Orange Carrot Chia Fresca

by Angela Gallardo in Breakfast & Brunch, Recipes

4 comments

My new best friend, the Hurom slow-juicer, makes quick work of this Orange Carrot Chia Fresca. So much so that the juicer won its spot front and center on our limited travel trailer counter space 😄

I recently resumed our CSA subscription and have been juicing like a mad-person.  It helps me feel clean and refreshed to drink fresh pressed juice in the mornings.  It’s also helped me be more regular (since surgery can bring that department to a stand-still) and therefore has seemed to sped up the healing process tremendously.

For other ways to get all the veggies and fruits from juice check here and here.

The Aztec people have been using chia for generations in a drink called a ‘fresca.‘  It’s typically just water, lemon, sweetener, and chia seeds.  If you’ve read Born to Run, you’ll be familiar with this as the drink the Tarahumara people rely on as a staple in their diets and an integral part of their health and longevity.

The following recipe is my take on this century-old drink, utilizing oranges and carrots, which are both in season right now, making for a flavorful and nutrient-rich drink.  Soaking the chia in whatever juice you use allows a gelatinous coating to form on the outside, making it easy it swallow and enjoy.  I’m sure you’ve seen chia juices in the markets so here’s a little inspiration on saving some money and making your own.

Orange Carrot Chia Fresca

Yields: about 2 cups juice

• 8 medium carrots
• 4 medium oranges
• 1 small lemon
• 1 2″ knob ginger
• 2 tbsp. chia seeds

Optional:  grass-fed protein source like these collagen peptides

Directions:

1. Peel oranges and lemon and roughly chop.
2. Wash carrots with a good fruit wash (especially if you’re not using organic) and dice in 1″ pieces.
3. Peel the ginger.
4. Feed all pieces through your juicer.
5. Mix chia seeds into the juice and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
6. Mix well again (I’ve found that a blender bottle works really well for this), optional collagen, and enjoy!

Note:  if you don’t have a juicer, you can find both orange and carrot juice at your local market.  Just mix equal parts of the 2 juices, squeeze in a lemon, and add a bit of grated ginger.  This isn’t preferable (nutrient-wise) to juicing fresh but is much better to drink that processed juice drinks.

Other fun combinations:

Mix it up!  Pomegranate & lime, apple & celery, or cucumber & lemon are all just as refreshing.

Go back to all BRG recipes…