying fuller longer, which helps a lot when your baby wants to nurse every 2 hours! The first couple of weeks after she was born I wasn’t as consistent and like I said, I can see a huge difference. I know my body is grateful that I’m finally feeding it the food that it craves. I feel great and am thankful that I have the energy I need to make it through what would otherwise be very long days and nights with a newborn. 
There are many new fancy things that we could be going crazy over and adding to our diets. It’s overwhelming to wade through it all, I know. There is always a new company with a new “amazing” product that we should all be eating. It’s hard to sift through it all. I have chosen a few things that I keep as staples that I believe in and have had first-hand success with. Chia seeds are one of those things, along with kefir, Crio Bru (I can’t say enough how much this has a good effect on me, especially in satisfying cravings), coconut oil, coconut sugar, Calli, and Fortune Delight. Those are things that I use on a daily basis and love. I won’t give them up! I suggest you try some things for yourself, find what works for you and your family, and use it. You don’t have to try every thing that comes along, but some are definitely worth adding to your diet. I recommend Chia seeds as one of those things that you should ADD!

Comments +

  1. Amber says:

    Done. Ill try them. Where do I get them? Grocery store?

  2. kelsey says:

    I get mine from amazon because it's cheaper. some places with bulk sections might have them (Winco). At Fred Meyer here they have them but they are much pricier than the Nutiva brand I get from amazon. You will love them, especially with your running! Mix some with juice before bed then drink that before you run in the morning!

  3. Amber says:

    Awesome. Thanks. Ill order some. You are so cool

  4. […] are one of my top five can’t be without foods. I wrote a post dedicated to their goodness, here. Because I’ve been buying them for so long, I know a good price when I see one. I usually […]

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about me

Hey, I'm Kels!

a homeschooling mom of four who used to blog about food, has a book about sourdough, and who is now walking through the grief of losing my dad.

I have lots of recipes and resources, but now it's just about me being real, walking through the messy and beautiful parts of life.

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