Chia seeds: you’ve all heard of them! Most of you have probably used them in your recipes. But what exactly are chia seeds, and can you eat too many of them?

There’s something about chia…

The fancy name for chia is Salvia hispanica. Chia is native to central/southern Mexico, as well as parts of South America. Historically, it’s been an important food source, and is still used today in many of these countries. Chia is actually a member of the mint family. It has a very mild, nutty flavor, and is frequently used as a thickening agent in recipes like puddings and shakes. Chia also makes a tasty topping for cereal, yogurt, soups and salads (or whatever you please!).

The good news

Chia seeds are high in fiber, protein, healthy fats, and vitamins & minerals like calcium, iron, potassium and magnesium. Fiber helps lower your risk for high cholesterol, heart disease, high blood sugar, as well as promote bowel regularity. 

One ounce of chia seeds (about 2 tablespoons) contains (approx):

• 136 calories
• 4.6 grams of protein
• 8.6 grams of mostly unsaturated fats, including omega-3 fatty acids (higher than flax seed)
• 11.8 grams of carbohydrates
• 9.6 grams of fiber, or 38 percent of the daily value.
• Zero cholesetrol

Chia can be digested whole (unlike other grains) – it doesn’t have to be ground first. It is also high in natural anti-oxidants, so it can be stored (unrefrigerated) for a long time without going rancid.

But be aware...

Chia seeds absorb a lot of water (up to 10x their weight), so don’t go eating handfuls of them dry (not that you'd do that but you know what I mean!) else your bowels will NOT be happy (think constipation!). Presoaking whole chia seeds in water is good practice, plus it softens them up (milled seeds soften up quicker). Else make sure to drink plenty of fluids. Some people may experience gas and/or bloating with chia. As it is high in fiber, introduce chia slowly into your diet so your body has time to adjust.

One of the health benefits of chia is that it can lower blood pressure, however, if you have low blood pressure to begin with, or are elderly, this probably isn’t a good thing. The omega-3 fatty acids can also thin the blood, so you should avoid eating them if you are on aspirin, blood thinners, or have an upcoming surgery.

Allergies to chia are rare, but if you are allergic to sesame or mustards seeds, you might be allergic to chia seeds.

If you have any health concerns, ask your health care provider.

Can you eat too many chia seeds?

Can you eat too many chia seeds? Well, 2-3 tbsp a day are the recommended amount. But ultimately, the answer depends on your body and your health. And as with anything, moderation is key: don't rely solely on chia seeds for all of your fiber and protein. It's best to eat a variety of foods to provide your daily nutritional requirements. 

Raw food recipes for beginners are my specialty. I call them my simple, satisfying raw food recipes, which are perfect for beginners. But many people who love my recipes are not raw food beginners; they are simply busy people on the go who don't want to bother with too much fuss - just like me. Because of this, some avid rawfooders like to share my simple raw recipes with raw food beginners because my recipes are simple and taste great! But enough tooting my own horn, huh?

Eating raw has become increasingly popular as more people realize the many benefits associated with consuming whole foods in their raw state; but starting out can be daunting! Many recipes call for mysterious ingredients (think nutritional yeast, agave nectar, chia seeds, and on and on!) that most raw food beginners don't have in their pantries. While recipes that include such ingredients are great and I too use them, they are probably not where you want to start if you are searching for raw food recipes as a beginner.

Add more fruits and vegetables to your routine: Useful, but boring

If you are a real raw beginner who is just starting to dabble in raw recipes, think about how you can start adding more raw foods to your regular meals.

Salad is probably one of the easiest items to add, because it’s perfect as a side dish or as a full meal.

Start by adding a small salad to your lunch and dinner. And when it comes to salads please remember, people! The best salads only have a FEW ingredients! So don't put the kitchen sink in there - just be simple, like spinach, tomato and fresh basil, for example.

Similarly, breakfast can be a great opportunity to get some fresh fruit - whether it’s a smoothie or simply crunching down on an apple and some nuts.

