Chia seeds stand in for eggs and add a healthy boost to these decadent pancakes. I love that they sound challenging, but are actually quite simple. These would be perfect for breakfast on a lazy Sunday, but we could eat these pancakes anytime of the day! A special thanks to our Label Content Manager, Michelle (who also writes the beautiful blog Je Mange la Ville) for coming up with such a fun recipe.

Caramelized Banana & Chia Pancakes

Serves 2-4; makes 7-8 pancakes

•  1 Tbsp Chia Seeds + 3 Tbsp Water
• 3/4 cup Unbleached White Flour
• 1/4 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/4 tsp Kosher Salt
• 1 cup Buttermilk or Soured Milk
• 2 Tbsp melted Butter
• 1 Banana, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch slices (about 16 slices total)
• 1 tsp granulated Sugar
• Maple Syrup, for serving

Add chia seeds to water and let sit until they gel, about 15 minutes.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flours, sugar, baking powder and soda and salt. Add the buttermilk and melted butter to the gelled chia, and then combine that into the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined (don’t over mix).

Heat a non-stick griddle over medium heat and spray lightly with non-stick spray. Drop batter onto griddle by 1/4 cupfuls. Place two banana slices into each pancake surface and press down lightly. Sprinkle pancake surfaces with a little sugar.

Flip pancake when bubbles appear on the surface and edges start to look a little dry, about 3-4 minutes. Check side with bananas frequently to make sugar isn’t getting to dark and adjust heat as needed. Cook second side 2-3 more minutes. Keep warm in a 200° F oven if cooking pancakes in batches.

Make these vegan by substituting non-dairy buttermilk (recipe below) for the buttermilk and melted Earth Balance in place of butter.

Non Dairy Buttermilk:

Combine 1 cup of Soy/Rice/Almond milk with 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Let stand 10 minutes and use in place of buttermilk.

A kolache, if you’re not familiar, is a traditional semi-sweet pastry from Central Europe. Kolaches have quite the following in the United States, particularly Texas, and can be found on breakfast menus all over (we even have a few food carts dedicated to kolaches here in Portland). The light, fluffy dough usually contains a filling of fruit, poppy seeds, cheese or sausage.

This is our take on the kolache. Here, whole wheat flour and chia seeds are used to give this treat a little more nutritional oomph. If sweet isn’t your thing, or chia seeds are hard to come by, kolaches can be filled with just about anything. A quick search pulls up everything from ham and egg to pizza fillings. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat Kolaches with Chia Seed Filling

Kolache Dough

•     1-1/2 cups Milk (361.45g)
•     1/2 cup Sugar (113.4g)
•     1 cup Butter, melted (226.8g)
•     3 Eggs (136.08g)
•     2-1/4 tsp Active Dry Yeast (7.09g)
•     2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (240g)
•     3 – 4 cups Unbleached White Flour (402 – 544g)
•     1 tsp Sea Salt (4g)

Chia Seed Filling

•     1 cup Milk (241g)
•     1/2 cup Sugar (113.4g)
•     zest of one Orange
•     1 cup Chia Seed (208g)
•     1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Directions

Kolache Dough

Step 1

Heat milk and sugar to 110°F. Sprinkle yeast over warm milk and let sit until it looks creamy.

Step 2

Combine flours in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs and yeast/milk mixture and mix for 3 – 4 minutes.

Step 3

Add salt and continue to mix for an additional 2 – 3 minutes. Place dough in a well-oiled bowl, turn dough once to coat both sides, cover and chill overnight.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/4″ thickness. Cut 3″ round circles and transfer them to parchment lined sheet trays.

Step 5

Top the center of each round with 1 Tbsp of chia seed filling. Let rise until puffy, 15 – 20 minutes.

Step 6

Lightly egg wash and bake at 375°F until golden, about 12 – 15 minutes.

Chia Seed Filling

Step 1

Heat milk, sugar and orange zest to barely simmering.

Step 2

Add chia seeds and cook over low heat until all liquid has absorbed, 5 – 7 minutes. Add vanilla extract.

If you resolved to have a healthier, happier 2013, consider adding some (or all) of these nutritional powerhouses to your diet. For recipe inspiration, check out our recipe collection on our website.

1. Flaxseed Meal: Flaxseeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, delivering a whopping 2400 milligrams in each 2 Tbsp serving of Flaxseed Meal. Ground flax also delivers 4 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein per serving. Seeds should be ground to reap the benefits of flax, however, whole seeds make a wonderful addition to breads and other baked goods. Bonus: Flaxseed Meal makes a great egg substitute in most baking. See below for directions.
   
   

   Flaxseeds and Flaxseed Meal

2. Hemp Seed: Like flax, hemp seeds are chock full of omega-3 fatty acids, delivering 880 milligrams in each 2 Tbsp serving. Unlike flax, these seeds do not need to be ground to enjoy their nutritional punch. Hemp seeds are creamy and nut-like in texture and flavor. Larger than a sesame seed, but smaller than a sunflower seed, these little babies are a great addition to hot cereal, salads and baked goods. A 2 Tbsp serving will deliver 5 grams of protein, making them a perfect addition to breakfast or a post-exercise snack. Bonus: Hemp is a complete protein! This makes it ideal for vegetarian and vegan diets.
   
   

   Hemp Seeds

3. Chia Seed: Chia is the darling of nutritionists these days and it’s easy to see why. Like flax and hemp, chia is a wonderful source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and protein. Each 1 Tbsp serving delivers 2900 milligrams of omega-3, 5 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. Chia does not need to be ground to enjoy its health benefits, but some people find it easier to digest chia gel. See below for making chia gel. The seeds can be added to hot cereal, baked goods, smoothies and all sorts of wonderful dishes. Bonus: The fiber in chia has the ability to thicken, making it ideal for refrigerator jam, thickening sauces or using as an egg in baking.
   
   

   Chia seeds

4. Almond Meal: Almonds are notoriously healthy nuts providing a good amount of manganese and vitamin E, as well as a healthy serving of monounsaturated fats in each 1/4 cup serving. Not only do almonds have a healthy boost of protein, they are also very low in carbohydrates. Eating whole almonds is terrific, but did you know that adding almond meal to your baking and cooking can bring the health benefits of almonds to your diet, as well as cutting back on carbohydrate consumption? Replacing 1/4 cup of white flour in your baking with almond meal will add wonderful texture and flavor and reduce the carbohydrate load. These days, baked goods using exclusively almond meal can be found all over the web for those that need to watch their sugars. Bonus: Almond meal makes a great coating for fish and chicken in place of flour or cornmeal.
   
   
5. Coconut Flour: Once consigned to the category of nutritional no-no’s, coconut has seen a resurgence in popularity due to new studies that have found it to be a highly nutritious food. While everything made from coconut may not be good for you, some coconut products are very good for you. Coconut flour is one of these mind-bogglingly nutritious foods. A single 2 Tbsp serving of coconut flour delivers 5 grams of fiber! The light flavor allows coconut flour to blend seamlessly into sweet or savory baked goods. Like almond meal, coconut flour has a low carbohydrate load, making it ideal for people who must manage their carbohydrate intake. Coconut flour is gaining in popularity, but it is still a tricky flour to bake with. We recommend starting with some recipes to get the hang of it, as it requires an unusual amount of liquid to balance out the high amount of fiber. Adding 2 Tbsp to a protein rich smoothie is a great way to get a little more fiber into your diet. Bonus: Like almond meal, coconut flour also makes a wonderful coating for chicken, fish or other proteins in place of regular flour or cornmeal.

What super foods would you add to this list?

Using Flaxseed Meal as an Egg Replacement:

Flaxseed meal makes a great egg replacement for muffins, quick breads and other baked goods with a heartier texture. It does not work as well for recipes with a lighter texture such as a white cake or sugar cookies (it will likely work, but the texture will be different and some visual appeal may be lost). It also does not work very well in egg-heavy dishes such as quiches, stratas and frittatas. Use this formula to substitute for one egg. Double for two eggs, triple for three eggs, and so on…

1 Tbsp Flaxseed Meal
3 Tbsp Water

Combine flaxseed meal and water and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Add this ingredient to your recipe as you would the eggs.

Making Chia Gel:

2 Tbsp Chia Seed
1 cup Water

Combine chia seed and water and allow to sit for about 15 minutes.

These are sweeter than your average muffin but denser than your average cupcake and so moist, you have to wait for them to cool a bit before attempting to remove them from the pan, or else they will fall apart. When I do remove them from the pan, I do so by running a butter knife around the edge of all the cupcake cups (no wrappers for these) and then inverting the pan. All the teacakes (if cool enough) should slip easily from the greased (not floured) cupcake tin, landing squarely on their heads. Which is right where I leave them for glazing. I like the look of these upside down little round-edged pyramids. If you can do gluten, there’s a great recipe for Meyer Lemon Chia Seed Muffins over on Danica’s Daily.

