Chia-licious!

I've just discovered my new favourite breakfast....chia seeds!  

If you're like me, the first image that comes to mind with the word "chia" is the childhood memory of chia pets. Remember those funny clay figurines that you would water everyday and watch with delight as it 'sprouted' green hair?  Well it turns out those little seeds are tasty and packed with nutrition.

Chia seeds are being claimed as a new superfood in the media, as seen in Chatelaine, but they have long been used as a nutritious food in Mexico and Guatemala.  These tiny seeds pack a punch with....

• 2x the amount of protein of any grains
• 3x the amount of antioxidants of blueberries
• 5x more calcium than milk
• 2x the amount of potassium in a banana
• 3x the iron of spinach

There are lots of variations on recipes (the ones in the Chatelaine article look yummy) but here is the breakfast recipe I tried and enjoyed this morning.

(makes enough for 1 week)

1cup hemp seeds
1cup chia seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
3/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut  
1/2 cup cranberries or raisins
1/2 cup goji berries
1 TBSP cinnamon

Mix all ingredients together and keep it in a container in the fridge.

In the morning, ... add 1/2 cup mix to 1/4cup hot water and 1/4cup milk (almond, soy or rice milk are good too) in a bowl, cover with a plate and let stand 5-10 min. Serve with more milk, yogurt, diced fruit, etc.