Cha cha cha Chia! I am getting more and more obsessed with chia seeds. I am enjoying them in yogurt, in granola, on salads. I’m hoping to try some chia banana bread soon as well. One of the easiest and tastiest ways to enjoy chia seeds is by making pudding. Because the seeds gel in liquid, they are a great way to make tasty pudding.
This pudding is super easy, I just added a bunch of stuff I had in the house, Ghiradelli cocoa powder, stevia for sweetener, and some almond milk. Skim milk or soy would work well too. I got some low calorie whipped cream at Whole Foods to serve on top, but berries would be delicious as well.
At first taste: I was a bit weirded out by this pudding. Because I so rarely eat dessert I was super psyched to try this. It does not taste like conventional pudding. But I tried it again and ended up loving it and eating the whole batch. The texture takes some getting used to but it’s creamy, sweet and chocolately. It will totally satisfy a chocolate craving and makes for a great low calorie after dinner snack. So give this a shot and have realistic expectations. But I promise it’s worth a try.
A servings has only 136 calories, making it a great treat for a snack or dessert.
Health Benefits of Chia Seeds:
- Chia seeds are hydrophillic, meaning then can absorb over 10 times their weight in water. This makes them great for hydration, as they absorb the water we drink and hold it in our bodies.
- Eating chia seeds slows down how fast the body converts carbohydrates into simple sugars. This leads scientists to believe chia seeds may have huge benefits to diabetics.
- Chia seeds have 5 times the calcium of milk, 2 times the potassium of bananas, 3 times the iron of spinach and 3 times the antioxidants of blueberries!
- Chia seeds have more omega-3′s than flax! And, unlike flax, chia seeds do not have to be ground to be digested and can be stored for years without going rancid.
- 19-23% of the seed’s weight is protein. Like quinoa, it contains a complete amino acid chain, giving your body complete protein on par with meat or eggs.
- Chia seeds reduce your cravings for sweets and junk foods because its high levels of soluble fiber allow for a measured release of unrefined carbs into the bloodstream. This is the opposite of a sugar rush and crash which creates more cravings.
DARK CHOCOLATE CHIA SEED PUDDING
Ingredients
- 3 cups of unsweetened almond milk (or skim, soy or rice)
- ½ cup chia seeds
- 3 tbsp unsweetened dark cocoa powder
- 2 packets of stevia
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or honey
- optional: shaved chocolate for garnish
- optional: whipped cream or whipped soy for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together all ingredients (except garnish)
- Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight
- Serve and garnish with whipped cream, shaved chocolate or berries
