3 Delicious Chia Drinks with Health Benefits

Chia seeds have many nutritional benefits-- essential fatty acids, most importantly. They also are relatively low in calories and can bulk out a drink so that you don't feel so hungry after drinking it. 

Chia seeds have a neutral flavour profile, unlike flax seed which has what some people describe as an "unpleasant flavour". Chia will happily combine with the fruits or herbs that you use in your drink to take on their flavours 100%.

So, choose the flavours and other features you like most from the following chia drink recipes and check them out-- pick and click!  These recipes are all win-win!  Save yourself the money, effort and time of reading and watching ads with a chia seed drink 'hook' into their expensive supplements!

1. Lemon and Chia Seed Weight Loss Drink

Only 3 ingredients in this recipe from Beauty Epic and you have the makings of a daily healthy weight-loss program along with your regular healthy lifestyle of plant-based eating, exercise, getting out into nature, adequate rest, stress reduction and an attitude of faith, optimism and loving kindness. Click on image above to go to the recipe for the lemon-chia drink and also a honey-chia drink.

2. Raspberry-Mint-Chia Smoothie

This raspberry-chia smoothie from Prana Snacks is particularly pleasant on a hot summer day (but can be sipped any day, no matter the temperature). If you pick your own ripe raspberries in the heat of the summer and freeze them, you won't need any sweetener. If you do need to sweeten it up a little, start with just a small amount. You will likely be surprised at how little sweetener you actually need once you get used to experiencing the whole natural flavour profile of the fruits and herbs-- mint in this case. The chia seeds will help to take some of the tart edge away without adding any flavour of their own.  Click on the image above to go to the recipe.

3. Super-Detox Green Smoothie

Skinny Ms  Super-Detox Green Smoothie has both spinach and kale in it, as well as cilantro (or parsley), so it is definitely a GREEN smoothie. But the addition of celery, cucumber and APPLE -- as well as the chia seeds-- amps down that green pasture-taste considerably. You will likely become one of the fans of this particular green smoothie-- let's say, a positive addiction. Click above to get the recipe.

The above smoothies are not going to reverse any long-standing illness or medical condition. Please see your trusted physician or other health care provider for that. Please check the ingredients to determine whether they counteract with any medications you might be on.

Holiday Smoothie Bowl

Holiday Smoothie Bowl

It's a cool, grey December 23rd, that sort of not-yet day where it feels like it is important to get in the groceries needed for the next several days' menus. My husband is doing that. 

Today we are enjoying some lovely holiday recipes from Candace Feldman's recent book, Lean into Plants with its 100+ recipes that are primarily plant-based-- there are a handful of ovo-lacto and fiscatarian recipes.  

The *Holiday Smoothie bowl* above is a delicious combination of vegan nog flavours and ice-creaminess with a toning down of the sweetness of the commercial plant-based libation. Very nice for bringing the festive season into focus. 

I also made up the Snicker Bites (above), tasty little chocolate, nut butter morsels with a healthy sweet whole food, plant-based feature.  Candace likes to keep a balance between natural and wholesome, and wtf-yummy. Her health journey included letting go of food obsessions. She provides many of the helpful affirmations that she used in recovery from disordered eating.

Find out more and purchase Lean into Plants <~here. 

 

2 Smoothies using Dandelion Leaves

Dandelion is one of the healthiest greens you can consume

, especially if it is plucked fresh from your back lot where you've been carefully growing food organically for a few years. Dandelions are said to help dissolve gallstones, detoxify the liver, clean out impurities in our bloodstream, dissolve kidney stones, help heal gastro-intestinal disorders, diabetes, and indigestion.  Today I will provide a couple of juice recipes -- use only organic, unsprayed leaves.  (ideas: you try your own ingredients):

Bitter-Sweet Love Juice
~Watermelon (organic with seeds, ideal)
~4 Dandelion Leaves (to start)
~small finger size fresh Ginger, peeled

• Wash and peel 1/4 medium-sized Watermelon leaving as much of the white inner layer as possible.  Cut into segments that will fit in your hopper
• Put all of the above through the hopper and drink!  You might want to repeat the process throughout the day using the same recipe above.  For me this made a 12 oz. glass, but it will depend on how much watermelon juice you get from the 1/4 Watermelon-- this is a good juice to make for 2.
• Watermelon and Dandelion are both natural diuretics.  Please talk to your physician or other trusted health care provider if you have a health issue that may flare up as a result of this.

Dandy Blended Salad
This is a fantastic detoxing and refreshing juice to help knock out the 'yeasty' infections and provide some relief from the itch.  

  Add enough organic stevia (1/2 teaspoon and up) to sweeten this salad without adding to the problem):

Put the following in a Vitamix (or other high power blender):

• 4 tender, large fresh Dandelion Leaves and fresh Nettle Leaves, if available
• Small bunch of Arugula Leaves
• Big Handful of Romaine or other mild Lettuce
• Juice of a Lemon
• Peeled and chopped Cucumber
• Sweet Red Pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 Cloves, peeled Garlic, chopped
• Small peeled nub of fresh Garlic root, chopped
• Turmeric, Salt, Pepper to personal taste
• 1/2 teaspoon organic Stevia powder (not the kind with alcohol or corn)
• Filtered Water to blend easily

This is zingy and nourishing when you are on a sugar-restricted diet.  I find it very refreshing during the time when the Dandelions and Nettles are actually growing when I can be so preoccupied with getting my garden into shape that I forget to drink/eat.  It's a great hot weather "liquid lunch" as well.  Be sure to "chew" each sip so as to have your mouth know that digestion has started.

Almond Butter-Apple Pie Smoothie

Any Apple Pie Smoothie recipe I've come across that is delicious seeks to replicate the apple pie a la mode idea using yogurt or thick cream to replicate the ice cream scoop mixed in with the fruit and the crust.  So, so yummy!  

I was experimenting and found that the following ingredients come together creamy, sweet, fruity and so satisfying as a dessert smoothie that you might never want to fuss around with pie crust again!

Into your Vitamix carafe put the following:

*3 Apples, sliced, core and seeds removed
*small nob of fresh Ginger, peeled and sliced or grated
*2 T. Maranatha Raw Almond Butter
*1-2 T. Raw Honey
*1 T. Cinnamon
*Pinch of Celtic Sea Salt (or to taste)
*1 C. Frozen Peaches (Secret Ingredient!)
*3-4 C. Almond Milk (I used Almond Breeze)

Whirl together until creamy smooth.  The Frozen Peaches bring out the 'apple' flavour more than apples do on their own (don't know why?).  Try it yourself and see if it is not ambrosia!

To your living health!

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Blueberry Sunrise Smoothie Porridge Bowl

This Blueberry Smoothie Porridge Bowl is lovely to see and full of flavour and texture that is to eat fun to eat.  

Here are the suggested ingredients for a similar  smoothie porridge bowl as high in nutrient density and healing deliciousness:

Start with a creamy oatmeal base, either made in the morning  hot and hearty  or as overnight oats that save on morning prep

Then  add on:

• A simple blueberry smoothie
• Non-dairy yogurt (eg., soy or coconut)
• Chopped walnuts
• Chia seed gel
• Cacao nibs
• Sliced orange rounds
• Coconut shreds

If you try your hand at a similar smoothie porridge bowl, take a snap and add hashtag #smoothiemoves on Instagram so we can celebrate your creation with you!

Enjoy your day!

 

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