• 2/3 cup Bob’s Red Mill Organic Quinoa (cooked)
• 1/3 cup Soy Milk (you can use dairy or sub other milks if you like)
• 4 large organic Brown Eggs
• 1 tsp pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup Butter, melted and cooled
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Almond or Hazelnut Flour
• 3 Tbsp Bob’s Red Mill Coconut Flour
• 2 Tbsp Bob’s Red Mill Chia Seeds
• 1-1/2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 tsp True Lemon Natural Crystallized Lemon
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt

• 1/3 cup Butter
• 2 cups sifted Powdered Sugar
• 3 Tbsp Water
• 1tsp True Lemon Natural Crystallized Lemon
• 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract

• 1 cup Low-Fat Goats Milk, Dairy, Coconut or Soy Yogurt
• 1/4 cup Chia Seeds
• 1 large, ripe Banana, mashed
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Almond Extract
• 1/4 cup Almonds
• 1 Tbsp Date Sugar or Stevia

•  1-2 scoops of Vanilla Protein Power
•  1-2 soaked Dates
•  a handful of Raisins and/or Goji Berries
•  2 Tbsp dried Coconut Flakes

This fun, nutritious and perfectly simple recipe comes from Dana at Gluten Freedom. Of her site, Dana says, “Gluten Freedom is a website for everyone who is gluten free for any reason, or has a family member who is.  We cover many topics from recipes, to interviews with medical professionals, to restaurant reviews and weekly product giveaways.  We are a community of all things gluten free and we would love for you to join us!”

Frozen Fruity Chia Delight (Gluten Free and Dairy Free)

Ingredients

• 1 cup of Ice
• 1 Banana
• 1 cup frozen Strawberries and Pineapple, mixed
• splash of Orange Juice
• splash of Apple Juice
• 1/4 cup Chia Seeds

Directions

Mix all ingredients in blender (I use my Magic Bullet) until ice has been well blended.

Store in freezer for ten minutes or until needed.

Spoon into bowls and garnish with fresh fruit.

Serves two. Enjoy!

These tasty treats are part of our month-long celebration of everything chia. Courtesy of Natalie Herr from Oven Love, we adore these simple and easy decadent little cookies and cannot get over how down-right healthy they are to-boot.  We know they have a good dose of peanut butter and chocolate chips (two of our favorite things!), but the whole grain goodness of rolled oats and the boost of fiber and Omega-3 from the chia seeds make these more like an energy snack than a cookie.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Chia Bites

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Rolled Oats
• 1 cup Honey
• 1 cup Peanut Butter
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips
• 1/4 cup Bob’s Red Mill Chia Seeds

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or more. Remove them from the fridge, use a small cookie scoop to create uniform portions and roll into balls. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Makes about 4 dozen bites.

At Oven Love, you’ll find recipes made from scratch, with love and a little sass. I enjoy creating food that makes people smile, whether it’s a hearty main dish or the occasional sweet treat. Come by for a visit and see what’s cooking!

This recipe is part of our month-long celebration of all things chia and comes from baker and writer, Christa Kelso Borden. Christa owns Mini Baker, a premiere cupcake and mini cake destination. Of herself, Christa says, “as a young girl, I always loved baking and had a large sweet tooth. Within the past few years, baking became not just a hobby, but a passion.” Mini Baker has become the go-to bakery for weddings, parties, baby showers, film/crew sets, and to satisfy anyone’s sweets-fix. You can read more from Christa on her blog, Mini Baker Cupcakes.

BAKED BLUEBERRY BANANA CHIA SEED OATMEAL

photo credit: Christa Kelso Borden of Mini Baker

(makes 6 servings)

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 medium ripe Bananas, (the riper the better) sliced into 1/2″ pieces
• 2 cups fresh Blueberries
• ¾ tsp Cinnamon
• 1 cup uncooked Quick Oats
• ½ cup chopped Walnuts or Pecans
• ½ tsp Baking Powder
• ½ cup Chia Seeds
• pinch of Salt
• ¼ cup Agave Nectar (or Honey)
• 1 cup Whole Milk
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F. Lightly spray a 9X9” ceramic dish with nonstick
cooking spray.

2. Arrange the banana slices in a single layer on the bottom of the ceramic
dish. Sprinkle half of the blueberries (1 cup) and ¼ tsp. of the cinnamon
over the bananas and cover with foil. Bake 15 minutes at 375, until the
bananas get soft.

3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the oats, half of nuts (1/4 cup),
baking powder, remaining cinnamon (1/2 tsp.), chia seeds and salt; stir
together.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the agave, milk and vanilla extract.

5. Remove the bananas from the oven. Then pour the oat mixture over the
baked bananas and blueberries.

7. Pour the milk mixture over the oats, making sure to distribute the mixture
as evenly as possible over the oats. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries (1
cup) and walnuts (1/4 cup) over the top.

8. Bake the oatmeal for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown
and the oatmeal has set. Serve warm from the oven.

Recipe By: Mini Baker (www.minibakercupcakes.blogspot.com)

This inventive recipe from Lidia of Air Eater is part of our month-long celebration of the tiny super food, chia. When chia seed is mixed with liquid, it forms a thick gel, making it a fun and healthy alternative to tapioca pearls in traditional bubble tea.

