Yogurt Chia Seed Parfait

by Laurie Scolari

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• Coconut based yogurt (dairy free, soy free)
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• Handful of berries and nuts (any kind)
• 1 date

Directions

1. Soak chia seeds in almond milk for at least 30 minutes until the seeds are plump.
2. Add yogurt and mix.
3. Top with nuts, berries and dates.

Recipe inspired by Dr. Negron-Gonzales, a professor and busy mom who serves this to her family often. She soaks the chia seeds the night before in a mason jar so breakfast is ready to go in the morning!

Chia Seeds have healthy Omega-3 fats, calcium, and protein promoting weight loss.

Chia Seed History

Chia was first used by the Aztecs as early as 3500 B.C. and was a cash crop in the centre of Mexico between 1500 and 900 B.C.  Chia was harvested in the Valley of Mexico between 2600 and 2000 B.C. by the Teotihuacan and Toltec civilizations and was one of the main components of the Aztec diet. They used chia as a raw material for medicines, nutritional compounds.  Chia was used by the Aztecs as food, mixed with other foods, mixed in water and drunk as a beverage, ground into flour, included in medicines, and pressed for oil. The Aztecs also offered chia to the gods during religious ceremonies.

When the Spanish conquerors landed the new land in 1500s, they repressed the natives, and suppressed their traditions. Many crops that had held a major position in pre-Columbian American diets were banned by the Spanish because of their close association with religion.  Chia, as the result, was deliberately eliminated.  Chia survived only in regional areas of Mexico for the last 500 years. (Cited from chiaseeds.net)

Laurie Scolari creates plant-based meals inspired by my mother’s hometown of Puebla, Mexico. The recipes are plant-based, vegan, gluten free, oil free, salt free, cancer-fighting meals. She practices an immune-building exercise plan, and researched the most effective methods for promoting health. She created her blog, Planta to share her story and plant-based recipes to help others beat breast cancer by living a cancer-free, healthy lifestyle.