For snacks, replace your granola bar or cookies with an orange or a banana. If you’re worried that these might not hold you over until dinner, then add some raw nuts and seeds. The complete proteins in the nuts will bind with the incomplete proteins in the fruit providing you with more protein, which will help you to feel full longer.

However, at this point you'll probably be lacking inspiration - and the only "raw" foods you'll be able to think of will be salads and raw apples. BORING!

Well then friend, you are now ready to try some raw food recipes for beginners.

Raw food recipes for beginners

So, where do you start? First, weed out those recipes that require crazy soaking times or dehydrators. If you are a beginner chances are you might have a crappy blender and a food processor - if you're lucky. So don't make anything too crazy. Start slow, yah?

Creating raw food recipes for beginners is where it gets fun. Why is it fun? Because you get to combine healthy ingredients, like dates, pecans, coconut and cocoa powder and make something amazing! Your friends will be impressed when they taste it and you explain that all that's in your raw recipe is whole, uncooked ingredients - no flour, refined sugar or dairy.

Here are some perfect recipes for raw beginners that are sure to turn out great:

• Raw brownies (most popular recipe ever!)
• Raw chocolate pudding made from avocado
• Raw lemon bars
• Raw chocolate fudge in 1 minute
• Raw chicken salad (raw and vegan - no meat!)
• Raw egg salad (raw  and vegan- no dairy!)
• Raw alfredo sauce
• Raw ranch salad dressing recipe

OR CHECK OUT ALL MY FREE RAW RECIPES HERE!

Final tips for beginners

These are just a few tips to help you master the art of making raw food recipes for beginners. Above all, remember to keep it simple!

Desserts – most people’s (if not everyone’s) favorite course of meal. They’re usually the best kind of raw food you show off to entice your non-raw friends, too! A lot of my raw food recipes are desserts, and some of the top-rated raw desserts I’ve shared are loved by many. If you haven’t tried them yet, I’m positive you’ll also find them irresistible.

Raw lemon bars recipe

These lemony bars have a lovely lemony sweet flavor, and are perfect for an afternoon snack or quick dessert. The food processor is your best friend in this recipe, so be nice to yours! First to process are the almonds.

Process well until they turn into a fine powder. Then add dates, vanilla, lemon juice and lemon zest, and process again until well combined. Set the mixture aside. Meanwhile, mix dried coconut and salt in a large bowl. Add the lemon bar mixture into the bowl and mix once again using your clean hands. Finally, press the lemon bar dough into a glass dish and pop it in the fridge for about an hour. You can cut your scrumptious raw lemon bars into small slices before serving.

Raw cheesecake recipe

This is one of my top raw dessert recipes of all time. Time for a fancy raw dessert! For something as fancy looking as this raw cheesecake recipe, it’s surprisingly easy to make.

Just process macadamia nuts, salt and dates in a food processor until well processed but still airy. Press this crust mixture down into pan sprinkled with dried coconut on the bottom. To make the raw cream-cheese filling, blend all the filling ingredients in a powerful blender, adding only as little water as needed. Pour the filling on top of the crust mixture and freeze for at least an hour. While the crust/cream-cheese is firming up in the freezer, blend strawberries and dates until nice and smooth, and pour it on top of the firm cheesecake that’s been in the freezer for about an hour. Place it again in the freezer for about five more hours. Serve chilled, straight out of the freezer.

Raw brownie recipe

Here’s the most popular of my top-rated raw desserts. This yummy raw brownie recipe tastes so much like traditional brownies it’s simply “brownie-licious”! One great thing about it is it doesn’t require too many ingredients, and there’s none of those laborious steps either. You will need a food processor for this one.

Step one is to process pecans into small and crumbly bits. Then add your dates and process again until it combines before adding the rest of the ingredients to the mixture. Continue processing until it turns into a chocolatey brown. Don’t over-process, otherwise, it will get too buttery. Firmly press down the mixture into a brownie dish using your hands and chill for a couple of hours.

This raw brownie goes perfectly well raw chocolate icing, too.

