Famous because of the Chia Pet craze of the 1980s, chia seed became famous as a SuperFood when it was written about as a staple in the diet of the Tarahumara Native Americans, the greatest ultra distance runners in the world, in the 2009 New York Times Bestselling Book “Born to Run.” As the name suggests, “Chi-a” (Chi/Qi) is a high-energy and endurance food. It is very hydrophilic, it’s loaded with soluble fiber, which gelatinizes in liquid. Gelatinize some chia seed, add some protein, some fat and you’re good to go. Add some additional SuperFoods and Tonic Herbs, and you are WAY good! When gelatinizing chia seed, your liquid should to be at least room temperature. Cold liquids do not work well. When using most protein powders, or a polyunsaturated fat like Styrian pumpkin seed oil, keep the temperature down below 120°F/49°C. If you are using collagen powder and saturated fats with high heat tolerances, you can make a hot Chia Pudding, which is excellent in the winter months.
Gather Up
1 cup (250ml) Coconut Milk
½ cup (120ml) Water
¼ cup (50g) Chia Seeds
2 TB Whey Protein/ Vanilla Vegan Protein
½ tsp Vanilla Stevia
1 tsp Xylitol Powder (or more to taste)
Jing It Up (options)
1 tsp Pearl Powder
½ tsp Vanilla Bean Powder
1 tsp – 1 TB MCT Oil
1 TB Ghee/ Coconut Oil
2 TB Colostrum Powder
Sling It Up
Add the coconut milk and water to a small pan and heat on the stove to about 110°F/43°C so it’s just hot to the touch. Remove from stove and transfer to a heatproof container, like a Pyrex measuring cup. Add the chia seeds. Stir well, and continue stirring a couple times per minute, for about 10 minutes, or until it gelatinizes to a thick consistency.
Add the soaked chia seeds into your blender and add the rest of your ingredients.