[Recipe] Dairy- Free Chia Pudding

Dairy Free Coconut Chia Pudding 

Chia pudding is all the rage these days. I don't usually jump on bandwagons so after I hesitantly made a batch of this so called pudding, I was surprised at how delicious it was. The reason why I am not so trusting of the super foods and recipes out there is that flavor and taste can be lacking while the food's nutrient properties are blow out of proportion. I believe strongly in eating food that tastes good and hate to promote foods or recipes for their nutrient content rather than how delicious they are. 

My sister has an allergy to milk protein which means, if I want her to enjoy anything I make, I have to leave out the milk, cream, butter, yogurt, cheese and of course any ingredient that "may contain milk" (this includes more foods than you can imagine!). This is why this recipe leaves out any of these ingredients.

Serves 6 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup chia seeds,
1 can coconut milk,
1 cup soy milk,
2 1/2 tbsp maple syrup,
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon,
1/2 tsp nutmeg,
pinch of salt,
1/2 cup water ,
1/2 cup shredded coconut, toasted,
1 cup sliced fruit, any kind of your choosing ,

Instructions:
1. Place chia seeds in a medium sized bowl and add all of the ingredients except for the shredded coconut. 
2. Whisk well to combine all the ingredients. 
3. Let chill in the fridge for at least 30min but it will probably need more like 12 hours to gel up. Since this version doesn't have any yogurt or other thick and creamy ingredients, it requires all the thickening power to come from the chia seeds. This means they need time to absorb all that water. 
4. Top with fruit and toasted coconut.

Note: I found that this recipe was the best thick consistency after 24 hours- which is a long time to wait for pudding! If you are in a hurry, try leaving out the water. If you eat dairy, you can try this version that includes yogurt for added flavor and creaminess.

[Wholesale Wholesome] Coconut Strawberry Chia Pudding

Yum



I wanted to share a recipe that was a big hit in my house recently: Chia pudding.
It was cheap, quick and easy to throw together & everyone (from 1 years old to 72 years old) loved it.

I am quite late in jumping on the chia pudding bandwagon since I am hesitant to jump on any food bandwagon. They usually over promise and under deliver. But boy am I glad I gave this recipe a try!

This recipe is part of my Wholesale Wholesome recipes. Although I love shopping at the local food market (lucky for me this is The Atwater Market), I don't always have time. A large wholesale store is literally minutes down the street and that is where we tend to stock up on the basics. It can be hard to know what to do with food in bulk, so Wholesale Wholesome was designed to help you out!

Coconut Strawberry Chia Pudding
Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
1/4 cup chia seeds
12 strawberries, cleaned and sliced (or any sliced fruit)
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup coconut, toasted

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the first 6 ingredients.
2. Let sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to one day.
3. Before serving, stir up to evenly distribute the chia seeds.
4. Divide into bowls and top with the berries, nuts and coconut.