If you’ve never made anything with chia seeds before… this is definitely a recipe to start a love affair.
I made this fruit salad for a few friends that came over for dinner. I served it as a dessert, although it could easily be served anytime of day – especially for breakfast or a snack.
This fruit salad contains ZERO refined sugar is full of wonderful chia seeds!
And look what happened after I served it. Yes… all quickly gone.
It must have been good if I can say so myself 🙂
Chia seeds grow 10 times their weight in size when combined with liquid, helping the body stay hydrated and full. The word “chia” comes from the Aztec word that means “oily” — the oils found in this small little round seed is the secret to its health benefits. Having the most content of omega 3 fatty acids of any plant food, they fight inflammation in the body, reducing the chance for heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and depression.
I hope that’s reason enough to add chia seeds to your repertoire….but if it isn’t, just try this recipe and you will get a chance to feel their magic!
- ⅓ cup chia seeds
- 2 cups nut milk of your choice
- 4 cups of diced fruit of your choice (for this recipe I used pears and strawberries)
- ¼ cup currants or raisins or goji berries
- zest of one orange
- juice of one orange
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ½ cup shredded coconut
- mint leaves for decoration
- Add 1 cup diced fruit and a sprinkle of currants to 4 different bowls
- Combine nut milk, chia seeds, orange juice, zest, vanilla and cinnamon in a small pitcher and stir
- Pour ½ cup mixture on top of fruit in bowls
- Top fruit bowls with shredded coconut
- Refrigerate fruit bowls for at least 30 mins (or chill overnight)
- Top each bowl with a mint leaf before serving
Chia Seed Tips: Remember to store chia seeds in an airtight container. My favorite brand of Chia Seeds is from Nutiva because they 100% organic and I love their support for GMO-labeling.
For this recipe I used homemade pistachio milk, but you can use any nut milk you like.
Please let me know if you make this recipe or any others. I have a new star system on my recipes… I’d love your honest opinion.
Mmmmm…I think I’ve having one of these for breakfast tomorrow.
Food Babe
Looking forward to trying this. You should also check out Vitacost. I swear I don’t work for them, but I find the prices on things are much cheaper there!
I will, thanks for the tip.
I agree. I shop there all the time.
How do you make the pistachio milk sounds good and or almond milk?
She has a pistachio milk recipe. Check it out in the directions, and click on the link. Sounds great! 🙂
I couldn’t agree with you more about VitaCost! They have the BEST prices around for healthy foods. Please check it out, Vani!
I love Vitacoast, but Swanson Vitamins also had a ton of cheap health food!
I know a bunch of folks who worked for Swanson health. I use their website to purchase things at discounted items…but STAY AWAY from their product lines. From what I understand they do not follow the practices that they say they do and some of their facilities even failed heavy metal testing.
Swanson is low quality crap…most of the people that work there won’t even use the “Swanson” brand products if they are free. It is that bad. Yup.
Thanks for the tip! I have never used their products, and I am glad I didn’t now!
No problem! I’d want to know if I didn’t. And I actually found out because an ex-employee stopped me at a meditation retreat and gave me the heads up. I was thankful for sure. We’ve got to look out for each other because obviously the corporations aren’t going to.
Do you have proof from a legitimate site, or is this just gossip? Did this ex-Swanson ’employee’ actually work out in the manufacturing area? This could just be sour grapes gossip. I have heard the same about GNC vitamins– all filler and garbage content, but have no actual proof. I have ordered from Swanson’s 3 times and have no complaint. They also sell other brands.
You have no idea what you’re talking about in regards to Swanson’s testing. I also personally know several people who work at Swanson’s and happen to have insight on their manufacturers. Swanson VOLUNTARILY participates in testing of their products and also auditing of their facilities. In no way would Swanson’s EVER put people at risk selling them products with heavy metal contamination or other low-quality products. I know over 100 people who actively use Swanson food and vitamin/supplement products in confidence. For your own sake and for the sake of false information, please don’t “rant” about information that you do not know the full facts about.
