Chia pudding is great, filling snack packed with healthy fats, fibre and
protein. Did you know that chia seeds can absorb 27 times their weight
in liquid? Chia seeds form a gel around the surface when they come in
contact with liquid. Always let chia seeds fully expand before eating
them – nobody wants chia seeds stuck in their throat!
The best things is that you can make endless variations so it never gets
boring! It’s easy to make vegan, paleo and keto-friendly too, depending
on which liquid, sweetener and toppings you use.
Basic chia pudding recipe (3-4 servings)
*1 1/2 cups liquid (for example almond/coconut/cashew milk)
* 1/2 cup chia seeds
* 1-2 Tbsp maple syrup/honey/coconut nectar/stevia (more or less to taste)
* Add all ingredients for the “base” to a large bowl, and stir to
combine.
* Allow the ingredients to settle for 5 minutes, then mix everything
again to smooth out any clumps.
* Cover and place pudding in the fridge overnight (or for at least 3
hours).
– For a keto friendly chia pudding use full-fat coconut milk or
un-sweetened almond milk. Skip the sweetener or use stevia or vanilla
essence. For toppings choose nut or seed butter, nuts or seeds, raw
cacao nibs or shredded coconut.
Ideas to change the flavour: raw cacao powder, cinnamon,
matcha powder, vanilla, mashed berries or banana, turmeric powder…
Ideas for Toppings: Nuts, seeds, coconut, chopped fruit, berries, nut
butters, cacao, tahini..
Tricks to make your chia pudding come together perfectly:
* After mixing the chia seeds with liquid, break up any clumps that form
after the first 5 minutes. This will ensure all the chia seeds can fully
expand and your pudding will be smooth.
* The best results you get when leaving the pudding in the fridge
overnight to thicken. If you didn’t plan ahead and those chia pudding
cravings hit, minimum of letting it thicken for 3 hours will be ok.
*If you’d prefer completely creamy chia pudding, place your ingredients
in a blender or a food processor after the chia seeds have expanded and
blend until smooth.