Day 139 - Cold Lunch with Chia Seed Pudding

Deviled Eggs, Celery with Pimento Cheese, Chia Seed Pudding, Red Plum, Dried Apricots.

I keep hearing how good chia seeds are for you, so I've been trying to incorporate them into my food lately.  They're pretty inexpensive, all things considered, and are supposed to have a lot of health benefits.  So, I throw them into salad dressings, casseroles, etc.  I keep a jar of chia gel (recipe below) in my refrigerator and just throw them into available recipes.  I have also discovered that with three ingredients, you can make a very nice chia seed pudding which is quite healthy and tastes a lot like tapioca pudding...at least it does to me!

So, for lunch today I had chia seed pudding and other delightful cold lunch items - deviled eggs, celery sticks stuffed with pimento cheese, a red plum, and dried apricots.  Easy to transport, delicious to eat.

I'm including recipes for both chia gel and chia pudding.  By chia gel, I mean chia seeds that have already been soaked in liquid and can be added to most recipes.  It forms a gel-like substance, and keeps for a good while in the refrigerator.  You can read more about chia gel here!

Chia Gel

1 Tablespoon Chia Seeds
2/3 cup water

Combine seeds and water in an 8 ounce jar.  Shake gently to combine, and let gel in the refrigerator for at least an hour.  Add spoonfuls to other dishes to increase texture and health benefits.

Chia Pudding

3 Tablespoons Chia Seeds
2/3 cup 2% milk
1 teaspoon honey

Combine seeds, water, and honey in an 8 ounce jar.  Shake gently to combine, and let gel in the refrigerator for at least an hour.  May be served hot or cold.