Coconut Chia Seed Pudding

Too hurried to check a nutritious breakfast off your to-do list? Not anymore! This Coconut Chia Seed Pudding provides all the energy and nutrition you need and can be made beforehand, so all you have to do is open your fridge and dig in your spoon!

Ok people! I know we are always on the lookout for another healthy and easy recipe we can share with our families. Well look no further! I have your mornings covered with a nutrient-packed breakfast that everyone will love!

A super simple and incredibly yummy dish that I like to make is Coconut Chia Seed Pudding. I know… Sounds like “Whaaa??” but once you try it and see how easy it is to make and how tasty and filling it can be, it will surely become your “go to” for a healthy breakfast!

This little meal is especially great for vegans to ensure you get an adequate amount of protein in your diet. Also, I love to eat it now that I am a little over half way into my pregnancy with our first child (it’s a BOY!!) since I know the ingredients are great for momma and growing baby!

Many of us know chia seeds from the commercials back in the day, urging you to purchase a little clay animal that you would smear chia seeds on top of, add water and then… Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia! Your Chia Pet would grow green “hair.” Never did I think that one day I would be EATING those little seeds! But as grandma always said… Never say never! And boy was she right! After becoming vegan in 2009, I became obsessed with learning about superfoods, and these little guys are considered one of the healthiest foods on the planet! They are loaded with nutrients that have important benefits for your body and brain. Rich in protein, fiber, omega-3 fats (the GOOD fats that we all want and need!), vitamins and minerals, chia seeds deliver a massive amount of nutrients with very little calories (is this real life?). They are thought to provide sustainable energy, and check this out… even the word “chia” is the ancient Mayan word for “strength.” How cool is that? Now, don’t you want to go gobble some up?

But wait… There’s more! Ladies who are doing their best to hold back the hands of time (I’m there with ya, sister), these little guys are jam-packed with antioxidants! What does that mean for you? It means they work to fight free radicals in your body, which attack molecules in our cells and unfortunately is what contributes to ageing and yucky diseases like cancer (the only time you’ll see me say that ugly C-word).

Okay. So here’s the basic recipe (there’s more later on how you can mix this up to your liking):

Coconut Chia Seed Pudding

Ingredients

• ¼ cup of Sunwarrior Chia Seeds
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup Sunwarrior Coconut Milk powder
• ¼ cup of coconut water
• ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract (I add more because I can’t get enough vanilla! Another trait I got from grandma, who, by the way, is now 98 years old!!… so something is working for her!)
• Shredded and unsweetened coconut to sprinkle on top before eating (optional)
• Berries and thinly sliced almonds, if you want to add (optional)

Directions

Put chia seeds, water coconut milk powder, coconut water, and vanilla extract into a bowl and stir thoroughly using a spoon or whisk. Once you are sure all the seeds have had a good dunking in the liquid (they like to float on top or stick to the sides of the bowl), go ahead and cover the bowl and stick it in your fridge. It’s best to let them “chill” for about 2 hours but I find it’s even better to make the night before and plan on having it for breakfast in the morning! When you go to eat the pudding, be sure to give it a good stir again, as the seeds have plumped up and may be stuck together.