Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Chia seed pudding

This is one of my favorite treats! It has the texture of tapioca pudding and a slightly sweet, slightly nutty flavor. My favorite part about this recipe is it is extremely versatile!
What I am posting here is the most basic recipe, then you can add your own twists by changing the type of milk used (ie. using coconut milk) or mixing in a variety of fruits and spices. There are also many different ratios of chia to milk that you can try depending on your tastes. I like the pudding slightly thick, but not jiggly. You may find another ratio that suits you better. Also, you can blend up your chia seeds to make a more smooth pudding. I personally like the texture. So, have FUN! Play with your food and find what works best for you! :)

Ingredients:
3 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (Silk brand is the only one I've found without carrageenan)
2/3 cup chia seeds
1-2 T pure grade B maple syrup (optional-I don't use this...anymore)

Directions:
Pour almond milk into 1 quart sized mason jar. Pour chia seeds on top (use funnel to avoid spilling seeds everywhere). Place lid on jar and shake vigorously. Let sit for 10 minutes, then stir and shake one more time to break up any lumps. Refrigerate for 2-4 hours or overnight. It will continue to thicken the longer it sits. Chia seeds can hold 9-12 times their weight in liquid!

Some of my favorite variations:
Cinnamon Raisin:
add 1/2 cup raisins & 1 T of cinnamon (or less...I just really like cinnamon)

Pumpkin Pie:
add 2-3 T pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling) & 2 t pumpkin pie spice

Toppings to add AFTER pudding has formed:
fresh fruit
nuts

Banana Nut:
Just before serving, top with fresh sliced bananas and walnuts

Mixed Berry Coconut:
Just before serving, top with unsweetened shredded coconut (toasted) and fresh berries. This blend is particularly good if you mix the chia seed with coconut milk to make the pudding!

Here are a couple great chia seed resources!
The Chia "Cheat" Sheet

Coconut Chia Recipe

No comments:

Post a Comment