Almond Blueberry Chia Pudding (Antioxidant Rich & Vegan!)

This is my favorite summer dessert recipe! It’s easy to make, cold and completely customizable. Chia Seeds contain antioxidants, fiber, quality protein and Omega-3 fatty acids, and of course blueberries are also antioxidant filled as well as low-calorie. The pudding has the texture of tapioca. I tweaked other chia pudding recipes I found to suit my taste, so feel free to experiment and do the same – post your experiments in the comments below!



A not-so-glamorous pic. This is before I added the blueberries. I'll post a more appetizing pics soon! :]



 

Ingredients:

·         ¼ Cup Chia Seeds – I use Trader Joe’s, $4.99 for each 5.3 ounce bag (about 10 servings per bag)

 

·         1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk* (learn how to make your own here).

·         Almond Extract to taste (I use about a teaspoon)

·         ¼ Cup Fresh Organic Blueberries…or more!

·         1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon - Optional

·         1 Tablespoon (or to taste) of sugar or honey (not vegan). Any sweetener will work, but I recommend local honey (buckwheat honey is amazing!), organic maple sugar, or organic turbinado sugar, in that order.

Steps:

1.      Dump all of the ingredients in a mason jar or any container with a tight seal (ingredients will expand, so don't fill the container all the way).

2.      Shake! Shake! Shake!

3.      Let sit for  at least 3 hours, but overnight is best

4.      Enjoy!

Optional ingredients:

·         Mango Chunks

·         Strawberries Chunks

·         Cocoa Powder for chocolate pudding

·         Coconut Flakes

·         Other Extracts – maple, vanilla and orange are all fantastic

·         Whipped Coconut Cream as a topping



Here is a lovely example of mix-ins! Yummm!



*If you choose to use sweetened milk, I would recommend omitting or reducing your sweetener. You can also use any other milk substitutes (Rice, Soy, Hemp, etc).

I hope you enjoy this healthy treat!

Happy cooking!