Homemade Chia Seed Pudding
Who doesn't love a quick and easy meal, snack or treat that nourishes the body and tantalizes those taste buds too! Well here's one of our favorite go to dishes (that I've been making for years) ~ and the best part is how limitless the options are when it comes to dressing it up, changing it up and making it special and new each time around! Say hello to our homemade chia see pudding!
Chia seeds are quite magical and a very powerful superfood. These little seeds hailing from central America are harvested from the Salvia hispanica plant, a member of the mint family. They are a powerhouse of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and healthy fats.
Chia seeds have a wonderful caloric breakdown: 53% fats, 11% protein, and 36% carbs.
● Healthy fats: Chia seeds are loaded with omega-3s. They actually have more omega-3s gram for gram than salmon! However, the omega-3s in chia seeds come in the form of ALA, the plant based form that must be converted to DLA or EPA to be used by our bodies. This is a difficult process for our bodies, so it is still recommended to not rely solely on plant based sources of omega-3s.
● Protein: Studies have shown that chia seeds have a highly accessible amino acid profile, making the high level of protein found in them a great plant based source!
● Carbohydrates: Pretty much all the carbohydrates found in chia seeds come in the form of fiber! Fiber is another nutrient that is greatly lacking from the standard American diet (or the SAD diet as I normally refer to it), so chia is a really amazing source of fiber. Due to all the fiber, chia seeds can absorb up to 10-12 times their weight in water, becoming gel-like and expanding in your stomach. In theory, this should increase fullness, slow absorption of your food and help you automatically eat fewer calories. Fiber also feeds the healthy bacteria in the intestine, which is important because keeping your gut bugs well fed is so important for overall health.
Chia seeds also are high in minerals essential for bone health, including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and protein. The calcium content is particularly impressive ~ 18% of the RDA in a single ounce! Along with high antioxidant levels, chia seeds are an all around great idea to add more of into your diet! It's an added plus that they have very little flavor so they can go with just about anything... On salads, as an egg replacer in baking, in your water, in smoothies, in sauces, in nut and seed butters, and more (I always recommend having them soaked for optimal absorption). My family's favorite way to prepare chia seeds is by making a big batch of chia seed porridge! By making a big batch, we leave ourselves lots of leftovers and the ability to dress up our next bowl in a totally new way! Find our recipe below, along with some suggestions on how to top your chia pudding with so much goodness!
This beauty here is topped with: fresh blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, inca berries, coconut chips, cashew butter, cultured raspberry jam, bee pollen and lots and lots of LOVE!
CHIA SEED PORRIDGE RECIPE
1 qt. water or nut milk (see our Homemade Brazil nut milk recipe HERE)
½-1 cup organic chia seeds (or more or less depending on desired thickness)
INSTRUCTIONS
Place water or milk in a large bowl. Pour the chia seeds in. The secret is stirring and mixing the seeds very well (like really, really well). You don't want them to clump. Mix well and make sure they are all separated and evenly "coated" in nut milk or water. Then repeat the stirring and mixing process again. Do this at least one to two more times. Once you feel the mixture is perfectly combined you can store in your fridge to allow the pudding to set and expand.
When this delicious treat is ready to serve you can experiment with adding as many or as few of your favorite toppings! Here's a few ideas and tasty treats that we love on ours!
ADD: fresh berries, inca berries, mulberries (fresh or dried), goji berries, heirloom banana (fresh or dried!), bee pollen, sprouted Jem Organics nut butter, wild jungle peanut butter, any organic nut butter of your choice (sprouted is always preferred), cultured raspberry jam, sprouted walnuts, lemons guavas, pure potions beauty blend, protein powders, spirulina crunchies, raw organic chocolate, cacao nibs, green powders, pumpkin seeds, coconut chips, coconut cream, sunflower seeds...do you see where we are going here ~ the list is endless and it's so much fun to design a new creation each time! You can basically add anything your heart desires!
Mix and Enjoy! As always, all of our recipes are best enjoyed with those you love <3
You can even purchase pre-made, high quality, organic almond milk in glass if you don't want to make it yourself ~ Renew Juicery, local to my LA folks, sells this at their location in Mar Vista and also at farmers markets and retail locations all around town!