I always feel like I am taking a risk when I post a recipe like this. I love this chia pudding, but will anyone else?
Maybe I’m self-conscious because my 11 year old son told me this chia seed pudding was nasty looking? And that no matter how nice a picture I took (he consented that the picture is, indeed, pretty nice), I would not be able to talk you into trying it.
I hope that he’s wrong.
Chia seeds are a powerhouse of nutrients: they contain omega 3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, and minerals including calcium. I usually buy them in bulk at my local natural foods store, but you can also buy them from Amazon.com
Chia seeds are popular in raw foods/vegan diets and are often used to make “pudding” because they swell when liquid is added and take on a somewhat gelatinous consistency. This particular recipe happens to makes a super healthy, gluten-free breakfast, but it can be a snack or dessert, too.
Chia seeds don’t have a lot of flavor so the mix-ins play the starring role. Here we’ve got pecans for crunch, raisins for sweetness, and crystallized ginger for a little healthful and slightly spicy “oomph”. I used my homemade crystallized ginger: it has less of a bite than the kind you buy in the store and I love how the demerara sugar dissolves and every so slightly sweetens the pudding. If you don’t have any homemade crystallized ginger, start by using a small amount of the store-bought kind and add more to taste.
You could serve this with a splash of raw/organic milk, homemade nut milk, or your favorite store-bought dairy-free beverage, but I like it just fine “as is”.
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More recipes with chia seeds:
Raw Tapioca Pudding from Elana’s Pantry
Lemon Chia Seed Bread from Gluten A Go Go
Watermelon Chia Seed Smoothie from Gluten Free for Good
Chia Pudding with Pecans and Candied Ginger
Ingredients
- *1/2 cup very hot water
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- *handful of pecans chopped
- *handful of organic raisins
- *several small pieces of crystallized ginger I used homemade, chopped
- *1/2 apple or pear chopped- optional
- *drizzle of pure maple syrup or your favorite all natural sweetener to taste-optional
- *tiny pinch of sea salt-optional
Instructions
- 1. Place chia seeds into a bowl and pour the hot water over them. Add pecans, raisins and ginger and stir to combine.
- 2. Allow the pudding to sit for about 10 minutes while the chia seeds soak up the liquid.
- 3. Add the apple or pear, if using. Taste and the optional sweetener/sea salt, if desired.