by Sidonie Maroon , The Food Co-op Culinary Educator, abluedotkitchen.com

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I had a gigantic bag of chia seeds in my fridge, because they were an ingredient in my gluten-free pancake mix. My husband regularly ate pancakes for breakfast, with butter and maple syrup, and never gained an ounce. If I even look at a pancake, the scale climbs, but that’s another story.

His pancake phase ended, but the chia seeds remained. I wasn’t fond of chia seeds. I know they’re super nutritious — high in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, manganese, fiber, are a prebiotic and antioxidant, but it wasn’t enough to budge me into action. I didn’t know what to do with them. A few years ago my son taught me how to make chia puddings, but truthfully, I found them glumpy and more a “supposed to eat this because it’s good for you” dish than something to look forward to making.

Then the magic moment happened — I was listening to a health guru on YouTube while folding laundry, and Dr. Somebody mentioned we don’t get the omega-3 benefits unless we grind the chia seeds first. Grind the chia seed! What a good idea, and that would solve the gelatinous fish egg texture issue, create a creamy base, and we’d get our omega-3s.

I made a chocolate chia mousse, then a black pepper and fig mousse. We were eating chia puddings, but the weather was warmer, so I wondered how they’d freeze? Delicious! I ordered some white chia seeds to see if I could make a frozen raspberry chia popsicle? I wondered if I could make Frozen Chia Cream Sandwiches? My attempt became a family favorite called Cook-Creams. My favorite are Chia Bugbites, which are chia creams poured into a set of silicone insect molds. I’ve poured them into popsicle and silicone cupcake molds with brilliant success.

Basic Mousse Recipe

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients

3 tablespoons roasted carob

2 tablespoons roasted chicory

OR use 5 tablespoons Dutched cocoa

3 tablespoons chia seeds

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon guar gum (optional) but it makes the cream smoother and cuts down on ice crystals

⅓ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

⅓ cup raw cashews

1 banana

½ teaspoon liquid monk fruit or sweetener of choice

1 ⅔ cup water

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

Grind dry ingredients together into a powder. Blend everything together in a high-speed blender until smooth. Mold and freeze.

What I’ve learned

Grind the chia seed into a powder. Use a high-speed blender to make the chia creams.

A little guar gum, about ¼ teaspoon, makes the frozen treats extra creamy.

These treats don’t need any added sugar! Use monk fruit, stevia, deglet dates, or sweetener of choice instead.

Make the mix creamy by using: coconut cream, raw cashews or heavy cream. A tablespoon of sunflower seeds will add a lecithin smoothness.

A pinch of salt is good for frozen sweets.

3 tablespoons of roasted carob with 2 tablespoons roasted chicory root makes a dark chocolate flavor, or just use cocoa. A touch of cinnamon with chocolate is delicious.

Frozen Raspberry Chia Pops

Makes one quart

This is a win-win summer recipe, because chia pops are fun to make, delicious to eat and wildly healthy.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons white chia seeds (regular chia seeds will work but the pop color will be darker.)

¼ teaspoon guar gum (optional, but makes pop creamier)

Pinch of sea salt

3 cups raspberries

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon liquid monk fruit or sweetener of choice

14-ounce can full fat coconut milk, or 1 ¾ cup heavy cream, or creamy nut milk of choice

Directions

1. Using a spice grinder or high-speed blender, grind the chia seeds, salt and guar gum into a powder.

2. In a blender, and preferably a high-speed blender, puree all the ingredients together, reserving one cup of the raspberries.

3. Mix the remaining raspberries into the puree.

4. Pour into molds of choice and freeze until solid. I like to use silicone, or popsicle molds. I unmold from the silicone and wrap in pastry paper and a ziplock to store.

Chicory Carob Banana Bug Bite

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients

3 tablespoons roasted carob

2 tablespoons roasted chicory

4 tablespoons chia seeds

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of salt

1/4 teaspoon guar gum

⅓ cup unsweetened coconut flakes

⅓ cup raw cashews

1 banana

½ teaspoon liquid monk fruit

1 ⅔ cup marshmallow tea, or water

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

Grind dry ingredients into a powder. Blend everything together in a high-speed blender until smooth. Mold and freeze.

Black Pepper and Fig Chia Mousse

Makes 1 quart

Ingredients

3 tablespoons roasted carob powder

2 tablespoons roasted chicory root

4 tablespoons chia seeds

1 teaspoon anise seeds

¼ teaspoon black peppercorns

⅓ cup deglet dates

⅓ cup dried figs

⅔ cup raw cashews

1 teaspoon orange extract

1 teaspoon lemon extract

1 ⅔ cup water

Directions

Grind dry ingredients into a powder. Blend everything together in a high-speed blender until smooth. Mold and freeze.

Chicory Carob Chia Mousse

Makes 1 quart

Yummy, all the goodness of chocolate mousse with all the goodness of whole foods.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons roasted carob

2 tablespoons roasted chicory

3 tablespoons chia seeds

⅔ cup deglet dates, pitted

1 can full fat coconut milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

Grind dry ingredients into a powder. Blend everything together in a high-speed blender until smooth. Mold and freeze.

Chia Chai Mousse

Makes 1 quart

3 tablespoons roasted carob powder

2 tablespoon roasted chicory root

4 tablespoons chia seeds

⅛ teaspoon decorticated cardamom

½ teaspoon fennel seeds

2 allspice berries

⅛ teaspoon black peppercorns

2 teaspoons cinnamon

⅔ cup deglet dates

⅔ cup raw cashews

1 slice fresh ginger, minced

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ⅔ cup water

Directions

Grind dry ingredients into a powder. Blend everything together in a high-speed blender until smooth. Mold and freeze.