Chia Seed Pudding with Fresh Almond Milk
Yes, the main ingredient of this recipe is made of Chia seeds! I fondly remember these from my childhood, used more commonly to grow green sprouts out of ceramic heads known as Chia pets than as a delicious, energy boosting, nutritious, sweet treat. Now the mystery is solved, we all know how it got it’s name.
This recipe is one of my favorites these days, and really only worthwhile if you make your own almond milk. It’s a great snack before a workout, it’s been used since ancient times as an energy booster by the aztecs. An added bonus, Chia seeds are a great source of Omega 3s and fiber.
You can even just chew on a few seeds here and there for energy or throw them in smoothies or juices, but for me, chia seeds are much more enjoyable soaked in almond milk. I guess I am a sucker for interesting chewy textures.I will warn you, this may be an acquired taste for some. If you love tapioca pudding, you’re going to love this. The chia seeds are tiny and round like poppy seeds, but when you soak them they expand and create a thickening effect, much like pudding. Only a few simple ingredients are required; soaked almonds, chia seeds, maple syrup, 1/4 vanilla bean and a pinch of sea salt. Beyond the ingredients, just have a little foresight to soak the almonds and a handy nut-milk bag. You can get away with squeezing your almond milk through a cheesecloth, but it’s so much easier with the mesh bag. Soaking the almonds makes it a lot easier to digest nuts so try not to skip that step.
Ingredients:
1-cup almonds (soaked overnight)
3 cups filtered water
½ cup chia seeds
½ vanilla bean (using the tip of a knife scoop out the seeds)
½ cup maple syrup
1 pinch sea salt
Directions:
Soak the almonds overnight in water to cover. Strain and place in the bowl of a blender with 3 cups filtered water. Blend until the almonds are ground. Strain through a mesh bag or cheesecloth.
Place the remaining ingredients into a large bowl and whisk together so that everything is incorporated. Let sit several hours, stirring occasionally so that the chia seeds don’t stick together, until the mixture thickens.