Oh.My.God. I have a newfound appreciation for what chia & chocolate can accomplish when paired together…
Chocolate Chia Pudding is the stuff breakfast dreams are made of. It’s the stuff dessert dreams are made of. This pudding is: rich, creamy, chocolatey and healthy. All four adjectives hold true in the same sentence. Chia is a nutritional powerhouse, in fact, I like to think of it as “nature’s multivitamin”. These seeds are high in protein, antioxidants, nutrients- and did you know almost all the carbs in chia are composed of fiber?
I’ve been consuming it avidly for the last 2 years. It’s actually funny how in Latin American countries chia was often consumed at kid birthday parties in the form of a sweet lemonade; which by the way is delicious & I’ll gladly share that recipe with you, as well. But today we welcome the newest and greatest addition to the chia pudding archives: CHOCOLATE! Yes, chocoholics rejoice! Chia has crossed my addiction threshold and is now being engulfed in raw cacao for a different presentation, yet hosts the same nutritional benefits.
Not that long ago, I used to blame my poor eating habits on a lack of time and long hours at work. The worst part of it is, I didn’t even have children at that point! So trust me when I say I had a lot more time to myself than I ever will now. Yet, I always had an excuse- but somehow found time for everything else. While I have always been an avid cook, I wasn’t always a healthy one. Changing my approach to cooking and eating has absolutely turned my health around. The thing about chia pudding I must stress time and time again is: it literally takes 5 minutes to make in the evening and should sit in your fridge overnight so the seeds can soak in the nut milk moisture and expand. And just like that… you wake up to a delicious breakfast that will do your body good. And will have your taste buds dancing. Now, who needs convincing?
Chia pudding offers:
- The perfect grab n’ go breakfast
- A healthy dessert option
- The perfect snack
All my chia pudding recipes contain the same ratio of chia seeds to almond (or nut milk of your choice) because that’s what I found works best after trying various measurements. I like to use almond milk, but this recipe is also really delicious with cashew milk. What’s different about this recipe compared to other chia ones on the blog is that this recipe has 1/3 cup of raw cacao and a larger amount of maple syrup or unrefined sweetener of your choice to offset some of the bitterness in cacao. Note: this pudding is nowhere near bitter. It’s divine! And I can’t wait to share the recipe with you…
Chocolate Chia Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 cups of almond or nut milk of your choice
- 1/2 cup of organic chia seeds
- 1/3 cup of raw cacao powder or cocoa (if using cocoa, I like Dutch, alkalized cocoa) *If you don’t want a strong, dark chocolate taste- do 1/4 cup.
- 3-5 tbsp of pure maple syrup (everyone’s palate is different, I do 3-4 tbsp). You could also sub with any natural sweeteners like stevia, agave, organic date syrup or coconut palm syrup. Low glycemic index options! If using stevia, a much smaller amount would apply.
- 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract
NOTE: For 1 serving, simply cut measurements in half. 1 cup nut milk, 1/4 cup chia, 2-3 tbsp of raw cacao, & 2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup.
Toppings
- peanut, hazelnut or almond butter
- organic granola
- slivered almonds
- honey roasted pecans
- ALL the fruit; think raspberries, pomegranates, blueberries, bananas, strawberries etc.
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix nut milk of your choice with vanilla & pure maple syrup. You could whisk or blend for better integration.
- Add the chia seeds & stir well. Let it sit for another 10-15 mins. Give it another stir, cover & let them soak overnight (or for at least 4-5 hours) inside your fridge.
- Add the toppings of your choice & enjoy! It stays well inside the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Best way to maintain it: only add toppings to the portion you’re about to eat. Keep the fridge portion just pudding.
P.S. This will be my birthday breakfast this morning! 🙂 Because Chocolate…
One thought on “Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding”