Little treats: Chia seed and passionfruit parfait
Chia seeds are going nowhere. But what makes them so special? Let us count the ways: these little crunchers are loaded with antioxidants, fibre, protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
There’s even a man named after them. US researcher Wayne Coates – aka ‘Mr. Chia’ – has devoted 20 years’ research to the super-seeds and discovered that they have the power to stabilise blood sugar levels, and they are currently being studied as a natural treatment for type-2 diabetes. Though they be but little, these seeds pack a nutritional power punch.
Read more: 10 best beauty-boosting super foods
Combine this with antioxidant-rich passionfruit minerals and you’re on to a nutritional winner. Their seeds may may even help improve health functioning of your intestines, according to a study published in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.
It looks pretty great, too.
Serves 4
450 ml 0 per cent fat natural yoghurt
2 clementines
4 passionfruits
20g chia seeds
For the topping
100g oats
45g mixed seeds (15g each linseeds, sunflower seeds and flaked almonds)
20g honey
Method
1. To make the topping, mix the oats, honey and seeds in a bowl. Spread the mix over a non-stick tray and bake in an oven at 180ºC for 10-12 minutes. Once they are all nicely browned off, remove and allow to cool.
2. Peel the clementines and pull apart the segments. Cut the passionfruit in half.
3. Remove seeds from the passionfruit and place in a bowl until required. Cut the segments in half and place two thirds of them into the bottom of the four glasses you are going to use.
4. Over each set of segments, spoon one spoonful of the passionfruit seeds and a little of the granola. Sprinkle on a generous pinch of the chia seeds.
5. Add a generous dollop of yoghurt on each and repeat with the segments, passionfruit and granola. Top with more yoghurt.
6. Top off with the rest of the granola and then finish with another generous sprinkle of chia seeds.
Recipe created using Yeo Valley 0 per cent fat natural yoghurt. For more information and recipe suggestions, please visit www.yeovalley.co.uk