Chia seeds: Packed full of antioxidants, calcium, fibre and a ton of omega-3 fatty acids, this healthful seed is also very easy to use and include in your diet. Wracking your brain to think of more ways to consume chia? Peruse our list!

Note:  Chia seeds swell up hugely when they hit fluid.  That means if you eat them without soaking them they will absorb all the liquid in your body and can constipate you.  So, these little seeds of healthy joy are best not eaten without being soaked in some kind of liquid first.

1. Chia pudding

   The most fun and delicious way to eat chia seeds. They turn simple ingredients into the creamiest of puddings and can be made dairy free, fructose free, gluten free, anyway you need it to be.

   Michelle has a fine Chocolate Cherry Chia Pudding recipe right here.

2. Add it to bread dough

   I often add a couple of tablespoons of chia seeds into my bread dough when the mixture has already come together. While adding nutrition it also adds a little extra chewiness and body to the bread and is delicious.

3. Egg replacer

   Like with flax seeds, you can make a “chia egg” by combining 1 tablespoon of chia seeds to 3 tablespoons water. It actually works both with ground chia and whole chia seeds. This is so handy on the days that you’ve run out of eggs and can’t get to the shops.  More egg replacer ideas, here.

4. Add to muesli and granola

   A few tablespoons thrown into your home made granola or muesli is awesome, or you can just add it to your store bought mix

5. Make chia popsicles

   Children will eat popsicles any which way, and a tablespoon of chia seeds to your popsicle mixture gives it a healthful boost, whatever the flavour. If you need to hide this fact from your children, try adding it to berry flavoured popsicles where the presence of a “seedy” texture is expected

6. Soup thickener

   Add a tablespoon or two of chia seeds to a soup as it simmers to thicken the texture without too much liquid reducing or needing to add starch or cream.

7. Indoor chia sprouts

   Get a shallow ceramic dish with an edge and add coat the surface with water. Sprinkle over chia sprouting seeds over the surface. Try not to cover too densely. Cover the dish with a clear plastic container, glass container, dish or bowl or cling film and place in a sunny spot. Spray with water twice a day and replace the cover. If the water at the bottom of the dish dries up, gently pour in more water to replace it. In about one week you will have chia sprouts that can be harvested and eaten.

8. Add them to your water, stay extra hydrated

   Add one tablespoons of chia seeds to a liter of water in a wide mouthed water bottle. Because the chia seeds absorb the water and take longer for your body to process, you’ll stay hydrated for longer.

9. Chia jam

   Find our easy recipe for raspberry chia jam here

10. Add a tablespoon to cakes and muffins batters

11. Chia dressing

    Make an easy, thick and creamy salad dressing with chia seeds.

    Chia Salad Dressing recipe:
    Combine 1/4 cup vinegar, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, 2 teaspoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of chia seeds in a jar. Give it a shake. Let sit for 20 minutes. Season to taste.

12. Add to smoothies

    Thicken your healthy smoothies with a couple of teaspoons of chia seeds. If you don’t want the seedy texture, allow the seeds to soak in the liquid that you will use in your smoothie before blending

13. Make a chia chutney

    Like with chia jam, you can make a quicker and easy chutney by gently cooking your finely diced chutney vegetables with a tablespoon of chia seeds. This means you need less sugar and less reducing time to achieve a delicious and bright tasting chutney

14. Add a couple tablespoons of chia seeds to your next batch of cookies or crackers

15. Add a couple tablespoons of chia seeds to pancake batter

16. Crust your fish and meat with chia seeds

    Combined with bread crumbs or other crushed seeds like sesame seeds, a tastier and more attractive coating than the usual crumbing

17. Add a couple tablespoons to meatball mixture for binding instead of flour

18. Add to falafel mixture for stronger binding and texture

    Falafels can be fragile and crumbly. A tablespoon of soaked chia seeds can be a great binding, or add dry seeds at the start of the mixing process.

19. Add to porridge halfway through the cooking process

    For thick and creamy porridge with an extra health boost

20. Crumble topping with added chia seeds

    Do this with added oats and pumpkin seeds. Extra delicious, crunchier as well as far healthier