Coconut Chocolate Chia Pudding
This is my newest obsession: Instant Chia Puddings! I have seen chia puddings all over the web, and this Vanilla Chia Seed Parfait with Fresh Berries and Tsubuan (Japanese Red Beans) made by my friend, Judy, at Bebe Love Okazu really stands out. I haven’t made it yet because I need to go to a special store to get the red beans, but it looks amazing.
While shopping at our local Trader Joe’s recently, I was compelled to buy a bag of chia seeds on display strategically near the cashier stands.
On the bag, there was a recipe for a simple pudding: Chia seeds, milk, and agave syrup. I thought it would be fun to make a coconut chocolate one since I had a lot of lite coconut cubes in the freezer (for my morning Coconut Chocolate Spinach Smoothies). I defrosted two cubes in the microwave and added a tablespoon of chia seeds, cocoa powder, stevia, vanilla and a pinch of instant coffee (to bring out the chocolate flavor).
I don’t know if it’s because I used coconut milk or because when I defrosted it in the microwave, it was slightly warm, but the chia pudding set in literally 2 minutes!
Right after mixing….
Coconut Chocolate Chia Pudding
…and two minutes later!
I loved it so much, I started making them every afternoon for a snack. The texture is similar to a rice pudding. The chewiness reminds me of tapioca pearls in bubble tea. And I love the coconut chocolate flavors.
Then, I thought I would experiment a bit and try making it with regular milk (I use Lactaid) and almond extract.
The consistency was a lot thinner:
This one took a lot longer to set — about three hours (which is what it says it will take on the bag). The texture is lighter and less dense than the one made with coconut milk. But it is equally delicious!
There are so many health benefits to eating chia because they are high in protein, fiber and omega-3s as well as other nutrients. So if you want to try something different and a lot healthier, try making some chia seed pudding!
Note: I’m happy to make my single servings of chia pudding, because it is so easy to make, and I prefer to eat it the day I make them. But the recipes I have here can easily be doubled and quadrupled to make 2 – 4 servings.
Coconut Chocolate Chia Pudding
1 tablespoon chia seeds (15 g)
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
stevia or other sweetener of choice
pinch of instant coffee (I like decaf VIA from Starbucks)
1 teaspoon dried coconut
Serves 1
1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Chill until set. EAT!
Almond Chia Pudding
1 tablespoon chia seeds (15 g)
1/4 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
stevia or other sweetener of choice
Serves 1
1. Mix all ingredients together.
2. Chill until set — about 3-4 hours. EAT!