Ways With Chia
One of my favorite breakfast foods is chia pudding. I appreciate the versatility of this little seed which the Aztec Warriors used to consume for long lasting energy.
I think there's something for everyone when it comes to chia. Since some people don't like the tapioca-like texture, blending it is a great option, yielding a smooth, thick and creamy pudding. If you fit into that category, check out some of my past concoctions: Chocolate chia pudding, pineapple vanilla chia pudding, blueberry pudding, and cranberry pomegranate compote which is a delicious cake topping. I however, love the texture and usually opt for the simplicity of shaking chia seeds and almond milk (or raw cow milk when I can get my hands on it) together at least 30 minutes before chowing down. My favorite mix-ins are cacao nibs, goji berries, and jarrah bee pollen.
Five little tips and ideas:
1. Shake up the mixture in a jar with a tight lid for ease.
2. Continue shaking it periodically for the first 10-15 mins to prevent clumping (which is annoying). If this happens, use a fork to unclump, or blend on a low speed just to break it up.
3. If your mixture is too thick simply add more liquid. If the mixture is too thin either add more chia (if you have time to wait for them to expand), or blend it with a banana and/or nut butter.
4. Chia break for a group or kids? DIY chia bowls are fun. Make a batch of Basic Chia Pudding and set out bowls of garnishes for everyone to make their own.
5. Short on time? Shake it up before going to bed in order to give more than enough time for the seeds to swell.
Here are three quick, easy and tasty chia puddings using one simple mixture as a base. Garnishes are the fun part that makes each pudding unique. I'm all about different textures. I like crunchy with smooth. Try bananas, berries, granola, coconut flakes, dried fruit, cacao nubs, dehydrated buckwheat, nuts, the list is endless.
Basic Chia Pudding
1 cup almond milk
1-2 tablespoons chia seed
Vanilla bean and a pinch of salt (optional)
Add toppings of your choice!
Chai Chia Pudding
Infuse almond milk with an herbal chai tea bag for 8-12 hours. (I let the tea bag and milk sit in the same jar that I'll later add the seeds to).
Follow the Basic Chia Pudding recipe.
I like to garnish it with cinnamon, stevia, coconut flakes, and cacao nibs.
Chocolate Chia Tapioca
Make basic chia pudding and then stir in: cacao powder, liquid sweetener (my fave is maple syrup), and vanilla. I like to garnish it with cacao nibs and an extra drizzle of syrup.
I hope you'll give chia a try if you haven't already. Or maybe switch it up a little if chia is already a staple in your diet.
16 Comments
What beautiful bowls for breakfast! I find chia is such a good hearty ingredient to start the day - it really keeps me feeling full for hours. Thanks for sharing your creative combinations.<br /><br />xo
chia pudding is one of my fave breakfasts too:) great tips on quick easy preparation!
Yeah I still need to give chia a better chance... not my favorite ;)
Those are some lovely tips.Chia is so much fun--I've even used it blended for pie filling thickening (although I prefer Irish moss for that).<br /><br />Are you going to share your latest dietary/health insights and adventures?<br />love<br />Ela
i need to try chia!
These look great. So far I just use chia dry and as an add on to my breakfast cereal. I have never been a pudding lover. The texture throws me off. These look great so I will try again.
thank you for the rece's told a young man at work about your site and philip's AND i told him about the amazing chia seeds AND that i forgot the proportions, now i can tell him and bring in some seeds, AND this young man has '2' vitamixers, his parents used them for all his baby food etc...i will eventually get a vitamixer too. <br />gleefully<br />c
Oh, that sounds divine! I am so lazy with my chia seeds, I just sprinkle on top of oats or quinoa flakes. But now I want to make PUDDING!
Girl we love our chia seeds! They have become a huge staple in our diets lately. Loving all the different combos we can do with them :)
I became burned out with my boring chia pudding, but you have given me new ideas make chia interesting again. Cute bowls!
I love chia too! But I must like mine thicker. I use 3-4 tablespoons per 1 cup of liquid.
there you go talking about poop again!! haha...kidding...<br /><br />i have a bag of chia...need to use it up...thanks for the ideas lady!!!<br /><br />thanks for last night, john and i had a blast...<br /><br />love you so much!!!
HI Heather, sorry if you already answered this someplace, but I didn't see it. What ratio seeds/liquid to you generally start out with? I know you can add more or less depending on taste, but what do you usually start with? <br /><br />Thanks!!! :)
I'm a big chia pudding fan. I like mixing mine with a "fruit smoothie" and letting it sit in the fridge overnight.<br />Papaya, mango, blueberry, or banana are my current favourites.
love that powerful chia seed! :)
Ela, yes will be sharing more on Universal Eater soon. I'm terribly behind!<br /><br />Becky - there's a recipe in this post for basic chia pudding with ratios.