Normally the glue that holds my body together is nut butter (peanut, almond, cashew - I don't discriminate), but right now I think it's safe to say that this chocolate chia seed spread has taken the job over. It's insanely thick, super rich, and tastes like fudge without all the added sugar and with all the added nutritional benefits. I prepped it in a mason jar then kept it in the fridge during the school week to add to oatmeal, toast, and just eat on its own. We love a versatile meal prep! Gonna drop the recipe right here and now, but if you're interested I'll be talking a little bit more about why I love chia and flax seeds afterwards, so stick around for that too. Let's get going:
Ingredients (made 8 tbsp)
1/4 cup chia seeds
2 tbsp ground flax seeds
1-2 tbsp yogurt (I used one of these Coconut Collaborative chocolate dessert pots)
1 tbsp cacao powder (I used Philosophie Cacao Magic)
1/2-1 cup milk (I used Oatly. Amount will depend on what kind of yogurt you use and how thick you want it)
1 tsp sweetener (honey, maple syrup, coconut sugar, etc.)
Recipe
Add chia + flax seeds to a jar and mix together
Add cacao powder to the jar and mix thoroughly
Add yogurt to same jar and mix again (note: it will be very thick and hard to stir)
Add milk to the jar and stir until spread starts to thin
Add sweetener to the jar and mix one last time. Feel free to seal the jar and shake it to evenly distribute it all and make sure everything is mixed well.
Store covered in the fridge for up to one week. My favorite way to eat it was with chocolate peanut butter on cinnamon raisin toast.
Chia and Flax Seeds
These seeds are two staples in my diet. Both of these seeds are an amazing source of healthy fats and nutritional powerhouses. According to the USDA food composition databases 1 tbsp of chia seeds contains a whopping 5g of fiber while 1 tbsp ground flax seeds contains 2g of fiber, so they're also beneficial for digestion and fullness. Chia seeds are also a great plant-based source of calcium, manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus. Flax seeds also have a strong nutritional profile being high in vitamin B1, magnesium, phosphorus, and a plethora of other vitamins and minerals. Flax seeds are also one of the richest food source of Lignans, which are crazy high in antioxidants and could reduce risk of certain cancers (this study was about flaxseeds and reduced risk of breast cancer in women), but studies are still being conducted on the anticancer benefits of them as a whole.
The main toted benefit of both chia and flax seeds is that they're rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Specifically ALA, which we need to obtain from our diets because our bodies don't produce it. I personally don't rely on these seeds for my omega-3s because our bodies can have a hard time converting the ALA fatty acids to DHA fatty acids, but the addition of the ALA omega-3 fatty acids in our diet doesn't hurt. ALA is still a healthy fat but DHA is the one we really want to focus on. Fatty fish is a great source of DHA omega-3 fatty acids so I prefer that, but eat what you can and need to. I don't want to give health advice or tell anyone what to eat as I am not a registered dietitian yet, but I wanted to point out that strictly relying on chia and flax seeds for omega-3 fatty acids isn't the best idea. I see a lot of hyped up misinformation about them on the internet, so I wanted to clear that up and not partake in non-evidence based research. 100% speak to a health professional if you have more concerns about omega-3s, where to get them, supplementation, etc. Here's an article explaining omega-3's if you're interested in just reading more.
With all that being said they're still nutritionally dense (even without the DHA omega-3 fatty acids), so I try my best to incorporate at least 1 tbsp per day of both seeds into my diet. Sometimes that can be challenging through just sprinkling them on top of meals, sometimes I forget to eat them, sometimes I just don't feel like taking them out of the fridge. That's why this spread is a lifesaver. I can just eat a tablespoon or two (or three or four, you do you) of it with or for my breakfast and I'm more than set on my seeds for the day. It saves me from that "oh no I forgot to sprinkle chia seeds on my toast this morning" thought I used to have at lunch most days. Basically having this spread in the fridge during the week makes eating healthy easy and delicious, so it's very on brand for me. Don't forget to tag me or send me a picture on Instagram if you make it - enjoy!