I’m always looking for creative ways to make eating healthy simpler and quicker. If I can boost the nutritional value of something I’m already going to eat with one simple step, and my family will love it (or not notice the added ingredient but still reap its benefits), I’m in!
This superfood blend ticks all the boxes.
My super seed mix contains chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flaxseeds. Including these seeds in your diet offers incredible health benefits, so I keep a mason jar filled in the fridge for easy access. It’s my favorite new pantry staple! This powerhouse combo is rich in healthy fats, plant-based protein, fiber, antioxidants, and minerals that may keep your heart healthy, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, calm eczema, reduce appetite and cravings, and even help prevent certain types of cancers.
We all want to eat healthier, but between our busy schedules cutting into home-prepared meals, picky eaters (whether they take child or partner form), and the media bombarding us with the ever-changing 411 on the dietary do-and-don’t list, optimal eating can be tricky to achieve.
Though I’m an avid health and nutrition geek and read a ton to educate myself, I still can get confused by “what’s hot” and “what’s not.” I want to feel confident I’m making the best choices for myself and my family, not to mention that I’m offering you the most accurate information available. I’m not an expert, but my good friend Ryan is. So I asked him, “If there’s one thing you could add to a variety of items in your daily diet to promote overall health, what would it be, and why?”
He voted for super seed mix.
“Hemp, chia, and flax are the seed trifecta. For anyone looking to boost their intake of zinc, protein,
and omega-3 fats, a mini scoop of all three of these seeds should help. Keep in mind that one of the
most important things we can do for our health (and the health of the planet) is to eat a varied diet.
Three seeds instead of one help improve dietary variety.”
– Ryan D. Andrews, MS, MA, RD, author of A Guide to Plant-Based Eating
When I first started incorporating seeds into our meals, I’d open each individual package and scoop some into the dish I was preparing. It wasn’t a huge inconvenience, but if I was having a busy morning with V getting out the door for work and Summer needing to be fed, or a couple of hyper-focused hours to write, edit photos or tackle a household project before the baby-monitor squeals signaled the end of naptime, the few extra steps were enough to make me skip the seeds altogether. I know for me (maybe you’re like this too), if it’s not simple and convenient, I’m prone to ditch it. Unless it’s sweet and gooey—that, I’ll climb a tree for. But if I’m trying to do something good for myself that involves any extra time, effort, or focus, I need to create a fail-proof system to protect myself from the “eh, next time” effect.
I eventually streamlined the super-seed-mix addition step by combining all the seeds into one “easy-peasy, grab it and add it, no excuses” mason jar that everyone in the family can use. Summer even loves the super seed mix so much that she asked to help make this batch for the photos.
And because it’s so affordable, easy to prepare, and tasty in smoothies, oatmeal, or that salad you love from the corner cafe, you can keep a jar in your fridge at home, at work, and (if you’re serious about that guy you’re dating) at your beau’s place.
Cheers for chia seed!
Salvia hispanica L., commonly known as chia, is a flowering plant in the mint family native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala. “Chia,” meaning oily, is cultivated for its tiny, edible seeds loaded with nutrients for the body and brain. Chia seeds are an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, which may help protect against heart attack and stroke; antioxidants; iron; calcium; and fiber and protein, both of which have been shown to aid in weight loss, when combined with a healthy lifestyle, through good gut health and by helping you feel full longer, thereby reducing your appetite and cravings. This “superfood” is whole-grain, naturally gluten-free, and usually grown organically.
Hooray for hemp seed!
Don’t worry, mom, you don’t need a lava lamp to enjoy these seeds! Although hemp seeds come from the Cannabis sativa plant, they do not produce a mind-altering effect. Hemp seeds are a rich source of healthy fats, including omega-3s and omega-6s; plant-based protein; fiber; and many vitamins and minerals. They have antioxidant effects and may boost your heart health, regulate your immune system, and reduce inflammation to improve your brain, skin, and joints.
Woo-hoo for flaxseed!
Like chia and hemp seeds, flaxseeds are a great source of plant-based protein and dietary fiber. They’re also known as one of the richest sources of essential omega-3 fatty acids, which, when plant-based, offer proven heart-health benefits like lowered cholesterol and reduced risk of heart disease and stroke. But flaxseeds’ real superstar quality is that it contains around one hundred times more cancer-fighting nutrients called lignans than most other foods. Lignans have powerful antioxidant properties that may help protect against breast and prostate cancer, as well as other types of cancer.
Super Seed Mix Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make your own jar. Equal parts:
- Chia Seeds – Available at most grocery stores, I typically buy mine from Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods.
- Hemp Seeds – Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods.
- Flaxseeds – I typically use flaxseed meal for easier digestion, but you can use whole flaxseeds as well. I buy this flaxseed meal from Trader Joe’s.
See the full recipe below.
Delicious ways to enjoy your super seed mix:
All three seeds have a mild, nutty flavor that works well in both sweet and savory dishes, and they’re all kid-approved! I add anywhere between a sprinkle and a teaspoon or so to the following things, but I do limit my daily overall intake of the mix to no more than 2 teaspoons.
- Smoothies
- Oatmeal (You’ve tried Wonder Oats, right?! They’re life-changing.)
- Yogurt with Berries
- Cereal
- Homemade Muffins and Bread
- Salads and Homemade Salad Dressing
- Soups
- Veggie and Rice Dishes
Adding a scoop of super seed mix to your snack or meal is such a quick and simple way to pack more nutrition into your day. I hope you make yourself a jar and try it out!
Super Seed Mix
- Prep Time: 3 minutes
- Total Time: 3 minutes
- Yield: One 16 oz. mason jar 1x
- Category: Pantry Staple
- Method: Easy
Description
This superfood blend is packed with nutrients and its mild, nutty flavor works well in both sweet and savory dishes and drinks. It’s sure to become one of your favorite and most versatile pantry staples!
Ingredients
- ½ cup chia seeds
- ½ cup hemp seeds
- ½ cup flaxseeds or flaxseed meal
Instructions
Ready for the easiest recipe ever?
- Add 1/2 cup each of chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flaxseeds or flaxseed meal to a 16 oz. wide-mouth mason jar, cover, shake it up, and store in the fridge.
I told you it was easy! (I used flaxseed meal here, but you can use whole flaxseeds, as well.)
I’m listening to:
Resources:
Ball Mason Jars: Wide Mouth Pint 16-Ounce
Plastic Storage Caps: (Unless you’re canning and need the metal lids and bands that come with the glass mason jars, these plastic caps are the best for easy access.)
Measuring Cups & Spoons: Williams-Sonoma (Similar to shown.)
Dish Towel: Ikea (Similar to shown.)
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