Chocolate Chia Pudding

I've finished my fourth month of Project Health. I'm down 20 pounds, have tons of energy, and feel stronger than ever (strong is the new skinny). All of this afforded me the opportunity to go shopping in my own closet — clothes from my pre-Katy days are no longer zipped up in a bag on the top shelf. My pre-baby jeans finally fit, and some are actually loose! Most of all, it's been great to feel like myself again.

All that said, I haven't deprived myself for the past four months — I hardly feel deprived at all in fact. I eat tons of veggies, lean protein, and whole grains. And for the times when I know I need something sweet, I try to plan ahead to have something made in the fridge so I don't go scrummaging for treats.

Enter the ch-ch-ch-chia seed.

I know I'm probably a little slow on the uptake of this wonderful ingredient (I never claimed to be current!). Just recently, I discovered chia pudding, and it's been a favorite sweet treat of mine since. The texture is a lot like tapioca pudding, which I love.

Touted a super food, chia delivers a load of nutrition (e.g., fiber, omega fatty acids, calcium, antioxidants, protein) for not a lot of calories. Plus, chia can absorb up to 12 times their own weight and expand — making for a more satisfying treat compared to something full of carbs/sugar.

I've experimented with both chocolate (recipe below) and vanilla chia pudding, and they both have their place. For both I used the same foundation of unsweetened vanilla almond milk (or whatever flavor unsweetened almond milk you prefer). For the vanilla version, I added a little cinnamon and sweetened it a little less. Play. Experiment. Enjoy!

If you're interested in trying Shakeology, please contact me (see "Contact" tab). I would love to tell you more about it!


Chocolate chia pudding (makes 2 servings)
Adapted from Free People blog

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or your unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice)
1/4 cup chia seeds
2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tbsp. honey (or use sweetener of choice and sweeten to taste)
Dash kosher or sea salt
Garnish (optional, I loved crystallized ginger)

Directions:
Add all of the ingredients to a mason jar, stir to combine, and then put the lid on. Shake the jar for about 20 seconds to mix everything up. Refrigerate until thickened (at least 4 hours or overnight), shaking or stirring occasionally. Serve chilled w/garnish of choice (e.g., crystallized ginger, pomegranate seeds, dark chocolate shavings).


Click here for a printable recipe!