Coconut Banana Chia Seed Pudding

Happy Wednesday my friends! Just a few more days until the weekend! Here’s a tasty little recipe to get you through the week. Its my twist on the incredibly delicious dessert I had at True Food Kitchen- Coconut Banana Chia Seed Pudding. The first time I had this dessert my mind was blown. How could something so healthy be so ridiculously delicious?! Unfortunately those things usually don’t go together. But slowly I am finding new delectable recipes to change that cliche.

Chia seeds are one of the easiest ways to add fiber to your diet because they don’t even taste like anything. Fiber is a great nutrient because it helps keep your cholesterol down and helps you go potty! I love to add chia seeds to my daily yogurt bowl, but sometimes I like to make something a little more filling like this chia seed pudding. I added granola, sliced bananas and roasted coconut chips to make it a delicious breakfast on the go.  You’ve got your fruit, your healthy fats, fiber and plant-powered protein. Bam! Easy as pie- or seed pudding! Ha!

Here are a few fun facts about chia seeds:

• Chia seeds are among the healthiest foods on the planet
• They are loaded with nutrients that can have important benefits for your body and brain
• Chia seeds are tiny black seeds from the plant Salvia Hispanica,  which is related to the mint
• By weight, they are about 14% protein, which is very high compared to most plants
• Chia seeds are loaded with antioxidants
• Many health experts believe that chia seeds can help with weight loss. The fiber absorbs large amounts of water and expands in the stomach, which should increase fullness and slow the absorption of food
•  1 ounce (28 grams) serving of chia seeds contains:
  • Fiber: 11 grams.
  • Protein: 4 grams.
  • Fat: 9 grams (5 of which are Omega-3s).
  • Calcium: 18% of the RDA.
  • Manganese: 30% of the RDA.
  • Magnesium: 30% of the RDA.
  • Phosphorus: 27% of the RDA.
  • They also contain a decent amount of Zinc, Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Potassium, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) and Vitamin B
• To keep reading more fun nutritional facts about Chia Seeds click here.

Pretty incredible that you can get so much out of a tiny little seed, right? Once you make your first batch of chia seed pudding you can start experimenting with other fun flavors- like adding baby spinach, peanut butter, or any fruit to your pudding. Let me know how it goes!

Coconut Banana Chia Seed Pudding Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of chia seeds
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (can also use coconut milk)
• 1 ripe banana
• 2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 tsp vanilla extact
• 1 tbsp brown sugar (or agave nectar)
• 1/4 cup roasted coconut chips (Trader Joes)
• 1 sliced banana
• 1/4 cup granola (leave this out to make this gluten free)

Directions:

1. In a small blender, add almond milk, 1 banana, shredded coconut, vanilla extract and sugar. Blend together until smooth.
2. In a small container add liquid mixture in with chia seeds.
3. Soak overnight or for at least 4 hours in refrigerator
4. Top chia seed pudding with sliced banana, granola, and toasted coconut chips.

 

Xoxo,