Cherry Chia Pudding Fills Me Up Not Out

This cherry pudding is a vegan, gluten free, low sugar dessert ( uses a Tablespoon of honey, maple syrup, or coconut sugar)  and is made with chia seeds. If you didn't already know, chia seeds are really good for you. And , they fill you up, not out.

They are very high in fiber and contain a variety of nutrients including generous amounts of Omega 3's , iron, and calcium. This easy dessert is one way you can add this powerhouse food to your diet!!

Got frozen cherries (or any kind of berries)? 
 The tiny extremely healthy chia seed gives off a glutinous gel that makes a delicious satisfying pudding that you can assemble in under 2 minutes.

Once the basic chia pudding ( without the fruit) is assembled, the mixture needs to be poured into containers and chilled for a minimum of 3 hours or preferably overnight to form the pudding. I then make the cherry puree in the blender ( cherries and banana) and layer the fruit mixture with the firmer  chilled pudding.

                          I made this cherry puree with frozen cherries and ripe banana blended in the blender for 1 minute.

For this recipe, I mixed frozen cherries, frozen bananas , vanilla extract, chia seeds, and coconut milk; the results were powerful. I knew I would like the combination because I've always loved cherry vanilla ice cream.

Use any kind of fruit you like 

Do you prefer strawberries, blueberries, mango, peach or kiwi ? You can use any kind of fruit for this recipe. I chose cherry because it's available frozen and organic. That's a winning combination for me.

I've also seen some chia pudding recipes call for grated carrot, raisins, or dried cranberries.

You can make layers of fruit puree and alternate your container with a layer of cold chia pudding and then a layer of fruit puree that you make in the blender.

Since the pudding is so good for you, you could eat it for breakfast or as a snack.

The Recipe: 

Author: Judee Algazi@Gluten Free A-Z Blog
Prep Time: 5-10  minutes
Chill Time: 3 hours or more

Ingredients for pudding:

31/2  Tablespoons of organic chia seeds
1 cup of vanilla unsweetened coconut milk
1 Tablespoon of honey, maple syrup, or coconut crystals.

Directions: 
Mix the chia seeds and sweetener into the coconut milk. Stir and allow to sit for a few minutes. Pour into containers half way. Place in the refrigerator to chill for 3 hours or overnight.

How to make the puree: 

Place about 10 cherries into the blender with 6 slices of ripe banana. Blend until smooth. Spoon on top of the Individual chilled and firm pudding cups.

Chill the chia pudding before adding the cherry puree

I've listed the many of the extraordinary benefits of eating chia seeds in my previous blog post titled,
" Why I eat chia seeds everyday." The one benefit of chia seeds that is most important to me is the high level of Omega 3. Did you know that chia seeds have more Omega 3 than a piece of  salmon which is a leader in Omega 3's?

Why is the Omega 3 in Chia Seeds So Important? 
Our bodies are not able to produce omega 3's, therefore we must get these essential fatty acids from the food we eat. There are a number of animal foods that are high in Omega 3. Chia seeds are one of the great vegetarian/vegan sources. 

Where to Buy Chia Seeds
Chia seeds can be purchased in most health food stores, Whole Foods store, or ordered easily  and may be less expensive  on Amazon  Chia seeds. I like to buy organic. They are a little more expensive but worth it because one bag last me all year

If you would like to learn more about chia seeds or to see the foods that are highest in Omega 3's, Dr Axe has written an entire article about Omega 3. I think that Dr. Axe is a great source of information for just about anything that is health related. Here is a link to his for Omerga 3 site.

Disclaimer:  I am an affiliate for Amazon. If you buy something after clicking on a link from my blog, I will receive a small compensation which helps defray my costs of running a blog. I appreciate your support.

My notes: 
1. chia seeds are very high in fiber- check with your doctor before feeding to a baby


Shared on Miz Helens's Full Plate Thursday Blog Hop