Yep, you read right. Pudding for breakfast. And not that crappy instant comes-in-a-plastic-cup crap, although I’ve definitely eaten my share of it. I don’t feel bad, really; I mean, the more folks I talk to, the more I realize most of us grew up eating the same pre-packaged, artificially-sweetened, over-preserved stuff that passes for food, then and now. It’s not our parents’ fault; they were just doing what they thought was right and trying to feed a bunch of hungry kids.
But now, folks, we have choices. And yes, we can still eat pudding, even for breakfast. But maybe this time around we’ll make it a little healthier, and we’ll make it ourselves.
Always good to know what’s in your food, right?
I also haven’t really talked about either breakfast or chia seeds for awhile, so this is a good time to address both. I hate to say this, but for the last few weeks, I’ve kind of gone off solid breakfast food, which means I haven’t really been experimenting as much as I normally do. But when I saw this, I liked being able to prepare it the night before, and I liked the idea of being able to add whatever I want. (Sometimes I don’t do so hot with recipes…I like to wing it.)
So I was pretty excited about the chia pudding parfait. It’s a lot like overnight oats (see my post on it here: https://sarakmooney1.wordpress.com/2013/06/17/start-your-day-again/) in that you can make it the night before and then dash out the door with it the next morning, and that you can go wild with the ingredients, even though this calls for fresh fruit and granola. You can use any dried fruit you like (blueberries, goji berries, raisins, apricots, whatever…), store-bought or home-made granola (I have a great grain-free granola recipe here: https://sarakmooney1.wordpress.com/2013/08/19/granola-goodness-grain-free/), and either buy non-dairy milk or make your own creamy almond or cashew milk.
You also get a great dose of omega-3 fatty acids, which is a huge bonus, and the chia seeds help satiate you until your mid-morning snack or even beyond.
You don’t necessarily have to soak this overnight; you can let it sit for a couple hours and it should be just fine. However, since I like this for breakfast and I’m usually short of time in the mornings, I make it the night before and then throw the layers together in a mason jar to take with me. Also, if you don’t really like the “tapioca” texture of chia seed pudding, you can whirl it quickly in the blender to smooth it out a little.
Mighty Chia Pudding Parfait
Ingredients
3 T. chia seeds
1 c. non-dairy milk
1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
1.5-3 t. maple syrup or agave, to taste
For the layering
fresh or dried fruit of choice
granola
etc.
Directions
–In a medium bowl, whisk together chia seeds, milk, vanilla and sweetener. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or at least 2 hours, to thicken.
–Place chilled pudding in a glass (or mason jar, if you’re taking it with you), alternating with layers of fruit and/or granola.
*Recipe from The Oh She Glows Cookbook*
Quad-Furious 