I know I know I’m so late in posting a chia seed pudding recipe here on the blog, given that I’ve been blogging for 3 years. Well, better late than never, right! I guess chia seed pudding has been around here for over a decade, and I’m glad that I can finally share some of my favorites on this little space. Chia seeds are nutrient-rich, high fiber, low in carbs and calories, rich in antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids, and essential minerals. Just like every foodstuff, chia seeds need to be taken in moderation. 20 grams or 2 tablespoons twice a day is the recommended dosage. You can read more about that here. These low carb seeds don’t have much flavor on their own, they are slightly nutty and crunchy, quite similar to poppy seeds. If eaten in the dry form make sure you have sufficient water soon or else you will be stuck with gelatinous, pasty mouthfeel, which will not be pleasant at all.
WHAT IS CHIA PUDDING?
Chia pudding is a thick and creamy pudding with a gelatinous texture, made with chia seeds and a liquid, like milk (dairy or plant-based), yogurt, fruit juice, or fruit purees. I associate the word pudding with dessert. But this chia breakfast pudding is great to be passed off as a dessert too. There is no cooking involved, just mix and match your ingredients and flavors, let it sit in the refrigerator and voila, you have yourself a delicious no-cook pudding, that is ready, just like that!
CHIA PUDDING INGREDIENTS
To make a basic chia pudding, you will need,
Chia seeds, but of course 😀 Milk (Dairy or milk alternatives), yogurt, juice or fruit puree. Sweetener or sugar-free sweetener (optional) Flavor (again optional)
CHIA PUDDING RATIO
A ratio of 1: 4:: chia seeds liquid yields an ideal thick and creamy, textured pudding. For every cup of liquid, 1/4 cup chia seeds are perfect. Plus all the fixins to top it up sit beautifully on the chia seed pudding. You can stretch it to a 1:6 ratio if you like it a little thinner. Totally up to you!
HOW TO MAKE CHIA SEED PUDDING?
So you just need the first 2 ingredients for a very basic chia pudding recipe. But the best part about making this pudding is the endless flavor pairings you can come up with. So you can never really get bored of it. For this basic vanilla chia pudding, I’ve used chia seeds, canned unsweetened light coconut milk, maple syrup to sweeten it up and some vanilla extract to flavor up things. All I did was mixed everything in a bowl and refrigerated it overnight. Next morning, I simply spooned some in my serving glass and topped it up with some fruits and toasted coconut flakes.
WHAT KIND OF COCONUT MILK TO USE FOR THIS PUDDING?
I prefer my chia seed pudding with regular dairy milk or coconut milk. I love the nutty flavor the coconut milk imparts, well if you know me you know being a Goan I love coconut in all forms 🙂 I’d like to talk about what kind of coconut milk to use for chia pudding. Basically, there are so many varieties of coconut milk available commercially. There is full-fat canned coconut milk, then there is the light version with some of the fat content removed, and then there is the kind that is sold in the dairy alternative aisle of your grocery store, the ones that come next to the other nut milk.
I’ve tried chia pudding with these three versions of coconut milk. They all work well for chia pudding. Of the three versions that I have tried, full-fat canned coconut milk is my least favorite, as I find the pudding becomes too thick and heavy. No doubt, it gives the best coconut flavor, but I avoid it. I like to use this kind of coconut milk in my curries. If you like to use full-fat coconut milk, feel free to use it. I’d suggest reducing the chia seeds to 3 or even 2 tbsp for every cup of coconut milk or simply add some coconut water to make it a little thinner or adjust it to your liking after the pudding has set, no biggie! Another alternative is to use half full-fat coconut milk and half of another nut milk. The next that I tried was the dairy alternative, unsweetened coconut milk sold in the 1-quart tetra pack. The pudding was nice and light, but it seriously lacked that coconut flavor, plus it was not as creamy. The coconut milk itself is so light and pretty watery. 1 cup of this coconut milk contains about 50 calories. So if you are watching your calories, I’ll suggest to go in for this particular kind, if you really want that coconut flavor, add some coconut extract, or simply add fruit purees for a different flavor. The one that works for me and the kind I like to use for my chia pudding is the unsweetened, canned light coconut milk. It is creamier, has a wonderful coconut taste and the pudding is just perfect. 1/3 cup of unsweetened light coconut milk has about 45 calories. This overnight chia pudding is very versatile. You may use almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk, soy milk etc to make a vegan chia pudding. If you are watching your sugar intake, you can make a sugar-free chia pudding using stevia natural sweetener. You can present it as a layered chia pudding or serve it as a chia bowl. Get creative and customize it as per your needs. That is the best part about making anything at home, isn’t it?
