Chia pudding can be flavoured as simply or as intricately as desired. This is a really simple version that just utilizes fruit and a bit of unsweetened vanilla cashew milk to take chia seeds and plump them up into a flavourful, vibrant pudding. Here I used frozen strawberries and mango defrosted and blended with the milk. I like to use frozen fruit, especially this time of year when fruit isn’t really in season because the frozen option should have been picked and immediately frozen at its peak of ripeness. Therefore it is at its highest in nutrient content, which is preserved through the freezing, as well as at its most flavourful. Plus, I find that unthawed frozen fruit is often a little sweeter than in its completely fresh, unadulterated form. Maximum flavour and sweetness means that we don’t have to add in refined sugars to have a sweet, enjoyable treat.
I used strawberry and mango because these are for my brother and those are both fruit he enjoys, but pretty much any type can be substituted according to preference, in the same amounts. Kiwi berries on the top are a way to add in more colour, flavour and nutrients, but just like the base, any other fruit can work in its place. Kiwi berries are a mini version of regular kiwi fruit, with a similar taste and texture but their skin is smooth, tender and green so they can be eaten whole. A snack like this- absolutely loaded with fruit, along with some healthy fat and protein rich seeds, is great for quick recovery after intense workouts. It is easy to digest and provides the nutrients our body needs to replenish.
Even though I love healthy food, I do fall temptation to convenience, fast and junky foods if I don’t have good options at hand. I find fruits like kiwi berries so novel and delicious that they are one of my favourite special treats to have around. Berries and tropical fruits like mangos and pineapple are usually more expensive than the local basics like apples and pears but having fruits that you really enjoy and feel are special are good to indulge in and treat yourself with. They are all extremely nutrient dense and their higher price point and accompanying exclusivity makes them extra special and satisfying, perhaps even special enough to reach for a bowl of them over a bowl of ice cream or stack of packaged cookies.
- 2 cups mango, chopped
- 2 cups strawberries, chopped
- 1 cup unsweetened vanilla cashew milk, divided in half (or any preferred nut or seed milk)
- 1⅓ cup chia seeds, divided in half (2 portions of ⅔ cup)
- 1 package kiwi berries (around 1 dozen pieces)
- *depending on the water content of the fruit used, an extra tablespoon or two of chia seeds might be needed to achieve a really thick consistency
- Blend the mango with ½ cup of the milk until smooth in a high speed blender (should create around 2 cups of liquid). Pour into a bowl and whisk in the chia seeds.
- Rinse out the blender and repeat with the strawberries (again, there should be around 2 cups of liquid).
- Let the chia seeds thicken up and turn the liquids into puddings for around 20 minutes, stirring around 10 minutes in to ensure that clumps don't form at the bottom.
- *If they haven't thickened up fully at the 20 minute point, they may need another tablespoon or two of chia seeds mixed in and that should do the trick within a matter of a couple minutes. Different types of fruits, fresh or frozen can have different amounts of water. The mango ratio worked perfectly but I needed to add 2 extra tablespoons of seeds to the strawberry mixture to get it to the right thickness.
- Layer the pudding into small jars, glasses or bowls and top with kiwi berries.
- Cover tightly with plastic, beeswax or a lid and store in the fridge for up to a couple days.
