Happy New Year! Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!
My first recipe post for 2015 is a basic chia pudding. My last post was almond milk (nut & seed milk basics), and since one of the main ingredients in chia pudding is nut/seed milk, I thought it would be appropriate.
Once you know how to make the basic chia pudding, you can play with different toppings, or make it into different flavors, like my pumpkin chia pudding. Your pudding creation variations are endless!
Chia puddings are perfect as a breakfast on a busy mornings, as an afternoon pick me up when your energy is low, or just as a tasty, yummy snack! It’s also great as a pre and post workout fuel. Eaten before the workout, it’ll give you sustained energy throughout your workout, and eaten after the workout, it’ll aid in recovery and repairing the muscle tissues. My husband was recently training for the Ironman race and he used chia pudding often before long swim, bike and runs.
Chia seeds have became a common health food in recent years, but what are they? They are a prized Mayan superfood. Its name comes from an ancient Mayan word meaning “strength”. They are packed with fiber, Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, iron, magnesium, calcium, protein, and anti-oxidants. It also keeps you satiated for a long time, which makes it perfect for a hectic morning or to prevent unwanted snacking. Chia seeds have been a part of our modern culture for some time. Ever heard of a chia pet? That’s right!
They come in two colors, black and white, but the black ones are the most common to find in stores. White ones are great for when you are making a dish that’s light in color, and don’t want the black chia seed specks showing through.
Chia puddings are super easy to make. It’s made by utilizing chia seed’s gelling properties. When you mix chia seeds with liquid and let it sit, each seed gel. It’s hard to tell in this picture, but a clear gel layer surrounds each seed. By adjusting the ratio of liquid to chia seeds, you can tweak how thick or thin you want the mixture to be.
To make chia pudding, all you need is the nut or seed milk of your choice, maple syrup, and chia seeds.
Just dump everything into the bowl and mix well taking breaks in between until it starts to gel. There’s really not much to it!
An even easier way to do this part is by using the blender. Just throw everything in the blender, and run it in the lowest setting for several minutes, until it starts to gel and thicken.
If you are making cashew milk for the pudding, you can do it all in the same blender. Just make the cashew milk first in the blender, then add the chia seeds and maple syrup and blend! You don’t need to strain cashew milk so it’s super easy, and clean up is a breeze. Perfect for when you are in a time crunch.
Pour it into the dish or container of your choice, and let it set in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours to overnight until it sets and gels.
Done! Too easy! Top with the fruit of your choice. You can also add nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, cacao nibs, or anything you like! These keep in the refrigerator for 3 days covered. I always make bigger batches, so that I can have it for 3 days as breakfast or a snack. Between my husband and I, they always get eaten!
These are extremely good for you, but above all, are delicious. Add this to your breakfast repertoire and you won’t be disappointed. Enjoy!
- 1 cup nut milk or seed milk of your choice
- 3 Tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup or sweetener of your choice
- ½ teaspoon non-alcohol vanilla extract (optional)
- Some fruits of your choice for topping
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl. If you want to use the blender, throw all the ingredients into the blender and blend in the lowest setting for several minutes, until it starts to gel and thicken.
- Transfer it into a dish or container and let it sit in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours or overnight.
- Top with fruit and serve.
[…] Also great for dipping fruits and vanilla macaroons, or drizzling over banana ice cream, chia pudding or overnight apple cinnamon […]