Everyone in our family knows what they like for breakfast. That's the way it is and it seems to work. But occasionally, I throw caution to the wind and throw in something new ... And when #2 teenage son and Hella tell me that they could eat it every day for the rest of their lives, my ears prick up. Especially because this one is super healthy AND it's so easy they could make it themselves (hint, hint) AND it can be made in advance and kept in the fridge for a few days (hence avoiding any early morning preparation ugliness). What a breakfast coup.
There's nothing new about Chia Puddings - the internet has been groaning under their weight for the last few years - but I am well and truly late to this sensational party.
And what's all the fuss about anyway? Well, chia seeds are rich in fibre, omega-3 fats, protein, vitamins and minerals and also have the magical property of swelling up when they come into contact with liquid giving a tapioca-like texture.
And I'll be honest here, it was even the mention of that 'tapioca' word that had put me off until now - I was happy to have left that behind with school dinners years ago. But then I discovered that you can also get milled chia seeds - all the health benefits and clever swelling properties of the seeds but ground into a powder resulting in nothing that even slightly resembles frog spawn.
And so we have it, an Overnight Chocolate Chia Pudding that is deliciously velvety and creamy and has as much right at the breakfast table as it does for a sneaky after-dinner treat. It's made with coconut milk (the drinking kind rather than the tinned kind) so it works if you need to avoid dairy PLUS the puddings also contain no refined sugar. And it's flexible too - we enjoyed it here topped with raspberries, blueberries and a sprinkle of cacao nibs, but it's also delicious with -
- sliced bananas
- greek yoghurt and a sprinkling of muesli
- grapes
- strawberries and pomegranate seeds
Make it your own - or even better, get your children to make it for you .... note to self.
In the meantime, #1 teenage son is resolutely sticking to his breakfast of choice, but, well that's more Overnight Chocolate Chia Pudding for the rest of us ...
Overnight Chocolate Chia Pudding
Overnight Chocolate Chia Pudding is deliciously velvety and creamy and has as much right at the breakfast table as it does for a sneaky after dinner treat. It's made with coconut milk (the drinking kind rather than the tinned kind) so it works if you need to avoid dairy PLUS the puddings also contain no refined sugar.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 mins (+chilling overnight)
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Fridge
- Cuisine: Healthy
Ingredients
- 4 cups (1 litre) coconut milk
- 1 cup milled chia seeds
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup cacao powder (or unsweetened cocoa powder)
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients to a blender and blitz until well combined. Alternatively, you could add everything to a large bowl and whisk until everything is well mixed.
- Divide between 6-8 small glasses or ramekins (I like to leave enough space at the top for my toppings of choice) and chill in the fridge overnight.
- The puddings will keep beautifully in the fridge for 2 or 3 days.
Keywords: breakfast, easy, healthy
Claire
Yum! I will be asking my two to make this for my breakfast.
Rachel
It's a perfect bit of half term cooking!
Trudie
Huge huge success
Vegan guest deliriously happy
Non vegan guests want them now too ?
Wouldn’t mind ringing the changes with frozen mango and coconut milk (sounds yummy doesn’t it?) any idea what quantity of mango would work?
Love your recipes Rachel - they always deliver
Xxx
Rachel
So pleased they were such a success, Trudie.
Do you mean blitzing the frozen mango into the pudding, or serving it as a topping? I have tried blending fruits into the pudding, but with this quantity of chia seeds it makes it quite sloppy. Layering could be nice though. Alternatively increasing the amount of chia seeds is an option.
1 fresh mango is about 200g of flesh (I think) and I would guess that this would be about right for 6 portions. More experimentation is required - let me know if you give it a go and vice versa! x
Trudie Robertson
Will do!
Another batch made - still chocolate variety - no one tired of that yet 🙂
Have been a lifesaver for On-the-run breakfasts