Chia seeds are truly a superfood, delivering tons of nutrition. They are packed with fiber, complete protein and essential fats. They also contain minerals that are important for bone health, so are great for people who do not wish to consume dairy. The antioxidants in chia help fight off free radicals that can lead to aging and disease. They help you feel full and do not raise blood sugar. They are super easy to incorporate into your diet – a tapioca-like pudding can be created in a couple of hours or you can toss them into smoothies or sprinkle on cereal.
I usually prefer to mix up my own cereal combinations from whole, raw, unprocessed ingredients, but for those in a rush, here are some healthy, organic and gluten-free options, containing chia, hemp and buckwheat. As you can see, you pay for the convenience of having these three ingredients combined into one bag with a little flavour added:
Cranberry Vanilla flavour:
Apple Cinnamon flavour:
For those on the gluten-free wagon, I found some ancient grain pasta that makes a delicious substitute for the usual wheat-based penne:
Here is another delicious, gluten-free grain substitute which conveniently combines quinoa, amaranth and millet:
Come back soon to see Part 2 of my Costco pantry staple shopping trip!