Chia Fresca

I’ve seen so many articles on the benefits of drinking warm lemon water in the morning – it seems to be all the rage and we do it at our house! However, there are other ways to enjoy lemon water throughout the day and Chia Fresca is my favorite. As the days get sunnier and longer, warmer and more beautiful, I was reminded of just how wonderful it is (really, it is great all year long, but something about these warmer months makes me want to shout this one from the rooftop; plus, I am nursing two babies and this is a much more delicious way to consume the sheer volume of water needed to stay hydrated)!

I am completely fascinated with traditional foods and preparations; how so many of them fell of the grid or weren’t available geographically, and how research is now showing the incredible benefits of foods that were common place to our ancestors or other cultures. Apparently, Chia Fresca has been common in Mexico and Central America, well, probably forever. I won’t go into all benefits of Chia Seeds – the superfood – but if you’re not familiar:

• they are jam-packed with fiber, protein, good fats (the highest Omega-3’s you can find in a non-fish food), and vitamins;
• they are a great antioxidant
• and anti-inflammatory,
• they lower blood pressure,
• and are super easy to incorporate into basically any meal…Other ways we use Chia Seeds: in oatmeal, in dressings or on salads, to make pudding (dessert) & “chia shots” (nutrient dense afternoon energy boost) as egg substitutes and thickeners…the possibilities are endless!

(We go through about 5 lbs of lemons each week, so lemons and Chia Seeds are two of our Costco must-buys)

CHIA FRESCA

Ingredients:

16-24 oz water (use the amount of water your cup fits; I use a mason jar)

the juice of ½ a lemon

2-3 Tablespoons of Chia Seeds

Crazy Simple Instructions:

1. Add Chia seeds to water, stir well and let stand at least 10 minutes before drinking (the seeds tend to clump together so give it another stir or shake to break them up and repeat as necessary).
2. Add lemon juice, stir, and drink.
3.  Many recipes also call for a natural sweetener – maple syrup, agave, additional fruit juice, etc. – I actually prefer it plain, but make to your taste. You can imagine it gives the water a little texture, but actually goes down very easy and only takes a couple sips to get used to it.

It can be tricky to get enough water and nutrients throughout the day, this is a ridiculously easy way to consume a little more of both! If you give it a shot, let me know what you think!