Seriously? What proof does anyone have stating that Swanson has low quality products, they do not follow the GMP’s and fail tests!? I’m sorry but if any of the ‘heavy metal tests’ or product quality tests failed… do you think they would be around for 43 years and counting, with growing facilities. I don’t think so. I use their products because they work and they are a very good price. My family has been using their products since I can remember, and they have always been very healthy. I’m not here to cause an arguement. Just to open your eyes a little bit and help show you how rediculous the accusations are that you posted.
What do you recommend for people with nut allergies? All of the recipes sound great, but I cannot have any of the nut milks. I don’t drink milk as a regular drink in my diet, but do use it for cooking.
Try a “seed” milk like hemp seed. 1/4 cup hempseed to 4 cups water, blend and strain – so easy! Good Luck.
Rice milk. 🙂
I decided to give Chia seeds a try the other day. I woke up the next morning with the worst stomach cramps I’ve ever had and awful diarrhea (sorry TMI). I did a little research and found other people who have had similar experiences. Have you ever heard of this before? If love to try Chia seeds again but I’m really afraid now :/
Oh no, it must have to do with the fiber content. Did you eat them raw or soaked? Soaking makes them more digestible.
I have always heard that chia seeds should really not be eaten whole (same goes for flax)
……that in order for your body to absorb the nutrients they should be ground (I use my food processor).
I’ve always heard the opposite, that chia seeds can be eaten whole or ground, and your body will still get the benefits. As opposed to flax, which must be ground for your body to absorb. In any case, if it makes you sick when you had eaten them whole, it makes decent sense to try a smaller portion, ground, and see if your body reacts better.
I was just thinking as I read this post that it would make a great breakfast!
This looks so delicious! I am going to try it tomorrow and add cardamon and chopped pistachios or almonds to the mix, and use banana as the fruit! I want an Indian flavor haha! I will report back after I have tried it (:
Yummy that sounds crazy good!!!
hi! can I use lemon juice instead of oranje juice? since I heard we should drink ust sthe juice as soon as you make, if not all the nutrientes goes away and just keep the sugar of it. so at the time we’ll drink it it would be just sugar:/ It’s that true?
Is there a substitute for nut milk in this recipe? We can’t have nuts/nut products in our home due to anaphylaxis.
Yes – use hemp seed (1/4 cup to 4 cups water in blender)… enjoy!
Maybe rice milk? Although the hemp would pack in awesome nutrients, I think. Lol!!
Looks delicious! Thanks for the recipe! Totally going to try it and see if my kids will eat it! Is there any reason you can’t make it in one batch and refrigerate it that way, then portion it out into bowls for serving? Space is always tight in my fridge!
Yes of course you can do it that way… I just used the 4 bowl method because I wanted to use fancy dishes for guests.
Hi lovely… I didn’t see “rate this recipe” on other recipes. My husband and I eat porridge every Single Day! Plus there are others of yours that I have tried. How do I rate them or am I just not seeing the button??
Hi how do you make the pistachio milk? Aren’t pistachios a nut to stay away from because of their high moldy content?
The link to the recipe is in the post… the key is to store nuts in the fridge.
I will definitely try this :)! But I have a question, today I tried the lemon and cayenne drink, I squeezed half a lemon into lukewarm water then mixed in c-pepper and poured in some boiling water. Should I take my daily vitamins before or after this? Will it make a difference? So the lukewarm water will prevent the enzymes from breaking down?
THANKS LOVE!!
Yes – that’s correct – you don’t want boiling water. I would always take your vitamins with food – so after… Good Luck!
WOW!!! This looks amazing. I am going to make it this weekend. Yummy!!!
Looks delicious! Can you give me an example of what chia seeds taste like (nutty? or like sunflower seeds?) just curious of the taste and texture of it…this would be perfect for a diet I am doing but was just curious of their ‘taste’ lol. Thanks!
I am chia obsessed and am ABSOLUTELY trying this recipe! I will post about it on my blog and let you know how it goes! Also, thanks for the tip on storing chia seeds in the fridge, I had no idea. Will definitely do this.
