Chia seeds!
Thanks to Eliza at Eliza on the Run who was so sweet to send me some chia seeds, I’ve come up with a great pancake recipe that even the picky kiddos loved! As I was concocting, Thing 1 walked in, misread the Chia Seed bag and went: “Oh no China Seeds Super Food. This CANNOT be good!”
Before I get to the recipe lets review what exactly chia seeds are and why they are so popular these days:
Chia seeds come from the plant salvia hispanica
They were featured in the popular book Born to Run as the super food the Tarahumara Indians used as fuel during endurance runs.
The oils found in chia seeds are 30% omega 3 and 40% Omega 6–an optimal balance of essential fatty acids.
Unlike flax seeds, chia seeds need no grinding before use
Chia seeds absorb large amounts (up to 10x their weight) of water and have high soluble fiber content. This combination is said to help reduce cravings.
They help keep blood pressure and blood sugar under control
Chia seeds are believed to boost energy, enhance stamina and endurance.
They are very easy to use: sprinkle them in yogurt, cereal, salads, smoothies, bake with them, the sky is the limit!
According to Real Age, the optimum daily intake of chia seeds is 20 grams, twice a day or 1.5 oz total.
My experience with chia seeds: I used them to make the pancakes below as well as in my protein shake. They do not impart any specific flavor, just a nutty, crunchy poppy seed-like texture which I found quite pleasant. I definitely felt an energy boost from them, similar to a cup of coffee for me. I would not recommend eating them near bedtime if you have trouble sleeping. I also noticed a laxative effect, in a good way, although I’d think twice about using them before a race. Overall a big thumbs up!
1C whole wheat flour
1/3C slow oats
1/3C toasted oat bran
1/3C chia seeds
1/4C protein powder (optional)
2t baking powder
1/4t baking soda
1/4t salt
2C buttermilk*
2 large eggs
4T melted butter
2T Light molasses
Serve with maple syrup, jam or whatever you like. I swear these are delicious–even according to the kids.
Since this recipe is more complex than I have time for on a busy weekday morning, I make a bunch, freeze them and take out what I need. Makes about 20 pancakes.
*If you don’t have buttermilk laying around (who does?) Substitute by adding 1T of lemon juice to each cup of milk and let stand for 5 minutes.
Those look great! Do you think I could sub agave nectar for molasses?
Great idea Saundra, I bet you could!
If you don't mind, I normally eat breakfast around 5:30 AM. I'll leave the back door unlocked!
Hi Marcia,
What a great idea! I have heard that chia seeds will benefit runners:) Thank you so much for the recipe..I will have to try sometime soon
Ha ha, Jamoosh is so flipping funny….I am so easily amused by his comments:) Don't feel bad about the brewery naming contest…all of my suggestions were rejected too:) Oh well, we tried!! Have a good one Marcia:)
yum. i keep hearing great things about chia seeds. they seem so easy to use!
and i got the package yesterday yay & thanks 🙂
oh i love chia seeds, but haven't ever tried them this way! awesome idea
Sometimes I think teaching kids to read just leads to trouble. 🙂
We eat pancakes one day a weekend, usually. I've been trying to make them healthier. Thanks.
i've heard good things about chia seeds, but never have tried them out yet.
Those pancakes look delicious – thanks for the recipe!
I keep hearing about these chia seeds… I should try to get my hands on some. Thanks for the info & ideas!
I put chia seeds in my smoothies every day! They really thicken it up, and I do think it helps to fill you up for longer.
Thanks for the post about chia seeds. I've been hearing alot about them lately, but wan't sure what the deal was….I'll try them.
Thanks for this post. I am always trying to find new foods to eat that are healthy and serve a great nutritional boost. Many thanks. I am thinking you should probably set up a new blog dedicated to running food. Way to go. Keep it up.
Good info! I just got some chia seeds the other day. I have not used them all that much yet but am trying to incorporate them more and more. I will have to try that recipe – thanks!
I really want to try Chia Seeds. I wonder if I can order them online? Off to find out!
I was at Whole Foods the other day to get Chia Seeds and they were all sold out – so they must be pretty magical. I gotta order them online I guess – I need anything to make me have more energy :). The pancakes look heavenly…yum! Thanks for sharing!!!
I love chia seeds! I put a couple scoops in my smoothie every day and in my energy bars!
Great addition to anyones diet!
I keep hearing about these chia seeds…may have to try them. Thanks for the great receipe!
WOW! Seriously I'm gonna come to your house for breakfast!
I have heard about Chia Seeds but have never read anything about them. Thanks for the review.
That recipe looks good…I don't cook very much but those I would like to try!
I ususally add flaxseed to my salad. Do you think you could do the same with Chia Seeds?
Fridays are (buckwheat)pancake days at our house. Now, I'll have to get some chia seeds to mix in. Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Okay, so I live under a rock: I haven't read Born to Run so I haven't heard about health benefits of chia seeds. But thanks to this post, I'm going to look for them at health food store. I love things that "pop" in mouth like poppy seeds or tobiko on sushi. Thanks for the recommendation.
Those look yummy!I just might go out and get some after reading this. 🙂 thanks!
Thanks for the recipe, I will need to give it a try.
uh … come over here and make those for me … then stick the rest in the freezer and I can eat them all week! You're coming now right? Cause it's 4:13am PST and I'm getting ready for work. Feed me.
They look really good! I've been meaning to get some chia seeds for a while, this gives me another good reason to go get some!
I was wondering if they would work in things like pancakes. Thanks for posting.
Do you ever find that they make your smoothies extra thick? I noticed that last time. I bought some a while back, but keep forgetting about them. Time to experiment some more….
I'm linking this on my chia seed post in a week…hope that's cool;-)