Chia, Sesame and Seaweed Recipes to Boost Your Calcium on the Raw Food Diet
In an article we wrote about how to know if you’re getting enough calcium on the raw food diet, Joanna Steven addressed the subject of calcium and the best plant-based sources for finding it.
Many people still believe dairy to be one of the best sources of calcium available. While it is true that dairy products are somewhat calcium-rich, there are lots of plant-based ways to get the calcium you need and these recipes below will help you do it!
Calcium-Rich Recipes the Whole Family Will Love
Tahini and Fruit Spread
My dad used to make me tahini and jam spreads all the time growing up. (For a raw jam, blend fresh fruits with agave nectar until sweet and of a consistency similar to cooked jam.) You can also substitute honey for the raw jam and get a delicious sesame-rich treat kids of all ages will love!
Ingredients:
- 2 Tablespoons tahini
(i.e. sesame seed butter) - 2 Tablespoons raw jam
Directions:
Stir the tahini and jam together until they are somewhat mixed but you can still see streaks of each ingredients. Eat on raw crackers, sprouted bread, or with a spoon!
Sesame Chia Pudding
The combination of chia and sesame seeds makes this pudding extremely calcium-rich. This recipe is adapted from the one Tonya Kay was served while giving a talk on raw foods in Dallas. Chia pudding has since become one of her staple foods, and this particular version fulfills nearly 50% of our daily calcium requirement.
Ingredients:
- ¼ cup sesame seeds, ground
- 1 cup water
- 2-4 Tablespoons honey,
more or less to taste - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 T Chia Seeds
Directions:
Combine ground sesame seeds, water, sweetener, vanilla and cinnamon in a blender and blend well. Pour the contents of the blender into a strainer over a bowl. Add the chia seeds and stir. Put the mix in the fridge and take it out to stir every 10 minutes or so until the chia seeds have finished releasing their yummy gooey goodness. It shouldn’t take longer than 1/2 an hour to be fully ready to eat.
Generic Chia Pudding
This pudding is a base that can be altered any way you want. Try adding cacao, goji berries, lucuma, spices, etc.
Ingredients:
- 4 Tablespoon chia seeds
- 4 Tablespoon ground coconut
- 1-2 cups water or nut milk,
depending on how thick you like your pudding - Sweetener to taste (about 2 Tablespoons)
or soaked dates
Directions:
Blend the coconut, liquid and sweetener in a blender. Stir in the chia seeds by hand, and stir the mix twice every 10 minutes. Keep in the fridge.
Mixed Vegetable Salad with Seaweed
This salad can be kept at room temperature for a while without a problem. I often make it if I have to eat outside the house and know I won’t have access to healthy food. This salad contains about 25% of our calcium requirement, and is also exceptionally high in iron (50% of the RDA), phosphorus (20%) and potassium (30%).
Ingredients:
- ½ cup finely chopped kale
- 3 large lettuce leaves, shredded
- 1/2 a ripe avocado, cubed
- 1 small tomato, diced
- 3 small portabello mushrooms, sliced
- 1/3 cup dulse
- 2 Tablespoons finely chopped kelp
- 1 Tablespoon hemp seeds
Directions:
Mix everything together, and keep at room temperature for about an hour to let the seaweeds soften a little. You can mix in the dressing right away (before waiting), or just before eating. Mixing it later will ensure the lettuce stays crisp. You can add in anything else you like, such as carrot sticks, cubed cucumber, etc. for added nutrients and variety.
Do You Have a Recipe?
Do you have a recipe you’d like to share below? If you have a high-calcium recipe with chia, seaweed, sesame or other calcium-rich foods you’d like to share, simple let us know in the comment box below and we’ll gift you with a special menu planner for the entire month of July!