TODAY I’M SHARING 3 OF MY FAVORITE AND EASY CHIA PUDDING RECIPES
Mango Chia Pudding Chocolate Chia Pudding Strawberry Chia Pudding
There is no right or wrong way in making a healthy chia seed pudding. You can choose to top the chia pudding with your favorite fruits, nuts etc or you can puree the fruits with the milk and mix in the chia seeds. You can also try blending chia seeds along with the rest of the ingredients and refrigerate if you are not a fan of the gelatinous texture of the seeds. I love the texture of the chia seeds once they have gelled up. They remind me a lot of the sweet basil seeds or sabja as it is known in Hindi. In India, sweet basil seeds are used to make falooda, a very refreshing and delicious Indian summer drink. You can check these two posts, rose falooda and mango falooda that I’ve shared earlier.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS TO MAKE COCONUT CHIA SEED PUDDING PLUS 3 DELICIOUS VARIATIONS
BASIC CHIA SEED PUDDING
1.In a sufficiently big bowl, add milk, chia seeds, maple syrup and vanilla extract.
2.Mix it well. Cover and refrigerate overnight or 4-6 hours.
3.By morning, the seeds will swell, and create a nice, creamy, pudding. Enjoy coconut milk chia pudding as such or top with desired fruits, nut, fruit puree, spices, etc. You could also serve it as a coconut chia bowl and top it whatever you like.
FOR MANGO CHIA SEED PUDDING
1.In a medium-sized bowl, add milk, mango pulp, maple syrup, and vanilla extract {If you are using mango pieces, blend it with milk. Measure it out, it should be about 1/2 cup, if not adjust it with more milk}. Add chia seeds, mix it well. Cover and refrigerate overnight or 4-6 hours.
3.Transfer to serving bowl or glass, top with more mango pulp and mango pieces.
FOR CHOCOLATE CHIA SEED PUDDING
1.In a medium-sized bowl, add cocoa powder and maple syrup. Mix it well.
2.Then add milk and vanilla extract. Mix well.
3.Add chia seeds, mix it well. Cover and refrigerate overnight or 4-6 hours.
4.Transfer to serving bowls, garnish with blueberries and chocolate gratings.
FOR STRAWBERRY CHIA SEED PUDDING
1.Blend the milk with strawberries. Measure it out, it should be about 1/2 cup, if not adjust it with more milk.
2.Transfer to a bowl. Add maple syrup and vanilla or strawberry extract, and chia seeds, mix it well. Cover and refrigerate overnight or 4-6 hours.
3.Transfer to serving bowls, garnish with chopped strawberries.
NOTES 1.For a single serving chia pudding, halve the recipe of the basic chia seed pudding. 2.If you feel the pudding is too thick, stir in 1 to 2 tbsp of milk or water to adjust the consistency. 3.Soaked chia seeds can be refrigerated for up to 4 to 5 days.
HOW TO MAKE VEGAN CHIA SEED PUDDING?
PIN IT FOR LATER
I would love to hear from you! Please feel free to share your feedback with photos and suggestions to me at [email protected] You can also follow me on : Facebook @ Aromaticessence Pinterest @ Aromatic Essence Instagram @ aromatic_essence77 Twitter @ freda_dias I hope you enjoyed this easy chia pudding, see you soon with a new post! Regards, Freda
