It’s hard to beat smoothies for quick, on-the-move breakfasts, and I incorporate many ingredients into them in and out of season. My smoothies usually start with Homemade Small-Batch Yogurt, but one day when I ran out, I substituted chia seeds discovered a love of dairy-free smoothies.
Chia seeds add protein, among other benefits, and are a popular vegan replacement for eggs when baking, as a binder in veggie burgers and as a pudding thickener. They also recreate the thickness provided by yogurt in a Fresh Yogurt Smoothie. For speedy prep, soak a large batch of chia seeds and refrigerate them for up to a week.
I find chia seeds pair best with berries that aren’t overly seedy, like blueberries or huckleberries, or seedless fruit, like plums and peaches. Even though I typically freeze bags of homegrown raspberries and cubes of raspberry pulp left after making syrup or shrub, blending them with soaked chia seeds makes smoothies feel grittier.
When I use water to make a dairy-free smoothie, the fruit flavor explodes on my tongue and cucumber and other mild add-ins become more noticeable. Replacing the water – in the smoothie, when soaking the chia seeds or both – with juice, plant-based milk or even cow’s milk or yogurt for a creamy version will mask some of the cucumber flavor but still taste delicious.
At home, my preferred smoothie machine is a high-powered immersion blender. When I’m traveling or building a smoothie to drink later, I reach for a rechargeable single-serving blender and puree the beverage wherever I am. Depending on the power of your mini portable blender, you may be able to add fresh cucumber or any fruit swaps in chunks.
You also may need to alter the order in which you add ingredients to a portable or full-size upright blender, because the soaked chia seeds can gum up the blades. For my portable BlendJet, I soak the seeds in a liquid measuring cup when I’m at home or a small container when I’m boating or camping. I get the smoothest results when I put the cold water into the portable blender first and then add the chia seeds and other ingredients.
Dairy-Free Chia Seed Smoothie
Makes about 12 ounces
2 tablespoons chia seeds
1/4 cup warm or room-temperature water
3 ounces frozen or freshly grated cucumber
3 ounces frozen blueberries or huckleberries
1 teaspoon honey or other sweetener (optional)
Pinch of cinnamon
1/2 cup cold water
In a drinking glass or container wide enough that the head of your immersion blender touches the bottom, stir the chia seeds into the warm water. Soak for about 20 minutes, until softened and gelled.
Add the cucumber and berries, along with the sweetener, if using, and cinnamon. Pour in the water.
Insert the immersion blender into the blending cup. Puree on the lowest setting for one to two minutes, until completely blended; increase the speed of the blender as needed if you can do so without spilling the cup’s contents.
Julie Laing is a Bigfork-based cookbook author and food blogger. Learn more about this month’s pie and cookie workshops at TwiceAsTasty.com.