Post Punk Kitchen Forum

For the past year of so I've been hearing about how magical chia seed is but what exactly is it? How does it compare to flax seed in taste and in cooking/baking? How do you you use it?
I like flax seeds but I feel as though I might be missing out on something.

In my opinion, you're not missing out on anything. I don't remember why I bought them in the first place, but if you're doing just fine with flax, stick to it. I vaguely remember baking with them, but it was nothing amazing. I think I bought them for the nutritional content, and to try them out, but I can't be certain. There is still a huge jar sitting in my cabinet.

Maybe this thread will help me get back into chia seeds so I can use them up, if people have uses/great experiences with them.

We use them to make chia fresca. It's a really refreshing/revitalizing drink! A couple teaspoons chia seed, 1/2 lime squeezed, 1 teaspoon sugar, fill with water. I like to drink it before it gets gelled, but you can also use it as gel.

i bought some chia seeds to make some pudding-like thing i read about on some blog. but i bought them way after i read that, and now i can't remember what blog it was on and i keep forgetting to google it.

if you google 'chia pudding' there are a lot of hits. I've been using it to make pudding lately. I like it a lot.
http://www.choosingraw.com/basic-chia-seed-pudding/

thank you!

thank you!

I kinda love chia because it's shelf-stable and you don't have to grind it for the omega-3s. I've never cooked with it, but I make a "sprinkle mix" of ground flax, chia seeds and hemp seeds which I put on my cereal or on stew or soup. It's super filling and really good for fiber.

I just kinda hate that the seeds gel and get stuck in my teeth.

As in a hair gel or something else?

Ah yes, the Omega-3's, fiber, and the chia seed gel... it's slowly coming back to me....

No, it's a gel you use in cooking.

Having to grind is a downside and when I don't have any on hand I tend to skip it so it's good to know I can use whole chia seeds.
Could chia gel be used as an egg substitute like flax and a soup thickener?

Yes, definitely! Lots of folks have used it as an egg replacer, although I haven't personally tried it, I've seen some recipes floating around blogs.

It looks like the answer is yes:

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/ch ... itute.html
Here's good news for vegans or anyone else who doesn't include eggs in their diets: chia or Salba gel can be used as an egg substitute in any recipe.

To replace one egg, mix 2 tablespoons of chia with half a cup of cold water. This makes 1/4 c. of chia gel. This is a different ratio of chia to water than is used in the basic chia gel recipe.

I haven't tried this yet but Alisa over at Just Baking has a delicious-looking recipe for vegan banana muffins using chia gel as an egg replacer. I'm going to try a similar recipe soon and will report back on my results!

I use it a bunch in baking - the ground seeds that is. I generall us 1 teaspoon ground chia in place of 1 Tablespoon ground flax but it varies with the recipe. I like using it in bakign instead of flax when I don't want the bits to be seen as much, as the powder isn't as brown, but that is just appearance.

Well, looks like I'll be making some chia pudding today. =O

A gel to eat/drink. It's supposed to revitalize you after a long run, so some longlong distance runners pack it as a gel. It grosses me out that way, though.

i cant get mine to be pudding-y. the seeds somewhat plump and gel, but not like the pudding pictures and theres always still a lot of milk leftover. i kind of eat it as a cereal type meal, with banana or berries mixed in.

Another one of Gena's that is awesome is this one:

http://www.choosingraw.com/pumpkin-chia-pudding/

I'm currently eating it as I type

Hmm, I may have to get some chia seeds. I'm a bit bored with my flax seeds.

Ooh nice! I'll have to give that recipe a try!
I've been reading up on chia last night and it seems like the gel it forms is thicker than flax so I'm starting think a fluffy meringue or whipped cream of some sort is possible.