Banana Bread Chia Pudding!

CH CH CH Chia! We can’t hear the name without thinking of the novelty item “The Chia Pet”, right?! It’’s popping up everywhere: in smoothies, puddings, baked goods.. even salads. So why is it winning the popularity contest these days? And what the heck is it anyways? I’m skeptical of anything that get’s this much fame overnight.. so I did my research.

Chia seeds are considered an ancient grain since they were widely used by the Aztecs. They are a seed from an herb plant.. the chia pet plant! Yep. Same plant, except we are eating the seeds. The chia plant is from the mint family.

Here are 3 fast facts about these popular little gems:

• One ounce of chia seeds has 11 grams of dietary fiber, which is important to digestive health & function.

• They are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids, containing more than a piece of salmon, with nearly five grams in a one-ounce serving. These fats are important for brain health.

• Chia seeds absorb up to 12 times their weight and expand in your stomach to make you feel fuller, longer, assisting greatly in weight loss.

I have officially discovered the most delicious way to eat these amazing seeds that I think would make the Aztecs proud:

Banana Bread Chia Pudding:

Ingredients:

1 medium Banana
1/2 cup Gluten-free oats
1 scoop Nanopro Vegan Vanilla/Toffee flavored protein powder
1 cup Almond milk
1 tbsp. Chia Seeds
1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 tbsp. Raw honey or Agave nectar
1/3 cup chopped Pecans

Directions:

1. In a blender, puree the banana, almond milk, cinnamon, Nanopro powder & sweetener of choice.
2. Transfer to a shallow storage container. 
3. Stir in oats and chia seeds. Refrigerate overnight
4. In the morning, stir the pudding and poor it into a glass.
5. Top with pecans & banana.

Dig In!

Tammy Fodrey & Biopharma Scientific