Chia Pudding

One of my clients has a particular fondness for sweet and creamy desert/ breakfast type comfort foods and loves having a readymade tub of overnight oats or chia pudding ready in her fridge. She often asks me to help her make some chia pudding. The flavour is very mild and almost non-existent. When combined with liquid they start to form a gel-like consistency, and when you mix them in with tasty ingredients, they take on all the flavours and transform it into a good wholesome pudding like breakfast or any time of the day food.

Chia seeds are a plant-based protein, loaded with anti oxidants, protein is an essential macronutrient needed for many functions in the body, including muscle building. High in many important nutrients including magnesium and potassium. It is also said chia seeds help with weight reduction, lower your risk of heart disease, can reduce inflamation, may assist with the regulation of blood sugar levels and insulin and they are a good source of fibre. They are also easy to incorporate into your diet.

We often hear about chia being good for us as it contains Omega 3, however they are high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which the body can actually produce itself. The body has limited ability to convert ALA to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) which is then converted to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Increasing your ALA intake will not result in an increase of DHA levels in your body. When making your chia pudding the type of liquid you use is up to you and will vary based on preference and dietary restrictions. Cow’s milk or kefir works well but you might like to think outside the box and maybe experiment with various plant-based milks like almond or cashew milk or use full fat coconut cream for a really decadent and filling version. I also like to add some probiotic food to the pudding to increase the bioavailability of all the nutrients.

I find a ratio of 3 -4 tablespoons of chia seeds to 1 cup of liquid works really well.

1 Tablespoon of dry seeds have about 60 calories,

5 g of Fat, 6 g of Carbohydrate, 6 g of Fiber, 3 g of Protein.

When making chia pudding I like to add all the dry ingredients first and have my client give it a good stir to make sure all the delicious flavours are all mixed through evenly. We then prepare any fresh or frozen fruits we will be adding and finally mix it all together with the liquid we are using. Make sure you give your chia pudding a good stir about 5-10 minutes and if mixing in a container with corners make sure you get right into the corners, his breaks up any dry spots and helps ensure the mixture will set.

If your chia pudding isn’t thick enough, just add more chia seeds to the mixture and let it sit a bit longer. You can also use canned coconut cream or Greek yoghurt when making it for thicker puddings. If your pudding is too thick simply add more liquid or juicy fruits when serving. You can also mix it in a blender if you don’t enjoy the unique consistency of the chia seeds whole and it becomes more mousse like.

One way to make it 3–4 Tablespoon’s chia seeds 1 cup milk – any variety

2-3 tablespoons Greek yoghurt 1/2 Tablespoon maple syrup, honey or preferred sweetener Spices add a special something – vanilla, cinnamon, cardamon or Speculaas is lovely. Fruit as desired, grated apple, diced pear, sultanas, dates, desiccated coconut, tinned fruits, even grated carrot is lovely. Poached fruit is nice too or even mashed pumpkin. Dutch Speculaas Spice Mix 5 Tbsp cinnamon 1 tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp ground cloves 1/2 tsp ground aniseed 1/2 tsp white pepper 1/2 tsp ground coriander seed 1/2 tsp ground ginger 1/2 tsp ground cardamom 1/2 tsp ground mace

Mix spices together in a bowl.

Use right away or store in an airtight jar.

This recipe makes about 6 tablespoons of the spice mix.

Gorgeous photo used with thanks to Sebastián León Prado on Unsplash

Chia is an edible seed that comes from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family that grows abundantly in southern Mexico. In pre-Columbian times they were a main component of the Aztec and Mayan diets and were the basic survival ration of Aztec warriors. I’ve read that one tablespoon was believed to sustain an individual for 24 hours. The Aztecs also used chia medicinally to stimulate saliva flow and to relieve joint pain and sore skin. -Dr.Weil