CHIA BREAKFAST PUDDING
If you have spent any time here on this blog, I hope that you’ll agree that it is rare that I use ‘strange’ ingredients. There are a few reasons for this, but one of the main ones is that I don’t want anyone to think they necessarily need a super food in order to be healthy. You can surely achieve your goals by selecting good quality produce and vegetables and varying the type. Think RAINBOW!
With that said, this recipe uses an ingredient that is getting a lot of notice, but I wouldn't exactly call it mainstream, as of yet. That ingredient is Chia Seeds.
Chia seeds come from a flowering plant in the mint family that's native to Mexico and Guatemala, and history suggests it was a very important food crop for the Aztecs.
The main reasons to add Chia Seeds into your diet are as follows:
Fighting Diabetes - due to its ability to slow down digestion.
They are packed with Omega-3 fatty acids.
Loaded with calcium, manganese, and phosphorus.
Good source of protein.
They help to regulate appetite, sleep, and improve your mood due to tryptophan.
Helps to fight belly fat because of the stabilizing effect it has on blood sugar.
Good for all-around heart health.
Chia Breakfast Pudding
INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup chia seeds
1 cup almond milk
½ teaspoon almond or vanilla extract
Pinch salt
DIRECTIONS:
Place the above ingredients in a mixing bowl, stir to blend, cover, and refrigerate for a MINIMUM of 3 hours – to overnight.
When ready, stir to combine. You may need to adjust the thickness with extra milk.
Top with whatever variety of ingredients you desire: Almonds, berries, shredded coconut, cinnamon, flax seeds, honey.
This dish was topped with coconut and frozen blueberries.
It’s really a very light, yet satisfying, refreshing breakfast.
