Are you one of those efficient meal planners who wakes up every morning knowing exactly what you’re going to have for breakfast? Or are you one of those who floats around disoriented and chugging away tons of coffee while the mere thought of breakfast gives you mild anxiety? I tend to be different people on different days. Um, metaphorically speaking that is. There are days when I’ve planned ahead and know exactly what breakfast looks like. And there are days when I’m looking at scraggy bits and bobs in the refrigerator, and wondering if I can conjure up a meal out of them.
For the most part though I look forward to breakfast. I’m also usually hungry in the mornings because I try and eat light at dinner and breakfast is my first proper post workout meal. On weekdays I typically eat breakfast alone which makes it even more of a challenge. Because what can you possibly cook for one person that’s not too much effort? After many months of sticking to oatmeal and besan cheela, and sometimes muesli out of a packet (not the healthiest option I know, but I love Yoga Bar’s Dark Chocolate Muesli and indulge once in a way), I found the perfect breakfast-for-one. Easy-peasy chia seed pudding!
First off, it always sounds incredibly fun to think you’re having pudding for breakfast. And then this super delicious, simple to prep chia seed pudding is the chocolate coated cherry on that pudding. It is so easy to make and calls for as less as three ingredients! Of course you can customize it to your liking and bung in any add-ons you fancy. I’ve included a couple of options below. And it can be prepped overnight which means no weekday blues can possible come between you and your pudding.
Aaand it is incredibly healthy! This delish chia seed pudding is packed with protein, fibre and healthy fats. You can have it with almond milk or top it up with slivered nuts if you’re looking for a biotin rich option. This feel good breakfast will leave you feeling happy, satiated and ready to take on the day. Bring it on, you say? Here you go!
You’ll need just 3 ingredients for this simple chia seed pudding
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds (fresh chia seeds are best)
- A half cup of coconut milk, or milk of choice. I usually make this with coconut or regular milk, but if you prefer almond or oat milk, those taste as good
- Sweetener of choice, as per taste. I like to add a drizzle of honey
How to prep your chia seed pudding
- Take about 2 tablespoons of chia seeds for every half cup of coconut milk. I’ve experimented a LOT with this recipe and this is the ratio that works best for me. Feel free to experiment with different ratios to get the consistency you prefer.
- Add your milk of choice to a mason jar or pudding bowl and sprinkle the chia seeds into it. Stir the milk and seeds.
- Add in your sweetener of choice. Like I said, I prefer a drizzle of honey in my pudding but maple syrup, agave nectar, stevia or just plain old sugar work too. My kids usually prefer this with sugar. You could even skip the sugar completely if you’re adding toppings like bananas or berries. I sometimes have this chia seed pudding with a mix of raisins and cranberries and skip the sweetener completely.
- Stir again to make sure the chia seeds are evenly distributed. You don’t want clumps in there. Wait for about ten minutes and give your pudding one last stir.
- Cover your pudding and into the fridge it goes! You need to let it stay in the fridge for at least two hours, or overnight. I usually leave mine in overnight. The next morning, your chia seed pudding will be singing out your name. Dig in!
And now for my favourite bit: the TOPPINGS!
OK so this is the optional bit, but you know why it’s my favourite right? Because, chocolate! You can give this easy-peasy chia seed pudding a totally decadent makeover with a generous smattering of chocolate chips, chocolate shavings or even great big choc chunks (YUM!). This little treat works beautifully, I find, if you’re a dark chocolate fan. You could also add in unsweetened cocoa powder for a healthier version, or cacao nibs.
Other optional add-ins or toppings that work well are toasted coconut flakes, slivered nuts, raisins or berries, fruit (strawberries and bananas are my faves), and a spoonful of nut butter.
This actually works brilliantly even as an end of the day pick-me-up or a guilt free dessert. Or an anytime of the day snack.
Ok, I admit, anytime I have this chia seed pudding in my fridge and am working from home, you may find me stuffing my face with it at all times of the day. Because that’s how darn good it is! So go ahead and give this delicious must try breakfast a shot and let me know what you think in the comments below. We’ll also be posting a video recipe on our Insta soon so stay tuned!