Dear Reader, do you ever wonder about the etymology of words? That is, where words first originated and how they have changed over the years. Do you ever make up words entirely? I was recently on a whirlwind of a trip and sitting on a train which was rapidly crossing borders. Around me, things were whizzing past, people were walking up and down the aisles and the constant stimulation played havoc with my jetlag. I said to my travelling companions “I feel like I’m aslake” which to me sort of meant asleep awake. And there was no better word to describe what we were all feeling.
Another time I was watching youtube and came across Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Child. Now, I’m occasionally up for train wreck television but I was alarmed when I saw what could have been an adorable child being quite “undorable.”
When I first heard of chia seeds, I thought that had something to do with the chia pets. It turns out the word for these very healthy seeds come from the Mexican language Nahuatl where the word chian means oily. I have started eating them as they’re said to be good for you but I find that these combined with the warm weather means that I get less hungry during the day and less prone to snacking or becoming deliriously hungry and succumbing to a piece of cake.
I decided to make them into a bread so that I could have a slice mid morning and then be done with sugary temptations. The bread recipe comes from two friends, originally from Brydie from Cityhippyfarmgirl and then Johanna from GreenGourmetGiraffe who adapted Brydie’s recipe from the Bourke Street Bakery cookbook. It’s an easy to make recipe that made two neat loaves-I liked Johanna’s tip on shaping two rounds to make an old fashioned looking loaf. Don’t worry if at first you think the crust is too thick or hard, it softens soon after it comes out of the oven and becomes juuust right.
So tell me Dear Reader, have you seen Here Comes Honey Boo Boo Child? And have you ever had the feeling of being aslake? 
Sesame Chia Bread
Preparation time: 1.5 hours (mostly resting)
Baking time: 30 minutes
- 4 cups plain or bread flour plus extra for kneading
- 2 teaspoons instant dried yeast
- 4 tablespoons sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- 400mls lukewarm water
- 1.5 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1.5 tablespoons olive oil plus extra for greasing tin
- 2 teaspoons salt
1. Place yeast, warm water and flour in a mixing bowl and mix together and let sit for 10 minutes. It will look like a shaggy mess but that’s ok. Add oils and salt and stir to combine. Knead for 4-5 minutes if using a dough hook or 8-10 minutes by hand. Form a ball making sure to get all the bits of dough from the side and place in the same bowl and cover with cling wrap. Allow to rise for 30 minutes until doubled in size – if the weather is cold and it is having difficulties rising, place in a bowl of hot water changing the water once or twice during this time.
Before rising
After the first rise
2. Punch down the dough and knead it lightly again for about a minute. Allow to rise again for 30 minutes. Then, punch down and knead, this time incorporating the sesame and chia seeds.
3. Oil a rectangular bread tin and split the bread into two halves making two large balls and place them side by side. Allow to rise to about two thirds of the height of the tin. Meanwhile, while it having its final rise, place a tray of water on the bottom shelf of the oven to create steam (if you don’t have a steam oven). Preheat oven to 220C/428F. Bake the risen dough for 30 minutes. Allow to sit for about 10-15 minutes before eating.
Teatowel from Dandi
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55 Comments | Add your own
NO!!! I thought I had blocked out the nightmare that was/is honey boo boo child! Aaaaaaarrrrggghhh! :-/ nice looking bread though!
What a scrumptious bread to enjoy with jam or butter! I’ve never tried chia seeds but I love your use of them here!
I too always think of pets when I hear the word ‘chia’. In our family we make up funny phrases that are difficult to say 5 times like ‘Torso Sore Toe’ and ‘I’ve never been to Bend before’ (we live in Bend, Oregon) – great fun! + your bread looks delicious!
I love to know where words come from…
That bread looks so fluffy and delicious!
Cheers,
Rosa
Oh my sister drives me crazy with the “honey boo boo child”-ing 24/7. She thinks she’s hilarious! It was funny the first time, but now I want honey boo boo out of muh house
With my fatigue and being sick all the time, I always feel aslake. I totally can’t remember doing things!
I’m in a constant state of aslakeness (or would it be aslakeosity?). Love the bread. LOVE chia seeds. I make a granola with them with lots of nuts and dried fruit. So yummy sprinkled on fruit salad, yogurt or just a handful mid-morning to stave off the piece of cake. Might try the bread next xo
I love the look of this bread–a new way to incorporate chia seeds in the diet!
