Chia Seeds Recipes from Le Pain Quotidien Cookbook by Coumont, Alain, Gabriel, Jean-Pierre

Le Pain Quotidien Cookbook presents over 100 recipes for simple, elegant boulangerie fare - handmade bread, breakfast, tartines, soup, salads, sharing dishes and desserts. Le Pain Quotidien is best known for its organic bread and its signature tartines but it's also about sharing great food made with love at any time of the day.

With everything from grissini, baguettes and focaccia to chia seed banana muffins, buckwheat pancakes with chestnut puree and roasted golden beetroot & chicken salad, and from toasted camembert & walnut tartine to mussels, potato & saffron aioli soup, Le Pain Quotidien Cookbook reveals all the tricks of the artisan baker and home chef.

This time, we have tried two recipes with chia seeds, which is healthy and trendy ingredients and also a sort of signature ingredient in Le Pain Quotidien. All recipe from the book is so healthy, delicious and easy to make at home that you should try!

Chia seed & banana muffins

Ingredients
Makes about 12-15 muffins
3 large/4 small ripe bananas (10oz/275g peeled weight), mashed
1 cup (8oz/250g) soy yoghurt
2/3 cup(5oz/150g) canola (rapeseed), olive or soy oil
4/3 cup (6fl oz/175ml) agave syrup
3 eggs
1/2 tsp table salt
1 tsp vanilla sugar or liquid vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups (200g) all-purpose (plain) flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 2/3 cups (200g) chia seeds
For the topping:
chia seeds
1 banana, sliced

Methods
1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4). Line a muffin pan with 12-15 paper muffin liners or cases.
2. Put the mashed banana, yoghurt, oil, agave syrup, eggs, salt and vanilla extract into a bowl and mix to a smooth puree using a fork.
3. Add the flour and baking powder and stir until just combined (be careful not to overmix or the muffins won't be as light and airy). (You can also use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment: put the bananas into the bowl first and paddle briefly to eliminate any lumps, add the liquids and sugar and process for 30seconds, then add the flour and baking powder and process for another 15 seconds.)
4. Stir the chia seeds into the mixture using a spatula and let stand for 20 minutes.
5. Pour the batter into the muffin pan, filling each liner to the top then top with chia seeds or slices of banana.
6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until risen and golden.
7. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. Enjoy!

Chia seed porridge with orange & yogurt

Ingredients
serves 2
4 tsp chia seeds
1/2 cup (4fl oz/125ml) orange juice
1 tbsp agave syrup or acacia honey
2 oranges, peeled
1/2cup (4oz/125g) soy or plain (natural) yogurt
Methods
1. Put the chia seeds, orange juice and agave syrup into a bowl and mix together.
2. Put the bowl in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or until the chia seeds have absorbed all the liquid.
3. Using a sharp knife, segment the oranges by cutting away the pith and membrane so that only the flesh remains.
4. Divide the chia mixture between 2 bowls, add the orange segments and top each portion with half the yogurt.
5. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Recipes are from the "Le Pain Quotidien Cookbook (p.46, 0. 50)", written by Coumont, Alain, Gabriel, Jean-Pierre.

 Shop the ingredients

Chia seeds

Soy yoghurt

Agave syrup