Many people have probably only heard of chia seeds in the context of those Chia Pet commercials; however, these seeds had been eaten by the Mayan and Aztec civilizations for thousands of years! While there has been some debate about whether they're considered Paleo or not (Cordain says "further human trials" should be done, Sisson says "you can certainly give chia a shot," and Gedgaudas calls them a "great source of mucilaginous fiber" and recommends them in one of her recipes), I figured I'd "give them a shot" with a recipe I modified and Paleo-ified from The Chia Company. The chia seeds give the cake a very interesting texture, and it's definitely worth trying. Enjoy!Ingredients:
-7 oz. unsweetened 100% dark chocolate
-1/2 cup butter
-5 large eggs, separated
-2 cups assorted nuts and/or seeds (I used almonds, walnuts, pecans, and sunflower seeds)
-1 cup and 2 tbsp. Stevia
-1/2 cup and 1 tbsp chia seeds
-coconut flakes or other toppings (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with coconut oil, then line it with a sheet of wax paper. Soak chia seeds in 1 cup of water for 15 minutes. Grind nuts well.
2. Melt butter and dark chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water and let cool.
3. Beat egg whites and 1/3 cup of Stevia until soft peaks form. Beat the remaining Stevia and egg yolks in a large bowl.
4. Pour melted chocolate over egg yolks and fold. Next, fold in the chia seeds and ground nuts. Finally, fold in the egg whites.
5. Pour mixture into pan and bake for 50 minutes. Let cool, then top it with unsweetened coconut flakes, melted dark chocolate, homemade whipped cream, or anything else... get creative and enjoy!
Quote of the Day:
"A healthy body is a guest chamber for the soul; a sick body is a prison." -Sir Francis Bacon