I love etymology and equally love made up words–I just revel in language and how it grows and changes. Have definitely felt aslake before–and now I have a word for it!
Mmmm bread!!! Looks great!
Words are fascinating to me, Lorraine. Love your bread. Chia seeds and sesame sound like a great taste combination.
I keep hearing how good chia seeds are for you but I haven’t cooked with them yet. What great looking bread. My teenagers make me feel aslake all the time – in a blur and horribly confused xx
Not that I have been alake, but I am wide awake due to grandson not shutting up, it is constant mouth moving. Can’t stand for him to be in room when I am working on something. Can’t concentrate with his mouth running.
Lorraine, I thought the same thing about the chia seeds. I kept envisioning those things you buy on TV. Now, about Honey Boo Boo, welcome to the South. No it’s not all like that, but my first year here in Nashville it was a honey boo boo, I gotta move back to California year. And the 4 big dogs in my husband’s backyard didn’t sit well with me and my chihuahua.:)
Bread looks amazing, would it work with wholemeal flour?
Bread looks amazing. Does it work with wholemeal flour?
Hi Leanne! Absolutely
It would be great with wholemeal flour I think 
I’ve yet to join the chia craze. It’s like you said — I keep thinking of Chia Pets! Too funny.
I have yet to use chia seeds properly in my cooking but I certainly intend to so this bread looks like an incredible way to start
I love your photos!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
What a beautiful loaf – I’ve got some chia seeds languishing in the pantry. I might drag them out today!
Lovely buns Lorraine, lol.Have never heard of Honey Boo Boo Child, now I have to go and Google it to satisfy my curiosity, see what you’ve done Lorraine! hahaha Oh dear,I’m back….no comment on said child !
Have heard a lot of positives about Chia seeds and if they’re going to help me push aside a piece of cake mid-morning ( that I know I shouldn’t be having), then I need to investigate further
If I have a few consecutive nights of restless sleep then I totally feel aslaked!
This looks like a lovely loaf of bread.
Just this morning at the markets I said to Will I really should get a proper bread tin now I’ve started getting better at bread making. Maybe this loaf could christen it?
Looks yummy. Do you think it would work with spelt flour?
Who or what is Honey boo boo? I’m afraid to google it to find out. There must be an advantage in not having cable!
Love and use chia seeds often and this looks like a very appetizing loaf indeed
! Make up words? Doesn’t everyone 
? Amongst the very many matters in which I somehow [?] seem to get involved, I have been writing articles for our local community newspaper this year. Have an Editor with a fab sense of humour – she leaves my ‘wrecked language’ right in there and I get some very puzzled locals stopping me, paper in hand: ‘What is THAT?’! But I could not possibly beat my younger daughter who still talks about heffalumps and hopgrassers instead of the obvious!!
Love the recipe, but was wondering if you could somehow “invent” a wheat free version”. Chia seeds sound wonderful especially the hint about preventing snacking. Thank you.
I love ‘aslake’. Great melding of words. I think I feel it sometimes. I feel like people are a bit hard on Honey Boo Boo. I haven’t watched and I won’t be watching but I have heard a lot of backlash. There are probably a lot of families who are just like Honey Boo Boo’s and I feel like they should have their five minutes of fame and they will be off of the tv soon enough.
Is there a way to save favourite recipes of yours?
Ok, I have no idea what o who is Honey Boo Boo Child, should be something that I miss because I live in the other side.
But what I know is that this bread looks spectacular…it’s in my list, I should make it, I will make it.
Looks fab Lorraine!
Chia seeds are great how they swell up like that, great tip to prevent snacking too. Words fascinate me and one of my favourite books in my teens was the dictionary, I would start with one word and follow its thread for hours. Shakespeare always made up words, like: arouse, hobnob,gloomy, lonely and tranquil.
Maybe you are more of a literary genius than you had imagined Lorraine
After 4 nights in a row out, I’m aslake! I’m going to have to get some chia seeds
During Ramadan we add soaked chia seeds to juices for their cooling properties. They are great with rose milk and icecream.
This is lovely looking bread – LOL at the chia pet reference. I do know what aslake feels like. I refuse to look at Honey Boo Boo – I read about it in the Age, and that was enough.
