Fresh summer strawberries and tropical coconut make this chia seed pudding irresistible for breakfast as well as dessert. Rich in omega-3, protein and fibre.
A deliciously fruity and light raw vegan recipe, made with just 5 ingredients.
Making chia seed puddings is so quick and easy that I regularly whip up a batch and pop them in the fridge overnight.
I can hardly wait for morning to enjoy them for breakfast!
Jump to:
What can you do with chia seeds?
Chia seeds are hugely versatile as a food and are really popular with raw foodies because of this, and also because of their naturally rich nutrient content. This includes being high in natural plant protein.
They become gelatinous when wet and can absorb up to 27 times their weight in water. Ideally they should be soaked before consuming.
Here are some wonderful things you can do with chia seeds:-
- Make raw chia seed jams, spreads, dips and chia puddings.
- Make crackers, wraps, raw breads, burgers, falafel and raw pizza base.
- Add raw chia seeds to smoothies, dressings, granola bars and cereal.
- You can also add them in water to soak before drinking.
- Sprout raw chia seeds to grow your own microgreens.
- Use them as an egg replacer in some recipes like cakes for example.
What do chia seeds and chia pudding taste like?
Chia seeds are neutral in flavour when you soak them in water so you do need to add flavours to them to enjoy them at their best.
If you’re making a chia seed pudding you can add different fruits, jams, nut butters, seeds and more to create delicious flavour combinations you'll love.
When they're soaked they plump up and taste smooth and creamy in texture. Chia pudding is somewhat similar to tapioca pudding. Perfect for breakfast, loved as a snack and even makes a wonderful dessert.
What is the correct ratio of seeds to liquid?
I typically like to use the ratio of 4 tablespoon chia seeds per 1 cup of plant milk. This makes 2 servings. You can make more by increasing the ingredients proportionately.
If you plan to enjoy these weekday mornings and love your food prep you can easily make a big batch and store them in the fridge.
Soaking time.
You should soak chia seeds for a minimum of 3 hours for them to fully absorb the liquid they’re sitting in. They can be left overnight to soak in the refrigerator to keep fresh, which makes them brilliant for food prep.
You can whip up a batch of plain chia pudding for the week in just a few minutes. It keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
All you need to do is turn the pudding out into a bowl, add your favourite fruit and any other toppings before serving.
I can make these while getting the kids ready for school in the mornings. If I need to have breakfast on the go I can put the pudding in a lidded container and bring it with me.
It’s easy.
Basic chia pudding recipe.
You can make a basic chia pudding in 3 steps.
- Add chia seeds to your preferred plant milk and stir thoroughly.
- Leave the chia seeds for 5 minutes then stir again to make sure the chia seeds don't form a clump at the bottom of your jar. For best results allow the chia seeds to swell in the plant milk for a minimum of 3 hours, preferably overnight.
- Add your favourite fruit and toppings before serving.
Is it good for you?
Chia seeds are very popular in the raw food community because they’re versatile and filled with nutrients.
Chia Seeds Nutrients per 1oz
Protein rich - chia seeds contain over 4.7g of protein per 1oz (just over 2 tbsp). Useful to know if your diet is vegan, vegetarian or plant based.
Rich in fibre - with 9.75g soluble fibre per oz. Fibre plays an important role in keeping our digestive systems healthy (source).
Omega-3s - according to this article, gram for gram chia seeds contain more healthy omega-3 fatty acids than salmon.
Good source of other nutrients including:
- Calcium
- Copper
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
Other recipe ingredients.
Almond milk - almond milk makes a great creamy alternative to dairy and if you make your own plant milks you forgo any nasty ingredients that some brands add in. Swap it out with your favourite plant milk.
Strawberries - I love to use fresh strawberries in this recipe. Feel free to use whatever fresh fruits you have around instead.
Banana - Creamy, sweet and full of natural goodness.
Maple Syrup - If you prefer then leave this out or use a different sweetener instead like date paste for example or stevia leaf.
Desiccated or shredded coconut - I like to use unsweetened desiccated coconut to top this recipe as it looks so pretty and the texture and aroma add that special something.
Alternative toppings and flavours.
You could try adding these ingredients to create your own chia pudding recipes:
- Cashew butter and raspberry chia jam.
- Kiwi fruit and chopped apple.
- Blueberries, banana and cinnamon.
- Pomegranate seeds with pineapple.
More raw vegan breakfast ideas.
If you like this strawberry chia pudding recipe for breakfast, please check out my other breakfast ideas:
- Red berry chia pudding
- Butternut squash mango smoothie bowl
- Raspberry, apple and buckwheat breakfast bowl
Recipe
Strawberry and coconut chia pudding
Equipment
- medium jar + lid.
- blender / mixer.
- Fork.
- Chopping board.
- Paring knife.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon chia seeds.
- 1 cup (250ml) strawberries.
- 1 cup almond milk or your favourite plant milk.
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup.
- 1 tablespoon desiccated coconut.
Instructions
- Pour almond milk and maple syrup into a blender with half the strawberries and blend until smooth. Transfer the liquid into your jar.
- Add chia seeds to the jar and whisk with a fork to mix. Leave for 5 minutes, give it another stir so that the chia seeds don’t clump together at the bottom.
- Allow to sit in the fridge covered for a minimum of 3 hours or overnight so the chia seeds can soak up the milk.
- In the morning, remove the jar from the fridge. Divide into 2 serving bowls. Slice the strawberries and add to the chia puddings. Sprinkle with desiccated coconut before serving.
Notes
Recipe Notes
This recipe has been updated 15/10/20
This recipe works with any plant milk. If you use tinned coconut milk this may produce a thicker creamier pudding and you can thin this out using a little water or other plant based milk by adding a tablespoon at a time until you get the consistency you prefer.
I like to use maple syrup as it’s easily available and my kids love it. You can easily swap this with date paste, stevia leaf, coconut sugar or sweetener of your choice.
If you dislike the texture of the seeds in this pudding try blending them with the almond milk and strawberries to make a smoother pudding.
Have a lovely day! I’m off for some tea.
love raw food
XOXO
Leave a comment.