Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Is Chia Pudding Good for You? Its Benefits

According to the Harvard Medical School, plant based chia seeds are packed with nutritious fibre, protein, omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants. They're also a good natural mineral source with iron, calcium and magnesium.

Eating them as part of your varied diet include such benefits as supporting digestive health, helping to control diabetes, improving depression plus lowering blood pressure, inflammation and cholesterol levels.

A mild but staple food since the Mayans and Aztecs, chia meant 'strengthening'. As they also drank bitter chocolate as a healthy drink, it makes sense to add cocoa. The result is a chocolate chia pudding naturally sweetened with bananas, a little honey or maple syrup and so good for you too!

Chocolate Chia Pudding - How Long to Soak Seeds?

While chia seeds can technically soak in 30 minutes, the best results come from a longer soak (at least 2 hours). Soaking softens the outer shell, improves digestion and provides their full nutritional benefits.

Plus, the texture becomes luxuriously creamy and the flavour intensifies – even better two days later! For a similar texture, think of tapioca pudding or French semolina cake.

So, for an "instant" pudding packed with more taste and goodness, prepare it the night before.

Ingredients - Including Coconut, Almond Milk or Both

We love this chocolate chia seed recipe with a few, basic ingredients.

• Milk - for breakfast, we love unsweetened coconut milk (or a mixture of coconut and almond milk). This is our family staple for the likes of this vegan almond milk rice pudding and for serving over my three different types of homemade maple granola.
  In France, our favourite unsweetened brand with most flavour (not watery) is la Mandorle. If you prefer dairy using cow's milk, it works well too.
• Chia Seeds - these tiny black or white seeds are from the Salvia hispanica plant (part of the mint family). They're hydrophobic: once they expand in the milk, they develop their characteristic gel-like texture.
• Cocoa Powder - use unsweetened chocolate powder. We love Van Houten for its depth of flavour.
• Honey - We love just a tablespoon of natural honey (vegans replace with maple syrup). Add a little more to your sweeter taste, once you've added the bananas.
• Bananas - I love adding 2 mashed bananas, as they add more natural sweetness and increase the pudding's nutritional value. Depending on how sweet you like them, add unspeckled or more ripe, browner bananas. Don't like bananas? The replace with 2 tablespoon finely chopped soft Medjool dates.
• Salt - just a pinch brings out the flavour of the chocolate. If you prefer without salt, then add a hint of coffee, another flavour enhancer or up the dose of cinnamon, ginger or chilli powder (just like the Aztecs and Mayans did with their chocolate).

Top Recipe Tip for Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

The most important part of this recipe is to avoid clumps. Simply first whisk half of the nut milk with the chia seeds, salt and cinnamon (if using).

Once mixed in, whisk in the cocoa powder and then the rest of the milk. The high volume of milk to seeds (5:1) ensures that this is a smooth process!

Next morning, or 4 hours later, remove the covered bowl from the fridge, stir in mashed bananas. If less ripe, the bananas are easily visible and not as sweet; speckled are softer and sweeter.

So taste, and if you need further sweetening, add more honey or maple syrup. Transfer to serving dishes like yoghurt pots and top with berries.

How Long Can I Keep the Puddings?

Chocolate chia seed pudding can keep refrigerated and covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.

As you can see from these photos, mixing too late with a spoon inevitably causes clumps. The only way to avoid this is to vigorously whisk the seeds in to half of the milk then whisk in the rest of the milk a couple of minutes later.

If it's too late and a few little clumps have formed, just press them out into a sieve.