Raw chocolate chia pudding recipe

You can never go wrong with chocolatey desserts. Here’s another one you can add to your growing list. You’d be amazed at how this lovely raw chocolate chia pudding recipe tastes just like melted chocolate ice cream!

To make this chia pudding, place cashews and water in your blender and blend until nice and smooth. Add cacao powder, honey/other liquid sweetener, vanilla extract and sea salt and blend again. Pour the mixture into a bowl with chia seeds and mix well. Cover it and place inside the fridge for an hour or so to allow the chia seeds to plump up and thicken the pudding.

This raw dessert gets even better and thicker the longer its refrigerated. 

Raw chocolate shortbread bars

These freezer bars are a killer. (I mean that in a good way.) The zingy chocolatey flavor of these raw chocolate shortbread bars makes for a perfect (more adult) dessert.

For the shortbread procedure, process all shortbread ingredients in a food processor until well combined. Press down the mixture firmly into a pan to make your shortbread base. Next, blend all your chocolate mixture ingredients in a high-speed blender until very nice and smooth, and pour it on top of the shortbread base. Smooth the chocolate evenly with a spoon, and finally, freeze for an hour or so.

Let the bars defrost for about fifteen minutes before eating, but remember to always store them in the freezer.

Which top raw dessert will you try?

Talk about excellent healthy substitutes. With these top raw desserts, there’s no need to hold back when your sweet tooth cravings kick in. These top-rated raw desserts can absolutely satisfy them. Which divine raw dessert do you love best?

Now that I have been dehydrating for 5 years, I am happy to share my best dehydrator recipes with you!  Here are some of my favourite raw dehydrator recipes. These links all go to my own simple raw dehydrator recipes, which I share with you for free here on my website:

Kale chip dehydrator recipes

Kale chips - Throw some kale in a bowl, season and dehydrate... and you have kale chips! Crispy and full of flavour. Perfect for snacking in front of the boobtube! (I also have yam chip and zucchini chip recipes too, but kale chips are the best!)

Cracker dehydrator recipes

Crackers - I always have raw crackers on hand. One of the most useful of dehydrator recipes, raw crackers help you make a meal quick - just take a cracker, top with tomato, cucumber, sprouts and perhaps a nut pate or some sliced avocado. To die for and so easy!

Raw bread dehydrator recipes

Raw bread! Soft, moist and spongy. I am not kidding!

Raw onion bread: The best, most pliable and awesome onion bread. It's famous in the raw food community!

Raw veggie burger dehydrator recipes

Raw veggie burgers! Use some crisp romaine lettuce as a "bun" and top with sliced tomatoes and cucumbers and a dollop of raw mayonnaise and you are set!

Cake and loaf dehydrator recipes

Basic raw bread, zucchini bread, and raw sweet bread. Oh yeah! These dehydrator recipes use "psyllium husk" - which is the secret to dehydrating moist breads that turn out nice and spongy (not hard as rocks).

More dehydrator recipes

Lots more of my favorite dehydrator recipes here!

These are some of the best simple, raw dehydrator recipes that I have come across over my five years of dehydrating extensively. What are some of your favourite raw dehydrator recipes?

For the first three years of my raw food journey, I was 100% raw vegan.  I did not cheat.

Was I one of those weird, irritating people that just loves fruits and vegetables? Well, I am now, but I wasn't always this way. I used to hate vegetables!

Before I went raw, I absolutely loved chips and candy. I ate processed foods and loved them! I craved chips (All Dressed and Salt and Vinegar, mmm), donuts (apple fritters, mmm), muffins (lemon poppyseed or buttery blueberry, mmm), pasta (cheese please), candy (sour keys, Nibs, chocolates, mmm), and white bread products (doughy pizza bun, be still my heart).

But once I commited to going raw, I just gave everything up. Was it hard? Yes! Was it worth it, oh yes.........Because after a month of going 100% raw my tastebuds changed and I began to appreciate raw foods and vegetables.

