Chia Seed Pudding: Whole 30 Approved!

I’ve got a new breakfast treat and it’s too good (and healthy) not to share!

I’ve decided to start a Whole 30 diet once the baby is born (more on this later), so I knew I would need to transform my breakfast routine and get buttoned up with a few new staple meals. A friend recommended I try chia seed pudding since I like yogurt (which is not approved!) and there are so many health and digestion benefits of chia seeds. Plus, it’s an easy “make-ahead” dish which is always a win in my book.

Spectrum Essentials Organic Ground Chia Seeds
It took me 4 “batches” before I really got the pudding to a place that I liked – both from a taste and texture standpoint. I struggled with the best way to package and eat it (since it needs to sit in your refrigerator overnight) but finally figured out the perfect combo with mason jars.

Here’s why the mason jar is perfect for chia pudding:

The mason jar is a great one-dish solution because you need 1) a top since you have to store the milk/seeds overnight to form that pudding-like texture and 2) it allows you enough room to have half pudding and then to add your fruit or other ingredients the next morning directly in the jar! One less dish to clean is ideal, right?

Ball 40801 Golden Harvest Mason Regular Mouth 8oz Jelly Jar 12PK ‘Vintage Fruit Design’, RM 8 Oz Clear

About the pudding… I also had a few “failed” pudding attempts in this process as sometimes my pudding would be too soft / milky and not a pudding-like texture. I realized that adding in the exact ratio of chia seeds to milk is critical for success (1:4, chia seed to liquid). I played with a few recipe versions to get it to taste just right so my “final” version includes some cinnamon and shredded coconut pieces for sweetness and crunch – plus the fruit on top. If I wasn’t following a Whole 30 diet, I would also add in a teaspoon of vanilla extract for even more flavor.

Ingredients

Makes 3-4 servings

• 2 cups of almond milk
• 1/2 cup of Spectrum Essentials Organic Ground Chia Seeds
• 1/4 cup of Organic Golden Flax Seeds (this is optional but I always look for a place to add in more flax!)
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
• Toppings: blueberries, raspberries, bananas, strawberries – whatever you want!

Instructions

• • Whisk together almond milk, chia seeds, flax seeds, cinnamon and coconut flakes into a large measuring cup (I love this one below because its an efficient way of both measuring your ingredients and then mixing them – win, win!)

Pyrex Prepware 2-Cup Glass Measuring Cup

• Once whisked well, pour evenly into mason jars
• Cover with a lid for 12+ hours
• Add fruit, granola or any other toppings you wish the next morning and enjoy!
•