These tiny little black seeds may look unassuming, but don't be fooled!

Chia is a true superfood; as well as being an absolute powerhouse of nutrition, it can be the foundation for some downright magical culinary creations.

Chia Seeds, or Salvia Hispanica, come from a desert plant that grows in Southern Mexico. Apparently, they were highly prized by the Aztecs and Mayans, mainly due to heir endurance boosting and energy sustaining properties. Also, it is said that just two tablespoon could sustain a warrior for twenty four hours!

As for me, I try and get some Chia in me every single day. I hope that you'll soon understand why, and that you'll then join me in my love for them...we can start an appreciation society!

Did you know that Chia Seeds are...
♥ the highest Omega 3 content of any plant food that we know about
♥ roughly 16% protein, and contains all nine of those essential amino acids
♥ a rich good source of calcium aswell as boron, (the mineral required to effectively assimilate calcium) phosphorus and manganese
♥ packed full of both soluble and insoluable fibre and are bursting with antioxidants
♥ gentle on the body because they are easy for us to digest

To recap:
1. fiber + protein + antioxidants + vitamins + minerals + calcium + omega-3
2. easily digested + easy absorption + aid in digestion process + energizing + filling + thickening agent

I mean….why wouldn’t you eat chia seeds??  Also, unlike flax, you do not need to grind chia seeds to aid in nutrient absorption and ease of digestion!

Finally, Chia loves water! Capable of absorbing up to ten times its own volume in liquid, these small seeds are deeply hydrating.

[Below Chia Seeds soaked in water for 30 minutes.]

It is this particular property that makes Chia so much fun to play with in the kitchen not to mention how exciting it is as recipe ingredient.

You can easily make a kind of gel by mixing together a tablespoon of the seeds with double the quantity of water and leaving to absorb for as little as five minutes. This mixture then makes a wonderful, thickening addition to any smoothie, dressing, pudding, mousse or 'milk'shake!

Also, remember that Chia seeds don't require refrigeration, are easily transportable, and need nothing more than liquid and a container from which to eat them from. For me, this makes them the ultimate travel food!!

How to incorporate chia into your diet and how much to incorporate?

To receive all the power this tiny seed has to offer, studies suggest to consume about 2 Tablespoons a day.  Seriously, it's so easy to do that.  Here are some ideas and recipes to try:

-sprinkle on your morning oats, cereal, yogurt, granola, toast
-add it into your smoothie for an added  punch of Superpower
-add it to your salads
-put into any sauce or dressing that you wish to thicken
-use it to replace an egg in baking (1 Tablespoon Chia + 3 Tablespoons water in bowl left for 5 minutes to thicken)
-sprout it and eat it raw
-throw it on your soups or pastas when you are about to serve
-bake with it:  cookies, snack balls, protein bars, pudding
Many suggest that 1-2 tablespoons of chia seeds per day are a good idea to supplement your diet with in order to benefit from chia's potential.

If you like to bake, they are great for egg replacements. 2 tbsp chia seed with 1/2 cup water (warm water to gloopify quicker) makes about 1/4 cup gel to replace one egg.

By far my favourite thing of all to do with Chia is to make some luxurious and filling, yet totally light and nutritious, puddings. These make for perfect eating at any time, and are super quick to whip up! I really like to have them for breakfast, topped with some fresh fruit.

The final texture is similar to tapioca, and can take a little getting used to. If this doesn't do it for you, fear not! You can make up a pudding and then pop the lot into a blender. The result will be a thick, creamy and oh so smoooth delight for your both taste buds and your body.

You can be really creative with these puddings, using whatever nut milks, fruit juices or add ins that you are feeling drawn to.

With Chia..the only limit is your imagination!

