Finding what the fuss is about.

I have seen online loads of people posting images of one type of chia pudding or another. I’ll have to admit – they looked intriguing. What intrigued me the post was how those little hard seeds could turn into a glutenous pudding. Other than making these puddings, I’ll admit I didn’t know much about chia seeds and their health benefits. That’s when I decided to give it a go myself. Surely it’s not that difficult and at least I can see what all the fuss was about. Surely it doesn’t taste nearly as good as it looks.

First thing I noticed was that there are three different chia seeds available – white, black, mixed (white and black). What’s the difference? I had no idea so researched this. White seeds have more protein but black seeds have more fibre and have more anti-oxidant properties due to their colour. If you’re able to buy mixed then you’re getting the best of both worlds for sure.

The pudding itself is bland so you need to jazz it up with other flavours. In the recipe below I used maple syrup to provide sweetness as well as flavour. You could substitute this for golden syrup, vanilla syrup or even honey. I’ve also added 1 tablespoon raw cacao into the pudding mixture to give it a chocolatey flavour but since raw cacao isn’t sweetened, you’ll still need to add maple syrup or similar. The key with chia puddings is that the base pudding is like a blank canvas. It’s what you add into the pudding and on top of it that makes it spectacular.

Something else to consider… after you’ve left the chia pudding overnight in the fridge, pop it into a blender and whizz it up. This gives you a smoother creamy consistency – all the goodness without the chia seed texture. I personally prefer the texture but either way, give this a go also. If you intend to blend it up, add berries or other fruit into the mixture.

Don’t be shy – give it a go and find what combination you prefer!

Just remember the magic formula:

• 1 cup of wet (eg. milk, smoothie or juice)
• 4 tablespoons chia seeds

And the kids? Both love this and gobble it up when I allow them to have some. It’s so healthy and good for you – why wouldn’t you allow your kids to have this?!

Basic Chia Pudding

One of the easiest to make yet healthiest breakfasts you'll ever have. Not to mention it's so versatile and only limited by your own imagination. Once you know the basic formula to make chia pudding you can get creative and try different combinations.

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Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 2 minutes mins

Servings 2

Ingredients

 

• 1 cup almond milk
• 4 tablespoons chia seeds
• 2 tablespoons Pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds
• 1 teaspoon raw cacao powder

Instructions

 

• In a container add milk, chia seeds, vanilla extract and maple syrup. Securely put a lid on top and give it a good shake to mix all ingredients together. Put in the fridge.
• After 15 minutes, give the container another good shake and put back into the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours. You can leave this in the fridge for several days until you want to serve it.
• To serve, put the pudding mixture into two serving glasses or small bowls. Add chopped banana on top with pumpkin seeds and a sprinkle of raw cacao powder.

Notes

• If you don't have almond milk available, substitute with oat milk, coconut milk, soy milk or get adventurous and try a fruit smoothie or juice mixture. I haven't seen a recipe using cows milk but that doesn't mean you can't give it a go and see whether you like it.
• For the toppings the skies the limit! Try goji berries, blueberries, cranberries, raspberries or any other berry! Go for something with crunch such as almond flakes, sunflower seeds, muesli, walnuts, pecans, pomegranate seeds, coconut flakes, chopped apple.