You see, back when I wasn't raw and I ate all those very delicious (but kind of disgusting when you think about them) products, my tastebuds were used to all that processed food. I craved processed food, and food like fruit and vegetables just tasted bland, boring, and bitter to me.

Enter raw foods...

My journey into raw foods didn't happen overnight. I was vegetarian already, but, as you can tell, I ate lots of junk food. But one March I challenged myself to go 80% raw. I did it.  But then for the next five months I only ate about 50% raw, but I didn't think about food too much. Then one day I just decided that I felt like crap and I would go 100% raw, and I did.

When I was 80% raw, I was sort in a detox-state, and I didn't really know what was going on. Fruits and vegetables tasted alright, I guess. I didn't get excited about them though.

When I went down to 50% raw, eating fruits--and especially vegetables--seemed like a chore. I did it anyway, but I wasn't happy about it. I certainly didn't ever enjoy eating a salad.

When I went 100% raw (with absolutely no cheating) after about one month I realized that I actually liked--no, LOVED--some vegetables. That a tomato or an avocado with some sea salt on it was freakin' delicious. I realized that my tastebuds were changing. I was starting to get excited about the salads that I had for lunch. After my first month 100% raw I was actually craving salads.

Things I've learned:

• Eating SAD (standard American diet) foods screws up your palate and tastebuds. Don't cheat and eat SAD foods! You are only shooting yourself in the foot. You have to give your tastebuds time to adjust and to forget the old SAD foods. If you keep eating SAD food you are making it harder on yourself.
• You don't have to love eating raw fruits and vegetables. You won't love vegetables overnight. But you will discover them eventually. Trust me.
• It's all about flavour combining. Do I love to eat carrot sticks? NO! BORING! Do I love to eat a salad with shredded carrots, olives, fresh romaine lettuce, flavourful tomatoes, a delicious raw salad dressing and slices of avocado? HELL YES! See the difference? It's about combining foods to make them tasty.
• You've got to bring raw food with you whenever you go out. Make sure you have some trail mix or easy to eat fruit (bananas or apples) with you, because hunger strikes anywhere. Temptation is the worst for me when I'm out of my house.
• Yes, temptation still exists. But it's not worth it! And don't forget that.

The #1 reason why I don't cheat and eat SAD foods is because I don't want to screw up my palate. I see my going 100% raw as an investment, and I don't want to throw it down the tubes for a bag of chips.

Holidays are just around the corner! It's time to start thinking "party", and of course, "what's on the menu?". Whatever event or occasion you're celebrating, here are some simple and delicious appies to serve your guests.

Ready? Then read on, my friends...

Vegetable Platter & Raw Ranch Dressing

First, let's go for the obvious... throw together a big 'ol vegetable platter. Carrots, celery, broccoli, tomatoes... you get my drift! What's available at your local farmer's market? Be creative! Tempt your guests further by offering a Raw Ranch Dressing dip for their veggies. If you think nothing can compare to 'real' ranch dressing, think again! This is a must-have dip for your vegetable platter!

Fruit Platter & Raw Fruit Dip

And you can't go wrong with a fruit platter, especially when you serve it with a delicious Raw Fruit Dip. This cashew-based dip is sooo creamy and slightly tangy, with a cream-cheese-like texture. Perfect for slathering on strawberries, pineapple chunks and grapes.

Mmm, just writing about it makes me want to whip up a batch right now!

Raw Walnut Pate & Simplest Raw Flax Crackers

For snackies, my fave and easiest trick is to top cucumber rounds with a spread like Raw Walnut Pate.

You can also spread the Walnut Pate on crackers, too. Check out this Simplest Raw Flax Cracker Recipe to totally impress your friends!

Raw Guacamole & Raw Corn Chips

What's a gathering without guacamole? Guacamole is always on my must-serve list, so I'm sharing it with you!

Serve it up with these stupendously good Corn Chips and your holiday event will be the talk of the town!