I tried this today and it didn’t gel-just stayed runny. Boo. What did I do wrong??
Oh no… what kind of fruit did you use? Maybe it had too much water content…. hmmm… you could try using 1/2 cup less milk next time. Good Luck!
BEST RECIPE EVER!
My first time eating chia seeds and I am so glad you posted this recipe. My husband and kids gobbled it down. Thank you for all you do!!
i’ve been doing chia seeds this year, but honestly didn’t think of putting them in a delicious fruit salad, such as the wonderful recipe you gave us – sounds great!
But i was wondering about the omega 3’s being delivered sufficiently…since we know for example, that Flax seeds need to be ground in a coffee grinder (fresh ea day) in order to benefit from the Omega 3, would this be the same for Chia seeds? (even though they do seem to have a much less hard hull)
Thank you for all your great recipes! and i love you site – keep up the awesome work!
Soaking them a little releases their power…. good luck!
I made this last night, having all ingredients on hand, to eat this morning for breakfast. I tried a little before going to bed (after it had set about an hour) and can say it was MUCH better after sitting overnight in the fridge. The chia loses it’s “crunchy” quality and it tastes more like tapioca. This was WONDERFUL! I’ll be making this lots more. I think it would be yummy, too, as a treat if you replaced some of the nut milk (I use almond) with regular or light coconut milk.
Yes – totally!
What do you think about substituting flaxseed for the chia? (just because I have that on hand and I’m trying to find ways to use it.) Thanks!
I don’t think flaxseeds will give it quite the same texture.. definitely do chia seeds if you have the options.
Thank you! I’ve been wanting to buy some chia seeds, too. I appreciate your input.
My husband made this for us last night. Since we didn’t have chia seeds in hand, he used flaxseeds. It was delicious. Thank you for the recipe 🙂
Interesting! I don’t think flaxseeds give it quite the same texture, but glad it worked.
made this today and i really liked it. i think the key is that it needs to be put in the fridge for a while before eating to allow the chia seeds to soak up the milk. it’s a great snack!!! thanks!!
Yes – exactly! Thanks for sharing Molly.
I’m wondering if Chia seeds are similar to Salba (a grain)…? My son loves the HappyTot pouches (http://happyfamilybrands.com/) with Salba.
My family had this for breakfast this morning. It was amazing. My husband was skeptical at first but ended up loving it. And my toddler loved it, too. GREAT recipe! Thank you!!!!
YEAH!!!! Thank you for sharing Erin…the feedback warms my heart.
Made this last night and had some for breakfast! Yummy! I misread the 1/3 cup chia and used 1/2 cup instead, LOL … Turned out fine but was probably thicker than yours 🙂 .
I used banana, strawberry and pear and made 2 with raisins and 2 with goji. Thanks so much for the wonderful recipes!
I second VITACOST. Great customer service. They are based in NC and your nutiva organic chia seeds in 12 oz is only $6.99 at vitacost.
I tried this with the following substitutions: banana and raisins, organic whole milk, cardamom and cocoa powder and kept everything else the same. It turned out fantastic! I did refrigerate it overnight and by morning all of the chia seeds had expanded. I will definitely make this again.
I added cocoa powder to mine too and it was amazing!
omg why had I not thought of cacao powder! MUST TRY!
I just bought everything to make these, but I have a question. Can I make it all in one big bowl? If I do, how long will it keep in the fridge? Thanks!
Made it last night and had it today. I added raw sunflower seeds, cinnamon and cardamom. It was a tasty treat! Great recipe, loved it!
Just made up 5 bowls for all of us for breakfast. Smells divine! Thank you for the recipe! Hoping the 3 kiddos like it, because it seems perfect to make up the night before a hectic morning…so they get a yummy and nutritious meal in a hurry!
