Healthy Drink of the Day: Kale and Chia Seed Juice

What a gorgeous Sunday morning here in St. Louis!! Today is definitely a good day.....the weather is perfect, there's a great vibe at Rhino Fitness this morning, Iowa beat Iowa State (in Ames, too) yesterday, and there is NFL to be watched!

An energizing, yet healthy, drink to help keep us all on track on such a great day makes it even better.

This juice drink is in part a solution to my mother's impeccable kale garden (she seriously had some major success with it) which she has no idea what to do with, and also a way to sneak in some chia seeds.

Why chia? Here are seven reasons:
1-Chia seeds help reduce food cravings because it blocks food from being absorbed as quickly.
2-Along the same lines as above, chia seeds help you feel fuller faster.

These first two are caused by the gel affect created when chia seeds absorb water. They absorb about 10 times their weight in water and expand as a gel like substance.

3-The chia gel is hydrates the body. Everyone needs to be hydrated. No brainer.
4-Chia seeds are rich in Omega-3, which fights inflammation and heart disease. There is more Omega-3 in chia than there is in salmon.
5-Chia seeds slow down the rate that our body converts carbohydrates into simple sugars, which helps regulate blood sugar levels.
6-Chia seeds are easier to digest than flax seeds and don't need to be ground up. Low maintenance food!
7-Some reports believe that chia seeds help lower blood pressure.

Okay, enough of that, now for the simple juice drink which solves the problem of what to do with kale (besides make chips) and how to include chia seeds into your diet:

Directions:
Combine a handful of kale, 2 to 3 stalks of celery, a pear, and the juice of a lemon into a blender or juicer. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of chia seeds. Blend until liquid in form. Drink. Enjoy!

Super simple, right?

Have a great Sunday!!

Kee