Chia Mushroom Meatballs

Meatless meatballs are not as difficult to create as you might think. What’s more, it’s likely that you already have the necessary ingredients in your cupboards to make this wonderful dish!

The use of chia seeds is a fantastic way to get the consistency just right and to hold the meatballs together. As you will no doubt have heard me say before, chia seeds are an absolute nutritional powerhouse. They’re a mighty seed that I recommend including in the diet every day.

If you are unaware of their amazing health benefits then read on…

Chia Seeds

Chia seeds may not be a health food that you are already familiar with. If you’re looking to give your body a boost, then it’s something you should become acquainted with!

Much research has been done to discover the incredible health benefits of chia seeds. The advantages of eating them are many and varied.

WHAT’S GREAT ABOUT CHIA SEEDS?

It has been suggested that these seeds can make you feel fuller for longer, which in turn helps with weight management. This can also help with weight loss.

When chia seeds enter your body they are thought to absorb ten times their own weight in water. This assists in creating the feeling of being full which should prevent you from snacking between meals!

If you want to read more about chia seeds and their endless benefits, then scroll down to the bottom of the page. For those of you who are here for the mushroom meatball recipe, let’s go!

Chia Mushroom Meatballs

To make these meatballs you will need the following ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of Puy lentils
• 1 pack of button mushrooms
• 1 cup of walnuts
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 small handful thyme
• 2 small handfuls coriander
• The juice from half a lemon

Method:

To get started making this recipe you will first need to preheat your oven to 180C. Next, soak your chia seeds in six tablespoons of water for 10 minutes. While the chia seeds are soaking you can begin to cook the lentils according the back of pack instructions.

Next, finely chop the mushrooms and fry with a tiny bit of tamari sauce over a medium heat until they begin to go soft. This should take between five and seven minutes. After this time, you can remove the pan from the heat.

You can then combine the cooked lentils, mushrooms, walnuts, chia seeds, nutritional yeast, garlic cloves, thyme, coriander, and lemon juice in your food processor. Blitz all of these ingredients until a paste is formed and then roll this paste into golf ball sized balls.

Once all rolled, place the balls onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 10 minutes before turning the balls and baking for another 10 minutes. After this time is up you can remove from the oven and they are ready to eat! You can either enjoy them on their own or add to your favourite pasta dish!  They are especially delicious with courgetti spaghetti!

Now, let’s get back to the chia seeds!

THE BENEFITS OF CHIA SEEDS

Athletes are among the many people realising the potential of chia seeds. This is largely because they hydrate the body, something which is obviously particularly useful during sports.

There is also strong evidence to suggest that they will reduce your blood pressure and slow down the speed at which your body converts carbohydrates into sugars. This reduction in carb conversion time is particularly beneficial for sufferers of diabetes as it aids the control of blood sugar.

The omega-3 content of chia seeds is also something to get excited about. These seeds are the richest plant source of this fatty acid, containing even more than a portion of salmon! As you may well already know, Omega-3 is an essential fat that protects the body against inflammation. It is also great for the brain and heart.

Protein & Dietary Fibre

As well as being packed full of Omega-3, chia seeds are also high in protein and dietary fibre as well as being gluten free! The protein count is especially impressive as it contains all eight essential amino acids. These seeds also boast an amazingly high amount of antioxidants, calcium, vitamin C, iron and potassium! All of these components combined make it a fantastic food for promoting healthy skin, hair, nails as well as everything on the inside!

HOW MANY Chia Seeds SHOULD YOU EAT?

To make the most of the remarkable benefits of eating chia seeds, you should aim to include approximately 15g (roughly one tablespoon) in your diet every day. However, due to the high fibre content, you must also remember to drink plenty of water.

There are countless ways to incorporate the seeds into your meals. The easiest being to simply sprinkle them on top of whatever you are eating. There is no need to cook the seeds before you eat them and they will dramatically improve the nutritional value of any dish!

A Bonus Recipe!

If you’ve got more of a sweet-tooth, but still want to enjoy the benefits of chia seeds, then why not try the recipe below for my Chocolate Chai Chai Pudding!

CHOCOLATE CHAI CHAI PUDDING

To make this treat for four you’ll need to shop for the following ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of chia seeds
• 1 cup of unsweetened almond (or coconut) milk
• 5 pitted Medjool dates
• 1/2 a vanilla pod
• 1/2 a teaspoon of cacao powder
• 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/8 of a teaspoon of cloves
• 1/8 of a teaspoon of nutmeg
• 1/8 of a teaspoon of ground ginger

METHOD:

All you need to do is combine all of the ingredients, except for the chia seeds, in a high-speed food processor and blitz until completely smooth. Next, pour your concoction into a bowl and stir in the seeds before separating into serving dishes and placing in the fridge  for several hours whilst it becomes thick.

Once ready you can top with a couple of blueberries and tuck into this tasty treat with absolutely zero guilt, knowing that you’re body is as thankful for every spoonful as you are!