I have been seriously OBSESSED with this drink for the past week, and could not wait to share it! If you like gooey, jello-y type drinks (think tapioca pudding and bubble tea-type things), this drink is for you. And if you are not sure if you like that type of drink, please try it anyway. Just trust me!
BUT WHAT IS IT?
What you see in the jar is a soaked chia seed drink. You can find similar bottled drinks at your local health food store called Mamma Chia, which is juice, agave, and chia seeds. The Mamma Chia is good, but I prefer to make my own. My particular favorite flavor is a combination of cherry juice, apple juice, and water (I don’t like straight juice) shaken with 3 Tablespoons of chia seeds. I also have made a cherry lemonaide which was spectacular too. The chia seeds soak up water and create a gelatinous texture throughout the whole drink- each sip is gooey and a bit crunchy from the teeny seeds- it is a super fun texture for a drink. I am totally addicted to it, and have to limit myself to one jar a day!
Best of all, chia seeds are incredibly healthy. According to the Mamma Chia site, chia seeds are an ancient source of energy, nutrients, and healthy oils. These teeny seeds contain high amounts of fiber, omega-3, complete protein, calcium and potassium, magnesium, and iron. Unlike flaxseeds which must be ground to obtain their benefits, chia can be eaten whole and you still get all the nutrition (but you can grind them too!). It was revered by Native cultures throughout the Americas for their battles and long-distance travels… but now we can enjoy it for our long-distance days at the computer, or whatever marathons you are working on today. But, adding all this extra fiber into your diet means you have to add more water to ensure you move everything along in your bowels. Too much chia and not enough water is a recipe for bloating and gas.
Cherry Chia Juice
4 oz cherry juice (or other!)
3 oz apple juice
5 oz water (or to taste)
3 Tablespoons chia seeds
Add the juices/water to a jar, in whatever combination you like (the photo above is a standard 16oz jar). Add the chia seeds and shake vigorously. Let the drink settle and shake again. Give it a shake about every 30 seconds for the next few minutes. The chia gets sticky very quickly, and if you simply shake and walk away it will solidify into one chia-mass, which is not good for drinking. Keep shaking while you’re doing the dishes, cooking dinner, or what have you. After a few minutes, the seeds should be mostly evenly distributed, though some will rise and some will sink. Store in the fridge for at least a few hours, but overnight is best for the thickest texture. When ready, the seeds will be evenly distributed and suspended in the gooeyness they created, as you can see in the photos. Enjoy!
and YES, chia seeds are the SAME chia of our childhood chia pets. Cha-cha-cha CHIA!
What an incredible idea! I love this! Seriously. And the cherry and apple sounds really good. Refreshing and springlike.
I’m making this for sure. Maybe even with freshly juiced fruits. But either way, it’s a very creative and healthy way to enjoy chia. Love chia.
Fun drink- bet a straw would be even more fun. ;)
I am a HUGE fan of Mamma Chia, and I tried making this myself…. I have to say walking into Whole Foods and buying it is a whole lot easier than all the making and shaking!! But maybe you’re just better at making it than me!
Homemade Mamma Chia = Brilliant!
Love this post! Check out our high quality chia seeds and the “How to Chia” section at: http://www.HealthWarrior.com... we need to post the andreadevon…
Are you still drinking your water keifer? How many days do you let it make? I found four days was still pretty sweet.
I am obsessed with using pomegranate juice for these drinks! I got some dirt cheap with triple coupons, woohoo. I let the chia soak in the pomegranate juice add some club soda and a slice of lime. Very yummy! I tried the momma chia because it looked fun and it was. I have become a chia addict now.
Stoked that you like them! I like the idea of adding some sparkle to them too! Have you tried the chia kombuchas? Those are yums too!
I have been making my own chia drinks and I’ve found that I get a better texture if I heat up the juice to almost boiling before I add the chia. It makes it gel a lot quicker and not nearly as much shaking is required.
Also, I tried adding club soda like one of the other comments suggested and absolutely love it! Refreshing and so doesn’t taste like health food!
My only issue has been the little stems…I got my latest batch of chia in the bulk area at Whole Foods and there seems to be a lot of little stems. Before that, I got them at a farmer’s market; no stems, but I wasn’t sure that they were organic. Any suggestions on an organic chia seed brand that doesn’t have tons of stems?