Breakfast Friday | Chocolate Peanut Butter Creamy Chia Pudding
/Do you remember approximately 2 1/2 years ago when no one was talking about or eating chia seeds? Or kale? Or a million different varieties of nut butter? Or hemp anything? I’m sure some people were but these food items weren’t exactly mainstream.
Now we’re all, kaaaaale salaaaad all day long with a side of fresh pressed carrot-apple-ginger-lemon juice.
Never in a million years would I have guessed I’d be eating half of these things, but now I can’t get enough.
So, here we are with creamy chia seed pudding, which I love. But what I don’t love is the unblended kind of chia seed pudding. The one where all of the chia seeds are gelled and floating in the milk like in the first photo above. I just can’t do it. The texture kills me.
BUT.
Blend it all up? That, I can do.
It uses the same method of letting the seeds soak to absorb moisture but includes just one extra step to make a super creamy + smooth texture.
This breakfast is incredibly satiating and chock full of protein and healthy omega-3’s. The best part is how easy this is to whip up. It takes about 3 minutes to combine the ingredients the night before, then 2 minutes the next morning to blend, scoop, and top. It’s also perfect for a to-go style breakfast. Just pack it in a jar and chow down once you get to work.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Creamy Chia Pudding
gluten-free, vegan // yields 2-4 servings
- 2 cups unsweetened almond milk, or milk of choice
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, or cacao
- 6-8 medjool dates, pitted
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- toppings options: goji berries, flaked coconut, chia seeds, almonds, peanut butter, granola, chocolate chips, banana, cinnamon, etc.
Whisk together the chia seeds and milk in a bowl. Add in the peanut butter, cocoa powder, dates, and vanilla and stir once or twice. The mixture will be blended after chilling so no need to fully combine them at this point. You just want everything fully chilled. Place in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight. Remove and pour/scrape contents into your blender. Turn on and work up to high until fully smooth. Add more milk if desired to thin out. Add more dates and/or liquid sweetener for more sweetness.
Portion and serve immediately with desired toppings. If not serving right away keep chilled in your fridge in a sealed container until ready to serve.
notes: If the consistency becomes too thin you can blend in 1-2 tablespoons more chia seeds and then refrigerate for 1-2 hours to thicken. If you are unable to eat peanut butter I recommend using sunflower seed butter instead. Any other nut butter would also work but would not impart as much flavor.
Time to dig in. Just don’t forget the toppings.
Happy Friday, friends!
Ashley