Raw Strawberry Milk

Keep your guests hydrated (and delighted) with a smooothie like this awesome Strawberry Milk.  Frozen strawberries and chia seeds are the two main ingredients!

For a twist, you can also serve this smoothie up as a refreshing dessert!

Raw Cheesecake

But, if you want a 'proper' dessert, why don't you make one up the day beforehand & freeze? My top choice that you can serve right out of the freezer is Raw Cheesecake!

If some of your guests have any doubts about eating raw at this point, those doubts will be eradicated after just one bite of this wildly delicious cheesecake!

All Together Now...

Let's see now, we've got a vegetable plate, a fruit plate, flax crackers (and cuke rounds!) topped with walnut pate. Then there's the guacamole served up with crunchy corn chips. And for the sweet tooths in the gang, there's the strawberry smoothie plus cheesecake for dessert!

So get ready to enjoy your holiday in raw food style! And don't forget to invite me!

It’s easier than you think to start going raw. You don’t have to run out and buy a bunch of expensive foods right away. Or appliances – you can start with just a cheap blender.

Here are 6 simple steps to get you started.

Then, if you’re still psyched about going raw, you can delve a little deeper into the raw experience!

• Find a fruit that gets you excited and eat lots of it! (My faves are green grapes and fresh blueberries. Simple but oh so tasty!)
• Buy a food processor or a blender. They don't have to be good ones - and you don't need both to START!
• Shop healthy. It all starts at the grocery store - buy healthy groceries that you enjoy and avoid buying junk like chips, cookies, etc. Eating healthy starts at the grocery store. Then, when you get peckish on the couch you don't have a lot of junk food in the house so you eat better stuff, like fruit or nuts.
• Find one raw recipe that appeals to you and make it for fun! Are brownies your thing? How about raw chocolate haystacks?
• Make your **next** meal a raw one. I mean it, right now!
• Invite your friend(s). Have a "learning-raw" party get-together!

Do you see how easy it is to start going raw? Your experience should be simple and fun. And not hard on your budget. Choose your favourite fruit, find a dee-lish recipe, get your taste of raw!

You've all heard of nut milk. Most of you have probably bought nut milk. But how many of you have made your own? I hear you saying, "But it sounds like too much work!"

Wrong! There is nothing simpler than making your own nut milk. Seriously! So if you haven't tried to make a nut milk yet, now is the time! Grab some nuts and let's go!

Why make your own nut milk?

Because it is so delicious, that's why! There's nothing tastier than a glass of chilled cashew or almond milk made by your own hands! Besides, nut milk is the perfect alternative to dairy. Creamy and nutty tasting (of course!), nut milk can also be splashed on your hot or cold cereal, or used to make soups and smoothies. And of course, it is super easy to make.

There's always a container of nut milk sitting in my fridge. It's a must-have for my raw breakfast cereal!

The easiest nut milk to make... Cashew Milk

Cashew milk is the easiest nut milk to make: just toss your ingredients into the blender and blend! Try my Raw Cashew Milk Recipe. You are going to wonder how you've ever gone without it!

No nut bag required for this recipe. (p.s. You can increase or decrease the water/nut ratio depending on the consistency/creaminess you require.) Now, wasn't that easy?

Next up... Almond Milk!

Don't let the scary term, "nut milk bag" throw you off! In this Raw Almond Milk Recipe, all you do is blend and strain. Yep, that's all! Do use a nut milk bag rather than cheesecloth. Check out this nut milk bag - see how simple it is, and cheap to buy, too!

As a bonus, you can use the almond pulp in other raw recipes!

Yes, it's that simple!

If you have a blender, you can make cashew milk. Add in a nut milk bag, and other nut milks are at your fingertips. I so recommend that you make your own nut milk. Start with the cashew milk and if you like (love!) that, buy yourself a nut bag and sample some other nut milks. You will wonder why you never tried these before!

I'm pretty much a pudding fan. Raw puddings are surprisingly easy to make, and I love their smooth creamy texture, mmm. Here are 5 recipes for you to check out, if you haven't already!

