Chia seeds add nutty crunch to morning smoothies

When soaked in water, chia seeds become plumped and gelatinous, with a texture similar to tapioca. And that makes them an ideal addition to smoothies.

In this recipe, the chia seeds give the smoothie a deliciously thick body and a mildly nutty taste that is complemented by the lime juice, basil and mango. But don’t limit yourself to our flavors; soaked chia seeds can be added to any smoothie.

Basil mango lime smoothie with chia

Start to finish: 1 hour 10 minutes (10 minutes active)

Servings: 4

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons lime juice

2 tablespoons honey

Finely chopped zest of 1/2 lime

4 fresh basil leaves

10-ounce package frozen mango chunks, thawed

2 cups fat-free vanilla yogurt

In a small bowl, combine the chia seeds, water and lime juice. Set aside for 1 hour to let the seeds plump and become gelatinous.

In a blender combine the soaked chia seeds (with the liquid), honey, lime zest, basil, mango and yogurt. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 160 calories; 10 calories from fat (6 percent of total calories); 1 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbohydrate; 5 g protein; 3 g fiber; 55 mg sodium.