Chia Seeds Oatmeal Recipe

The health world is positively buzzing about chia seeds lately. They are little, but pack an omega-fatty acid punch and, apparently, a nice vitamin B boost to our hair too. If you look up chia seed recipes on Pinterest you will be busy for days. But they’re pricey little fellas. I found a package of them at Trader Jo’s for $5.99. But maybe you don’t have a Trader Jo’s? Our local groceries sell larger quantities for $12.99. That’s a little bit tough on a wallet, but I’m told they are so potent they are worth it.

I thought I was genius at inventing a way to eat my chia seeds, but I just started researching them again and this idea is everywhere. Sigh. I still can claim this recipe though, because I did, at the time, make it up. I love eating. I especially love eating after a long night of not eating. But I have to be careful to quickly fill my body with good foods, or else I’ll start the whole day off on a sour note. So for me, egg whites or oatmeal usually are my go-to breakfast choices. Bars are loaded with sugar most of the time, and the healthier bars are just too pricey. So I invented a chia seed oatmeal for your eating pleasure.

Chia seeds are hard, almost like quinoa and similar in size. But they can puff up like tapioca if you leave them in a cup of almond milk, coconut milk, or even regular milk for 2-4 hours in the refrigerator; and you can eat them like pudding. But I decided to go the easy way out. My hair needs the fastest help it can get, so when I got home from the grocer I threw together this recipe:

Chia Seeds Oatmeal

1 Cup Old Fashioned Oats (or any kind of oats you like)

1 1/2 cups water

1 Tbsp Chia seeds

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

First, prepare your oatmeal. I like to do it on the stove when I have time, but most days I don’t have time so I use the microwave. Throw the water and the oatmeal in a bowl and nuke it for two minutes. Then add in the chia, the cinnamon, the vanilla, and the almond milk. I don’t sweeten mine because I have a nasty sugar obsession and I’m trying to cut back where I can. But I suppose a teaspoon of honey, agave, or even regular sugar couldn’t hurt.

If you’re a planner, you can make a big vat of this oatmeal and keep it in the refrigerator all week long to dip into for a fast and filling breakfast. The seeds will inevitably puff up more like tapioca, but I like that texture too. It’s been a winner for me lately. Here’s to you, chia seeds!

Do you know any chia seeds recipes?