To love and be loved…and I don’t mean just the romantic kind…is one of the best feelings in the world.

A Happy and Healthy Valentine’s Day to all our subscribers! Next week brings the day of love, chocolates, flowers, greeting cards, balloons, and marriage proposals.

 

Japanese Hello Kitty Heart stamps

 

Every store you walk into is elaborately decorated with red hearts and streamers, making it hard not to remember that Valentine’s day is next week. I even got a gift in the mail from our young and lovely friend Mayu, who lives in Kyoto, Japan. The air mail box was full of Hello Kitty hearts.

 

A Fresh  Perspective of Valentine’s Day

 

Back in the day, we used to scramble to find reservations in a good restaurant in order to have a romantic dinner, but soon realized that the grandiose notions cooked up by clever marketing companies were tainted by traffic jams, hard-to-find-parking, harried waiters, noisy atmosphere, order snafus, heightened stress, and the invariable fight that would follow between my husband and I over something totally trivial! I am sure several of you have been through this process.

The older and wiser we got, we started making Valentine’s Day special by cooking thoughtful, made-from-scratch dinners, lighting up the fireplace and enjoying a lovely meal with a great wine pairing. This year, we plan to have a pot-luck with old friends who have moved into the Dallas area after having lived in sunny California for several years and catch up on each others’ lives.

 

Chia Seed Pudding

Chia Seed Pudding with Cacao Nibs & Trail Mix

 

 

Why is Chia Pudding Healthy?

 

What to make that celebrates the day AND your body?

I’ve promised to bring a dessert, and I wanted to make something with a “chocolate” base to honor Valentine’s Day. We are all healthy eaters that are trying to avoid added sugar, so that throws quite a few desserts out of the window.

I’ve picked Chia Seed Pudding as my choice. It has chocolate in the rawest, purest form – raw cacao. A dessert filled with Pure Goodness on a day celebrating Pure Love. Appropriate, I thought.

If there is one totally versatile, serves-all-meals type of a dish award, then the prize should go to the chia seed pudding. I don’t know too many dishes that are easy to make, and where you can let your imagination run wild, based on what you have in your fridge or pantry at that time, or what your food preferences are. It could be made vegan… or not, it could be nut free… or not, it could be sugar free… or not. Well, you get my drift. Whatever ingredients you use, I think you will love this pudding. It’s:
  • Super creamy
  • Seriously yummy
  • Naturally sweetened
  • Nutty or Chocolatey or Fruity
  • Loaded with nutrients
  • And easy, easy!

 

Simple Ingredients:

 

This recipe is very simple, requiring just two basic ingredients. No additives, or sweeteners, nothing unpronounceable. Just pure goodness. Check it out:

  1. Milk: Any kind of nut milk from almonds, cashew nuts or coconuts works great. So does raw, unpasteurized, non-homogenized milk. For sources of raw milk near you, check out Real Milk. Still buying almond milk from the grocery store?? Its ultra easy to make your own almond milk at home. Check out our DIY Almond Milk recipe here.
  2. Chia Seeds: These are easily available in grocery stores across the United States. They are available in white or black. I am used to using the black chia seeds, but if you try this recipe out with the white chia seeds or a mixture of black/white, leave us a comment on what you thought of it. Order your chia seeds online.

 

Toppings & Sweeteners:

 

You can let your imagination wild child loose here. Below are a few toppings that I’ve tried and liked:

  1. Sweetening Agent: There are several options to choose from, depending on how sweet you want your pudding to be. Medjool dates, maple syrup, local raw honey, over-ripe bananas, sweet apples or mangoes make excellent choices. You can blend this into your dairy or nut milk before adding the chia seeds.
  2. Toppings: Again, an endless list. I’ve used cacao nibs, coconut flakes, wild blue berries (fresh and frozen), saffron strands, strawberries, banana, peaches, mango slices. dehydrated apple, homemade trail mix and anything else that I can lay my hands on.

 

 

Basic chia seed pudding with nut milk and chia seeds

 

Plan Ahead:

 

Sometimes I make this the night before for a decadent breakfast or mid-day snack. Or, I prep it in the morning for a hands-off, simple dessert to unwind from the day.

I make a few servings so they last for a couple of breakfasts or snack-time options.

I am giving you the basic recipe here. Use whatever sweetening agent you wish to use, and top it up with goodies. Send me your comments and let me know what you used. I’d love to try your combinations too!

Want other ways to show your love? Check out our other healthy desserts

 

Let’s all enjoy February 14th and celebrate LOVE!

 

Why is this Healthy?

Chia seeds are a quick and easy-to-use source of protein, healthy fats, dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants, all rolled into one neat package. Added with the goodness from nut milk, and other nuts and fruits, this makes for a wonderfully healthy and nutritious recipe that you can make over and over again with different permutations and combinations.

 

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Chia Seed Pudding
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Easy Chia Pudding

This is an all purpose dish at my place. It serves as an occasional breakfast (when in a bind and I don't have a green smoothie ready), as a snack between meals, and most often as a dessert when the palate craves for something sweet.
Course Appetizer, Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine International
Keyword Almonds, cacao nibs, chia, chia seeds, coconut flakes, Coconut Milk, flax seeds, hemp seeds, maca root, nut milk, pudding, raw cacao powder
Special Diet Gluten Free, Grain Free, No Added Sugar, Nut Free, Raw, Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Resting Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 10 minutes
Servings 4 People
Calories 105kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 Cup Almond Milk - Make your own almond milk. Substitute with Raw Milk, Cashew or Coconut Milk, if preferred. See Recipe Notes
  • 6 Teaspoons Chia Seeds - I have used black chia
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Raw Cacao - Powder
  • 3 Large Dates - Medjool dates (Pitted). Substitute with honey, maple syrup, ripe mangoes or bananas
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract - Optional. Substitute with few saffron strands

Instructions

  • In a high speed blender like a Vitamix, blend nut/dairy milk, with a sweetener. See Recipe Notes for my suggestions.
  • Empty blended liquid either into a large dish, or into smaller serving dishes. Add 1.5 teaspoon chia seeds into individual containers (or the entire 6 teaspoons if into one dish).
  • Stir a few times to make sure the chia seeds have not clotted.
  • Cover dish(s) and store in refrigerator for 6-8 hours. The chia seeds will expand and will turn the watery nut milk into a yummy creamy pudding.
  • Top with fresh or frozen berries/fruits, nuts, saffron strands or cacao nibs before serving. Or let your inner wild child decide on the toppings! See Recipe Notes for my suggestions.

Notes

  1. Sweetening Agent: There are several options to choose from, depending on how sweet you want your pudding to be. Medjool dates, maple syrup, local raw honey, over-ripe bananas, sweet apples or mangoes make excellent choices. You can blend this into your dairy or nut milk before adding the chia seeds.
  2. Toppings: Again, an endless list. I've used cacao nibs, coconut flakes, wild blue berries (fresh and frozen), saffron strands, strawberries, banana, peaches, mango slices. dehydrated apple, homemade trail mix and anything else that I can lay my hands on.
 
*Use organic ingredients wherever possible

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Easy Chia Pudding
Amount per Serving
Calories
105
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
21
g
32
%
Cholesterol
 
0
mg
0
%
Sodium
 
44
mg
2
%
Potassium
 
232
mg
7
%
Carbohydrates
 
78
g
26
%
Fiber
 
4
g
17
%
Sugar
 
16
g
18
%
Protein
 
6
g
12
%
Vitamin A
 
150
IU
3
%
Vitamin C
 
0
mg
0
%
Calcium
 
170
mg
17
%
Iron
 
0.9
mg
5
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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