This recipe was great! We ate it for breakfast. I prepared the seeds and liquid (I used almond milk) the night before and left it covered in the refrigerator. I couldn’t find currants, so we used blueberries along with strawberries and bananas. A bite of the blueberries mixed with the orange zest was my favorite part! My kids (6 & 8 yrs old) and husband ate it up. We haven’t ever had chia seeds until today. I’m excited to try new recipes with them. Thanks!!!
PS – I’m trying to click 5 stars but it’s not letting me 🙁
YUM! Thank you. Made CSFS with Blueberries and Rice Milk. I also added a wee bit of maple syrup.
I didn’t have some of the other ingredients … but it turned out incredible. My 4 year old son loved it.
Yum!! I cant wait to try this. I have been using chia seeds in my morning oatmeal for awhile now but never thought to have them with fruit as a desert!! Thanks for posting this!
So delicious!! I used whole cow’s milk, but would love to try it with nut milk or coconut milk too. The vanilla and orange flavors really made it. I loved the sweetness from the currants too.
Wonderful! We had this tonight with dinner as a side to Quiche. It was simple to make and really tasty. I used pears and bananas. This will easily become a new favorite for us and the best part is it makes a great breakfast, lunch, dinner or snack!
I made this last week, and I LOVED it! I have been eating it for breakfast. Thanks for another great recipe! I will be making this frequently.
Just started with chia seeds but actually bought them a while ago – I didn’t refrigerate them, didn’t know you should. I would I know if they were rancid? Also what would you recommend for orange juice replacement . I discovered I have a sensitivity to oranges.
You can just leave out the orange juice!
If you see this and want to try this recipe again you can use lemon! I don’t have oranges but I have lemons so I used that instead and it was still delicious! I hope that helps 🙂 you can probably do grapefruit or any other citrus fruit that are like oranges.
Hey food babe, can I use frozen fruit? I have blueberries and mango in the freezer and need to use them up. I know fresh is best but what do you think? Thanks!
We made grapes, strawberries, and raspberries fruit salad. I loved it so much, I am having an extra portion later tonight after the kids fall asleep 😉 Delicious.
I’ve made this recipe four times since it was posted, and I think I hit on my favorite combo tonight. For the fruit, I used blueberries, apples, and bananas, a little extra cinnamon (not sure how much, I just tapped it in), and about 2 tbsp of maple syrup. It was really yummy, and I’m so glad I made a double batch so that we’ll have breakfast and dessert tomorrow too. Thanks for posting this one, Food Babe!
do you cover these when they sit in the fridge overnight? also, is it necessary to store chia seeds in the fridge? thanks.
Did someone say Chia seeds need to be refrigerated??
I like it, but my husband said it did not have much taste. I used almond milk, maybe other milks make it nicer? Anyway, it was good for me, but not sure I would do it as a dessert for guests.
I am curious about the chia seeds, do we really absorb the best of them if we do not grind them?
is there any nutritional breakdown for this recipe thanks!
I have made this dessert almost every night this week, so good!!! I used pears and banana, but next week I’ll try some berries. Thanks for the great recipe, Vani!
I made mine with almond milk, and raisins instead of goji berries. I used strawberries and papaya. It was super good! I’d like to try it with banana next time. I’m not sure if mine came out quite as thick as it looks in the pictures… I couldn’t tell. It’s very good. Will share this recipe and make again!
I am currently eating this, after waiting about an hour. It is delicious! I used apples and frozen mixed berries, and used half soy milk half coconut milk, will definitely be making again!
I am currently eating this, after waiting about an hour. It is delicious! I used apples and frozen mixed berries, and used a little coconut milk along with the almond milk, will definitely be making again!
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I made 12 servings of this last night to serve at brunch this morning. Everyone was raving about it – SO delicious! I thought we might need to add a drizzle of maple syrup but it was sweet enough as is. My daughter ate two. I can’t wait to make it again! Thank you!
I forgot to mention- I used strawberries and mango with coconut milk. I will not change a thing next time!
I used mango, strawberries, and coconut milk. I will not change a thing next time. so good!
Laura – thanks for your feedback. So glad you and your guests liked it!