Note that the first 4 recipes use chia seeds to thicken, and cashews to add creamy texture. The last recipe uses avocado for both creaminess and texture. But one thing these raw pudding recipes do have in common is their extremely good taste!

Raw Rice Pudding

This Raw Rice Pudding recipe doesn't actually contain rice (sorry to disappoint!). Nonetheless, darlings, it will totally remind you of the rice pudding from your childhood.

Cashews and chia seeds and raisins (of course!) are some of the ingredients in this delightful pudding.

Creamy Raw Fruit Chia Pudding

You really must try this Creamy Raw Fruit Chia Pudding! It's fruity and chocolate-y, and oh so smooth and creamy... yum!

I use raspberries and strawberries here, but you can use whatever berries your little heart desires!

Orange Chia Seed Pudding

When I first made this Orange Chia Seed Pudding, my first thought was "creamsicle"! Bursting with orange flavor, and so creamy good, this pudding is a favorite of mine.

Make sure you use fresh juicy oranges for an optimum orange taste sensation!

Raw Chocolate Chia Pudding

I truly think this Chocolate Chia Pudding tastes like melted chocolate ice cream! But maybe that's just me. Even so, this is a delicious chocolate-y pudding that you'll love!

Cashews are key to making this pudding creamy good.

Raw Chocolate Avocado Pudding

Believe me, this Chocolate Avocado Pudding will rock your boat! Who knew that avocado and cacao (plus a few other goodies) could meld into such a scrumptious dessert?

Actually, the secret sweetener in this recipe is dates. Amazing, really!

Pudding for dessert... or just because!

All of these recipes taste best when chilled for a little bit. This is so the pudding thickens and the flavors meld. But the little bitty wait is what makes these raw puddings so darned good. You won't miss the 'real' thing when you have these recipes on hand!

In fact, why wait for dessert? Pudding for a snack sounds good to me!

It’s almost Father’s Day! What is the dad in your life's favorite dessert? One of these simple raw desserts will surely satisfy his sweet tooth! If he likes creamy desserts, try the raw cheesecake or the raw banana cream pie. For simpler fare, whip up raw apple pie or raw carrot refrigerator cake. Whatever you decide to make, you can be sure it will be a big hit with the dad in your life!

And if dad isn't into "raw food"? Don't tell him! What he doesn't know won't hurt him :)

Raw Banana Cream Pie

You can’t beat this delicious and simple raw dessert. So very smooth and creamy, yet easy to make, this Raw Banana Cream Pie will impress your dad! (Everyone wants seconds of this one, so if serving for a large group you may want to double it.)

Cashews, coconut, dates, honey, and bananas (of course!) are the main ingredients in this delightful recipe.

Raw Cheesecake

Here is a simple raw dessert that even your non-raw dad will love! This rich and delicious Raw Cheesecake tastes just like the real thing, try it and see.

Macadamia nuts, dates, and cashews feature in this cheesecake. Yum!

Raw Apple Pie

Here is a great simple raw dessert for the dads who love Raw Apple Pie. While not a ‘fancy’ dessert, this raw apple pie is both flavourful and filling, and can be made up to a week before dad’s special day!

If my dad was here, I'd make him this one because he loves apple pie. Oh pop, wish I lived closer to you!

Raw Carrot Refrigerator Cake Recipe

Who doesn’t love carrot cake? This simple raw dessert surprisingly has the texture and taste of cooked carrot cake, and keeps well in the fridge for several days. It even has a creamy cashew-based icing to make it perfect.

Surprise your pop with this Raw Carrot Refrigerator Cake this Father's Day!

Raw Chocolate Mousse

If chocolate is more your dad's thing, then treat him to this smooth and creamy Raw Chocolate Mousse. It's so easy - you just need your food processor.

Avocado is the secret ingredient, along with banana and cacao. Soooo good!

Hmm, which one to make?

Can't decide? Remember, you can always make more than one dessert! In fact, you can find more desserts in the raw recipes index. So what will you be making for dad this Father’s Day?