Chia seeds are popping up all over the place in all kinds of recipes. (Yes, the same chia seeds of ch-ch-ch-chia fame) They are being touted as the forgotten superfood, full of all kinds of essential nutrients that will give people more energy and better health. While I am sure there are a lot of great things about chia seeds I tend not to buy into the hype around any superfood. There are few foods in the world (leafy greens may be the exception) that if some is good then more is better, so instead of focusing on one particular food I instead try to eat an overall well balanced diet of unprocessed foods. That being said, I love using chia seeds in moderation because they have such a uniquely interesting texture when exposed to liquid. This property lends itself to all kinds of fun applications. When chia seeds are soaked in liquid thy expand and form a kind of gel like texture. This makes a great egg substitute for binding vegan baked goods. It also makes a great pudding. This pudding has the texture of a tapioca pudding but is even easier to make. Simply blend the ingredients together, stir in the chia seeds and let it sit overnight. In the morning you have a perfect pudding to enjoy for breakfast that is both delicious and filling. When I was developing this recipe I tested a bunch of different flavors and this was the favorite. (Surprisingly it beat out a chocolate flavor!) Sweetened only with fruit it is a healthy and satisfying breakfast, but it could also be served as a light dessert. I know that people have all kinds of different observances about what they eat when it comes to Passover. According to the cRC chia seeds are fine as long as there are no kosher sensitive ingredients added to the package. That means I will be making this for breakfasts this week for sure, along with quinoa hot cereal. They are certainly much healthier alternatives to the highly processed brightly colored crispy-o’s that my kids would otherwise want to eat. By serving pudding for breakfast I am hoping they won’t even notice I didn’t even buy the sweet cereal this year. (If they really insist on cereal I will make them granola)
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups (10 oz) strawberries, fresh or frozen
2 bananas
1 cup almond milk
3/4 cup (90 g) chia seeds
Chopped fresh strawberries for serving
Preparation
Combine the strawberries, bananas and almond milk in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into a glass jar or bowl. Stir in the chia seeds. Cover the mixture and refrigerate overnight until thickened.
Spoon into bowls and serve with chopped fresh strawberries.
https://oldsite.couldntbeparve.com/2013/03/strawberry-banana-chia-pudding/