Here, just for you, are my current top two Chia concoctions:

Chocolate Orange Chia

- 1 Cup of Orange Juice
- 3 Tablespoons of Chia Seeds
- 1 Tablespoon of Raw Cacao Powder
- 1/2 Tablespoon of Lucuma Powder
- 1 Tablespoon of Raw Almond Butter (optional)

Mix together the cacao powder, lucuma and Chia seeds. Then add the orange juice, stirring as you go. Leave for five minutes, then stir really well, being careful to get rid of any clumps. I then leave this to thicken in the fridge a few hours, usually over night. If you want to eat it sooner, simply add another tablespoon of Chia seeds. When ready to eat, give it another good mix, and finally swirl in the raw almond butter!

Creamy, Dreamy Super Pudding

- 1.5 Cups of Water
- 1/4 Cup of Shelled Hemp Seeds
- 2 Tablespoons of Chia Seeds
- 1 Tablespoon of Lucuma Powder
- 2 Tablespoon of Coconut Flour (if you can't get hold of this, just add another spoonful of Chia)
- 1/2 a Teaspoon of Chlorella Powder
- 1/2 a Teaspoon of He Shou Wu Powder
- Fresh berries of your choice

To make a superfood charged hemp milk, blend together the water, hemp seeds, lucuma, chlorella and he shou wu (these two ingredients are optional, but recommended for extra magic!) until smooth.

In a bowl, mix together the Chia and coconut flour. Add the hemp milk, and stir like crazy. Have a rest for five minutes, then mix again. I leave this one in the fridge for about five hours or it's a good thing to make before bed and then you have pudding for breakfast! If you have less time, you can use less water or add another spoonful of Chia seeds. When ready to eat, give it one last thorough stir then top it with the fruit. Sit down, and enjoy!

Here's one more worthy chia seed note to mention..

What most people aren’t aware of (due to all the praise towards flax on the health food scene), is that flax contains a high amount of phytoestrogens; plant chemicals having oestrogenic effects.

Phytoestrogens occur in nature to help regulate breeding cycles and, in synthetic form, are used in farming for the same purpose. Phytoestrogens are also the same chemical that has caused much debate regarding soy products. Some people think it’s a positive, while a growing number of people think it’s a negative.

Lastly, while flax seeds are ultra sensitive to heat and therfore rancidity can occur fairly quickly, Chia seeds also have a much richer content of antixoidants making them a lot more shelf stable and their delicate oils kept fresher for longer!

Pretty cool eh?

If I had to pick three ingredients for someone to look into further, I would say chia seeds for sure!

To view more sweet and informative articles by Lana, please get yourself over to HER BLOG

Sunflower Lecithin – at the moment, I am utterly in love with this beauty of an ingredient. I’ve been playing around with it for a while now, and am VERY excited to share my discoveries with you!

If your yet to meet Lecithin then i urge you to take note...

As far as nutritional support, Lecithin helps the body to break down and absorb fats. It is also an excellent source of Choline. This is massively important for the functioning of nearly every cell in the body but especially the liver and the brain function, but is unfortunately a little tricky to come by if following a plant based diet.

However, up until quite recently, the only form of lecithin that’s been available to us is the one derived from soybeans. As you are surely aware, lots of us aren’t all that excited about having too much soy in our diets. Also, soy lecithin usually comes from genetically modified beans, and isn’t generally available raw.

Enter Sunflower Lecithin! And the cool thing about this lecithin is that it comes to as a syrupy LIQUID. Most Lecithin come in powder or granules.

Obtained by a cold pressing method (so there’s no heat involved), and as an added bonus there are no nasty chemicals involved.

Not only is Sunflower Lecithin pretty amazing from a nutritional point of view, it can also take you’re culinary creations to a whole new level!

Because of its emulsifying properties it can be used as a thickening agent, making whatever it’s added to unbelievably smoother and creamier, plus it will make any fats you’ve added easier for the body to digest. You have to LOVE that about it.

If you’ve got a ‘go to’ raw chocolate pudding recipe, add as little as one teaspoon of sunflower lecithin to instantly and effortlessly multiply the ‘mmmm!’ factor. The same results will be had in the case all of your smoothies and raw soups.

To round this up, here are a few reasons at a glance why I seriously LOVE this product:

   * Soy Free
   * Emulsifier (which helps digest fat)
   * Choline (necessary for brain and liver function)
   * Can be used to thick products (great for raw puddings and soups)
   * Raw, Vegan, Gluten Free Non GMO
   * Neutral flavour

Without further ado, here are my favourite ways to use Sunflower Lecithin… I hope that you’re feeling inspired to get some of this magical stuff into your life!

Super Hemp Mylk

This is my formula for making an easy, delicious, uber hydrating litre of bliss! Not only does the Lecithin make this milk extra smooth, it also aids the body in absorbing all of the sparkly goodness from the hemp and superfoods.

-> 1 Litre of the best water available to you
-> 3 Tablespoons of Shelled Hemp Seeds
-> 1 Teaspoon of Raw Honey
-> 1 Teaspoon of Sunflower Lecithin
-> ½ a Teaspoon of Maca
-> ½ a Teaspoon of Chlorella Powder or 3 or 4 Chlorella Tablets

All you have to do is blend it up and drink it down! Feel free to substitute another sweetener for the honey, or switch up the superfoods to your hearts content. A sneaky tablespoon of cacao powder is always a winner!

Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Soup

This is my favourite ever raw soup recipe! You really do need a high powered blender, such as a vitamix, for the best results. My oil of choice to use here is flax oil. Then, as well as making this soup ridiculously creamy, the lecithin also helps ensure that we properly absorb the essential fatty acids from the flax.

This recipe makes enough for one, so it’s really easy to change the amounts depending on how many you’re serving.

-> 1 Small Sweet Potato, peeled and roughly chopped
-> ½ a Red Pepper, seeds discarded
-> ½ a Cucumber, chopped
-> 3 Sundried Tomatoes, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes
-> 1-2 Tablespoons Cold Pressed Oil (olive, hemp and flax are all great options)
-> 1 Teaspoon Sunflower Lecithin
-> Pinch of Cayenne (optional)

First add the cucumber to the blender, then the red pepper and sweet potato. Drain the sundried tomatoes, squeeze out any excess water, and pop them in along with the cayenne if you’re using it. Blend on high until completely smooth. Then reduce the speed of the blended, and slowly add first the oil, and then the lecithin. If you’re using a vitamix, you can leave it running for a bit to heat the soup up slightly. Alternatively, warm very gently on the stove. Enjoy at once!

Chocolate Fudge

I’ve only just started using Sunflower Lecithin in my raw chocolate making, but am already beyond thrilled with the results! This is a really easy recipe that you can do a lot with; leave it as a liquid and use as an immensely smooth, decadent sauce, or pour into the mould of your choice for a meltingly soft raw fudge.

-> ½ a Cup of Coconut Oil/Butter
-> ½ a Cup of Raw Honey (or any other liquid sweetener)
-> ½ a Cup of Cacao Powder
-> 1 Tablespoon of Sunflower Lecithin
-> ½ a Teaspoon of Vanilla Powder
-> Pinch of Himalayan Crystal Salt

Add the coconut oil (no need to melt it first!) and honey to a food processor or blender. Process until well combined, then add the cacao powder and salt and blend some more. You can also add some superfood powders at this point to take the chocolate sparkle up a level! Then, with the machine still running, slowly drizzle in the Lecithin. Blend a bit more until creamy and dreamy!
You can use it straight away, or leave it to set for a bit. If you make it into fudge, it’s probably best to store it in the freezer because of the low melting point of the coconut oil.

I think that this would also make a fantastic frosting for a raw cake!

However you may take it, i don't think you can go far wrong with adding this raw syrupy superfood to your life.

For more informative articles plus delicious recipes, please get yourself over to Lana's BLOG HERE