Sprout my Chia Kitten

I have been having a lot of fun looking after my first Chia Pet. I even gave the Chia kitten I got for my birthday from my daughter and grand kids a name.  Meet Sprout.

The Chia kitten I got for my birthday came with a softie Chia Bear.  Here he is looking at the seeds which are soaking in water.  The instructions tell you to soak in 1/4 cup water 2 teaspoons of the Chia seeds.  In reality this is way too much.  You only need 1 teaspoon of chia seeds.  You have to soak the seeds for 1 hour.  Do not go over this amount of time like I did the first time.  If you do the seeds will be hard to adhere to the ceramic kitten.  As  the seeds soak they become gelatinous and this actually will help to spread the seeds on the surface.  Use a small spoon to pick up the seeds and spread all around the ridges.

If you leave  the seeds soaking for more than an hour, they turn really slimy and slippery.  As you  can see my first attempt was not successful.  I wasted a lot of seeds. Cliff has ordered me more Chia seeds.  You can buy them online from Amazon.

Keep you Chia Pet in a well lit space and fill the clay container daily with water.  There is a hole at the very top of the clay  container.  Always place the Chia pet on the plastic tray provided because it will leak water.  It also helps to mist your Chia pet with a spray bottle.

As you can see, I had much better results on my second try.

Chia seeds are considered a super food.  They can be consumed as seeds or after the seeds sprout.  This article provides information about the benefits of including Chia seeds in your diet.  Sorry Sprout....I will be eating your sprouts.

This is Sprout without his lush green coat!

 Keep the harvested sprouts in the refrigerator.

I added some Chia sprouts to my Avocado Sandwich.

 

Check this lady's blog for recipes and more ideas.

Food For Thought

The New Year 2011 begins tomorrow and it's time to make resolutions. Merriam Webster defines resolution as the process of resolving, determining. I don't have a long list of resolutions but as I turn a new leaf and the New Year begins I would like to try new foods  super foods and add them to my diet. These are some foods I intend to add to my diet in my quest of staying healthy.

I learned today that you can't get antioxidants from supplements only from the foods you eat.

1. Chia Seeds - Who would have known you can consume these.  These are the seeds used in making Chia pets.The site GET CHIA LLC even offers free shipping, just in case you can't find these locally.The site also features recipes. I have never had a Chia Pet....maybe I will now.

2. Black Rice. This rice will turn  dark purple after cooked due to the anthocyanin antioxidant content.  It also supplies minerals including iron.  Look for black rice at your local grocery store or an Oriental supermarket. 

3. Pistachios - Wow I had no idea Pistachios were so good.  They are delicious too.  Pistachios supply fiber, vegetable protein, antioxidants, carotenoids lutein zeaxnthin which fight macular degeneration that results in blindness as we age.  This power nut is easily found at your local grocery store.

4. Teff - a nutrient fiber. This is a gluten free whole grain which will add to your diet, fiber, protein, calcium and iron.  A mere 1/4 cup supplies 6 grams of fiber.  I'm thinking of adding Teff  when I bake quick breads or muffins.

5. Cherries - Love, love cherries in any form.  You can eat them year round frozen or dried. They are good for any age group but especially for women in the 50's group like me going through the dreaded menopause.  Cherries are packed with antioxidants and even contain Melatonin which will help you sleep better at night.  I'm definitely snacking on these at night.

6. Brussels Sprouts. I already eat these at least twice a month.  I really need to eat more though since they contain more vitamin C than any vegetable.  They help your body produce Collagen which in turn will help your skin look younger.  This green power food also supplies fiber and folic acid.

 Good Morning America listed these and a few other super foods that will make a difference in a woman's life.  Read the story here and take charge of your health by adding some or all of these to your diet.

So what good foods are you planning to eat during 2011?

Happy New Year to all!