Wow that’s look delicious and healthy
its so fluffy! I never knew chia seeds were so healthy hehe ~
I ve never watched Honey Boo Boo Child but lol I always feel aslake and I see unadorable kids all the time
Lovely looking bread! I always thought the chia seeds were what went into the clay of chia pets to sprout when water is added!
your bread looks wonderful – I would add sesame but Sylvia has been a little odd about seeds in bread – chia is the only one she doesn’t get funny about. Did you use black chia or black sesame? It looks stunning in the bread! And I think I might just be aslake right now
now i have an alternative to dissolving all those seeds in water!
Gorgeous and rustic, those boules are simply beautiful, Lorraine. I detest reality TV and only recently became aware of this sickening train-wreck of a show. What kind of comment does this make on our society? It’s simply gross.
I’ve been using chia in my bread for a couple of years now, and love it. I’ll quite often add assorted seeds as well, pumpkin & sunflower are a favourite, but I try not to add so many my bread ends up with too much of a crunchy tooth feel.
I’ve watched Here comes Honey boo boo child. It’s a different way of life for sure, but who are we to judge that little girl & family & lifestyle, as being unworthy?
I’m certainly not perfect, & I’d wager most everyone else on this earth is not perfect, so why do some of us feel the need to belittle someone different than us?
I’m amazed at how people have trashed this little girl & family online, and in the media.
From what I’ve seen, the little girl is happy & it’s quite obvious she is loved very much by her family.
Something by the way, that cannot be said for a great many children out there who’re living a “normal” lifestyle.
I Adoooore your originality, Dear.
There is a reason you are followed by millions
))
The bread looks quite chia!
Have you heard of the word:
Lorraine-icious?
Xxx
When I was in University, one of my Professors had these books, and they traced the words right back to their origins.
He had about thirty books and they were so condensed you had to read them with an extra strong magnifying glass.
I liked them so much that he brought them to school so I could read them anytime I wanted to which was pretty much all the time.
This bread looks really good! I have never had chia seeds but am always willing to try.
Have a Joyful Day :~D
Charlie
Oh dear, this looks like a bread I must try making.
Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Lorraine, I really like the sound of this bread – I’m not the best of bread bakers so my hat off to you. As for made up words, I often feel aslake, but my favourite gaffe is my own ESL pronunciation of Pinterest, as in Pin-teh-rest rather than Pin’trest. Ok, so I’ve shared something really embarrassing now… BYE!
I am dying to see Honey Boo Boo….I’m a sucker for train wreck TV (well, to a certain extent) and bread is my other weakness, what a dream combo your post is today NQN!
Lorraine, this bread is lovely, and chia seeds make it very special. I use chia seeds every day in many dishes. Last week I made chia seeds biscotti.
My father made up words all the time and he did it with such confidence you had to look it up to tell if it was real or not.
I’ve never made bread with chia seeds. I use poppy seeds all the time but those just make a nice crackle and don’t keep me from wanting slice #7.
I’ve been enjoying chia (not pets!) in everything lately. Love the texture on bread
I love sesame flavour in bread but have never eaten a chia seed. Would love to try this.
Im right into chia ATM. Have been spirnkling the seeds onto my lush salad every lunch. Turns a boring salad into a meal
This looks incredibly delicious! I love bread so much
I’m into chia seeds. I’m keen to try a buckwheat or quinoa flour bread…
thanks for the link back Lorraine
home made bread of any sorts is…awesome.
Lately I see some posts that share cookies that have chia seeds and I thought I’ve never had chia seeds before, but then when I saw someone put it in the bread, I realized it’s pretty common bread I see in Japan! So I grew up eating it!
Yours are just like ones I’ve had eaten, and looks so perfectly baked. I miss eating those bread. Looks so delicious! You make it so effortlessly…. 
I love chia I ground it up and put it in everything even my triple chocolate chip muffins and cookies
I’m sneaky like that lol 
if my kids won’t eat what they are meant to eat then they get a dose of chia everyday (1 teaspoon per person) in everything they do eat 
lol I love chia and I’m about to try this amazing bread so I’ll let u know how it goes 
I’m in the process of making my 2nd batch of this yummy bread, it was perfect:) best bread I have ever made
thankyou 
Hi Alana! I’m so glad that you like it! Thanks for letting us know
Nice buns
No probs
this is the best bread ever and I even make it plain and also make a fantastic garlic, chives and chia bread with this recipe, it’s the best 
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