Chia seed pudding has become one of my favorite make ahead/grab-n-go healthy snack foods. It’s so simple, yet so healthy, and it’s actually really delicious too! All you really need to know are the basics, and then you can add whatever toppings or spices you like to make it how you like it. I’m going to show you two ways I like to make chia seed pudding.
How to make Chia Seed Pudding
The base is just chia seeds and any kind of liquid of your choice. I prefer coconut milk but you can do water, coconut water, cows milk, or any kind of nut milk (checkout my recipe for homemade cashew milk if you really want to take your homemade-game to the next level). How freakin’ simple is that!? The other thing that makes this a super efficient snack, is that you only need a small amount of chia seeds, so the bag that I buy lasts me for months even if I make this a few times a week.
Ready for the easiest recipe of your life? To make the base you need to mix:
- 3 tbs chia seeds
- 1 cup liquid
Then add anything else you want like strawberries, vanilla extract, honey, blueberries, grated ginger, walnuts, almonds, peaches, cinnamon, you get the idea. The taste is very neutral so alone it’s sort of meh. You’ll want to dress it up a bit, but you can add pretty much anything because the base is so neutral.
The chia seeds will soak up the liquid and form a gel like texture. This can happen in as little as 10 minutes, but I like to make a few jars on a Sunday evening, leave them in the fridge overnight, then I have lunch to take to work the next day. You can even make just the base ahead of time, then add fruit to it when you’re ready to eat, that’s what I do to avoid any nuts or fruit getting soggy.
Easy? *check*
Cost effective? *check*
How about healthy? *checkcheckcheckcheck*
Health Benefits of Chia Seeds
The health benefits of chia seeds are astounding, it’s crazy that more people don’t know of them or eat them on a regular basis. Here are just a few…
- They pack a major nutritional punch. Just two tablespoons has fiber (11g), protein (4 g), omega-3s, calcium, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, potassium, Vitamin B1, B2, and B3. Which makes it one of the world’s best sources of several important nutrients, calorie for calorie.
- They are loaded with antioxidants.
- Even though a serving has 12 grams of carbs, 11 of those are fiber, so the carbs your body will digest are only 1 gram, making it good for your blood sugar, and one of the best sources of fiber you can get.
- Just a small amount is great at keeping you full, which can help reduce unnecessary snacking and overeating.
- It’s a high source of protein among plants.
So go-ahead and make a few jars of chia pudding for the week ahead!
Let me know in the comments what you like to put in your chia pudding!
