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{ y is for yogini's } chia porridge recipe

photo credit: hubpages.com

Y is for Yogini's Chia Porridge Recipe:

2 TB Chia Seeds
2 C Water (filtered)
1 Banana
1 TB Milk
dash cinnamon
dash nutmeg
sweetener

Total Calories: 235. Fiber: 14.4 g. Protein: 6.4 g.

{ Mix chia seeds and water in a bowl and whisk vigorously. This is the fun part — you'll be amazed at how quickly the seeds absorb the water and thicken like crazy! Let this sit for 15 minutes, then whisk again, leaving for another 15-30 minutes. Slice in your banana and add 1 TB milk, cinnamon, nutmeg, + sweetener. Mix well. At this point, it's ready to eat. I like to cover the bowl and chill in the fridge for a few hours and then dig in. Enjoy! }

Other ways to get your chia on:

You can mix your chia seeds into oatmeal or green smoothies (my two favorite things to add them to!), salads, bake them into cookies, bars, muffins, or anywhere else you see fit.

They've made a HUGE difference in my energy and endurance. I put 1 TB in my morning oatmeal (Nature's Path Organic Instant Hot Oatmeal, Blueberry) before I head off to my fave advanced vinyasa flow class. I also put them in my daily green smoothies. Adding the chia seeds gives me a boost, fuels my yoga practice, and helps me work it out!

{ green-smoothie-anity-ism } i have found a new religion

artwork credit: blog.lib.umn.edu

If REM had discovered what I have, they would never have written that song. I, friends, am reborn. I am so fresh and so clean clean clean. I have found a new religion: Green-Smoothie-anity-ism.

My journey began a little over three weeks ago, when Suburban Yogini came knocking at my door. She had with her a gorgeous smile, skin that was all aglow, and a funny little pamphlet with seemingly-innocuous smoothie recipes.

Normally I hide out like a bandit when there are those kinds of calls made at my house. Don't judge, I learned it early on. :) Childhood remnants and whatnot. But this day, oh yes, this day I answered the calling.

Today I am the liveliest, glowiest, and most energetic of converts. Yes, my skin is still detoxing and yes, it takes extra time out of my day for worship, but it is all worthwhile. And my yoga practice is off the chain; so, so much stronger. Twice a day, I bow down to kale, spinach, the holiest and most nutritious of fruits, my beloved chia seeds, milk, and sweetener. I have my own special green smoothie concoction.

You, too can be saved. All you need is a blender and a little imagination. :)

{ cha cha cha chia } seeds

I'd like you to meet my little friends: chia seeds.

photo credit: bewellbuzz.com

Yes, these are the seeds that make chia pets. But they do much cooler things than simply growing you a pet with a big green afro. The benefits of eating them include healthier digestion and increased hydration. Chia seeds absorb more than 10 times their weight in water, creating a gel that slows the conversion of carbs to sugar. What this means for you is steady blood sugar, extended energy, and maintained endurance. 

If that's not enough, chia seeds are chock full of protein, Omega 3 (and Omega 6) fatty acids, fiber (both soluble and insoluble), calcium, and a multitude of additional vitamins and minerals.

Flax seeds are currently getting a lot of attention for their benefits, but if you put them in the ring with chia seeds, it's a chia TKO. They are higher in Omega 3's than flax, the seeds don't go bad (unlike flax), and you don't have to grind them up in order to absorb their nutrients. Chia seeds can be eaten exactly as they are.

I buy mine from The Raw Food World through Amazon.com. Chia Love!  :)