Strawberry-Mango Layered Chia Pudding (GF |V)

Chia seeds are known to be known to be one of THE healthiest foods on this planet. They are incredibly rich in fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, many many other micronutrients.

I have just taken BioChemistry as a course, so now I can confidently say: trust me-- all of these things I mentioned above are SO important for our bodies to function at their best.

One of my favorite ways to incorporate chia seeds into my day is by making chia seed pudding. It only takes 3 minutes to prepare and then the fridge does all of the work. There are an endless number of flavor combinations you can make and I hope to share more of my favorite chia pudding recipe combinations with you in the future. You can enjoy this for breakfast, as a snack or even as a dessert.

I recently made this as a breakfast for myself along side some scrambled eggs before I went hiking and it was so so so satiating and kept me full and energized for my adventure.

I especially love layering my chia seed pudding because not only does it look ~super fancy~, but you can also add in greek yogurt (extra serving of protein!!) and it makes the entire dish more flavorful and filling.

I think that there is such a stigma around healthier foods as not tasting as good as "unhealthy" foods. Whenever I tell my family/friends the nutrient value/calorie count/macros of some of the foods I eat, they immediately assume that these foods don't taste as good. I decided to make this layered chia pudding for my sister one day, and even though she insisted she didn't want it, I kept insisting she take a bite. After a single bite, she said looked at the glass and said "Uhhh can I finish it?"

... and now she has it for breakfast everyday....

I guarantee you will feel the same about this once you try it out as well :-)

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dEATS:

Servings:

(1 serving, 240 calories)

Ingredients:

CHIA PUDDING

• 2 tablespoons chia seeds

• 1/2 cup almond milk (any milk works)

SMOOTHIE LAYER

• 1/3 cup non-fat greek yogurt

• 3 large frozen strawberries

• 1/4 cup frozen mango

TOPPINGS (optional)

• chopped strawberries

• chopped mango

• shredded coconut

The Magic:

1. In a bowl, add chia seeds and milk and mix well.

2. Let it settle for 3 minutes and then stir again.

3. Cover and leave in the fridge for at-least 3 hours.

4. When you are ready to prepare your layered pudding, make your smoothie layer by mixing frozen strawberry, frozen mango, and yogurt in a blender or food processor

5. Pick out your favorite jar or glass and spoon in alternating layers of chia pudding and smoothie.

6. Top with chopped fruit and shredded coconut (optional)

7. Pat yourself on the back for putting together such a ~fancy~ creation, smile and enjoy :)

If you enjoy your smoothies/pudding on the sweeter side, feel free to add in how much ever honey/agave/maple syrup you desire. Personally, I like the accentuated fruity/coconut flavor so I left sweeteners out.

Play around with the ratio of chia seeds to milk, if you like your pudding to be a bit more thicker or thinner. Some days, if I feel the pudding is too thick, I add in a dash more of milk when I am preparing the layers.

Most importantly, just have fun with it!!!