Carob Chia Seed Bubble Tea
(serves 1)

1/4 cup Chia Seeds
1 tbsp Toasted Carob Powder
1 tbsp Evaporated Cane Juice sugar
1 cup of brewed Tea
1-1/2 cups of Almond Milk (or favourite milk)
1/2 cup of Ice
1/2 cup sliced Strawberries

Soak the chia seeds in the almond milk in a medium sized bowl as they will expand. Stir occasionally for 10 minutes, mixture will thicken slightly. Cover the bowl and soak in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours. Make a cup of your favorite green tea, a fruit variety would add flavour, but any will do. Cool to room temperature.

If you have a large shaker cup with a lid, use this, or a container with a tight lid. Pour the rest of the ingredients with the refrigerated mixture. Make sure your container is closed tight and shake for a minute.

Add the strawberries first and then pour the mixture over and serve.

Air Eater is a gluten free vegan blog written by Lidia Le François, located in Toronto, Canada. The intent of Air Eater is to educate readers about what a gluten free vegan lifestyle is like and provide easy to use recipes for those interested in becoming healthy.

There is something wonderfully satisfying about making granola. Each time I make a batch, I feel like I’ve accomplished something significant for the day. Maybe it’s because those tasty little pre-made bags are so expensive and I just whipped up a batch for less than half the price. Maybe it’s that I know I’m not loading mine up with heavy sugar binders so I can feel a little more self-righteous when I eat it. Or, maybe it’s that the last time I told a guy I make my own granola he asked, “Seriously? Are you married?”

I can always use a little more satisfaction in my life so the truth is I’ve become a bit addicted to making my own granola. Flavor combos float through my dreams at night, ingredients dance on the supermarket shelves, and nothing seems too wild right now (wasabi, anyone?).

With that in mind, I was thrilled when Bob’s Red Mill threw some chia seeds my way and challenged me to whip up something new. It didn’t take long for me to know where those tiny omega-3 packed seeds where headed — into a batch of granola. Chocolately, lightly sweetened, and with just a kick of heat, this granola has become an instant hit amongst my taste-testers/friends/neighbors/doormen. I hope you’ll find it, and the process of making it, deliciously satisfying, too.

Cocoalicious Granola with Chia Seeds

You will need:

• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• ½ cup Agave Nectar
• 1/3 cup Cocoa Powder
• 1 Tbsp Cinnamon
• ½ tsp Cayenne Pepper*
• ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Chia Seeds**
• 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Rolled Oats***
• 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Unsweetened Flaked Coconut
• ½ tsp coarse ground Sea Salt
• ½ cup Bob’s Red Mill Raw Pumpkin Seeds (pepitas)

Cooking Instructions:

1)     Preheat oven to 350°.

2)     In a large mixing bowl, combine olive oil and agave nectar.

3)     Stir in cocoa powder, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. Mix to combine.

4)     Add chia seeds and stir to combine.

5)     Add the rolled oats, coconut and sea salt. Stir until oats and coconut are well coated with the spiced agave mixture.

6)     Spread out evenly on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

7)     Bake 20 minutes.

8)     Remove from oven and toss the granola with the pepitas.

9)     Let cool.

Notes:

Serve with fruit and your favorite mylk or milk. I love mine with sliced banana and horchata (a delicious cinnamon rice milk beverage.) I hear it is also quite tasty added to yogurt.

* ½ teaspoon of cayenne adds some recognizable heat. If you’re sensitive to spice, cut back to ¼ teaspoon. I love me some spicy and add cayenne to my morning drink so my heat index runs a little high. For some taste testers, ¼ teaspoon was just the right amount of heat.

**Why chia seeds? And where did they come from? Well turns out these itty bitty seeds are for more than just sprouting hair on your Chia Pet. From a flowering plant in the mint family, these tiny seeds, common in Mexico and Latin America, are packed with omega-3 fatty acids. Bonus — they offer up a good dose of fiber, protein, calcium and iron, too. They remind me of tiny tapioca pearls because when wet, they get a little gelatinous covering to them. Don’t let that throw you. I find them quite delicious and toss them in smoothies, bake with them as an egg substitute, and even sprinkle them on salads.

***[Editor's Note]: If you don’t need to be gluten free, regular rolled oats will work just fine in this recipe.

A health and cooking coach specializing in food allergies, Marisa Voorhees (aka: The Food-Sensitive Foodie) helps individuals and families navigate the challenges of learning to live with food sensitivities, allergies, and intolerances. She believes that food allergies can feel limiting but no one should live in a tasteless, solitary world. Life is too delicious for that. Follow along on her journey of living a delicious life with food allergies at marisavoorhees.com where she blogs and offers inspiration, recipes, and ideas that are delicious…and also happen to be gluten and dairy-free.