all about chia.

My husband and I are in the process of moving to/buying a new house, which has been, in the best sense, stressful. Lots of phone calls, runs to the bank, emails, etc. We are staying with my parents for a little while, and due to all the moving, running around, studying for my class, completing clinical prerequisites, my eating habits have been, not good. Terrible. Slightly horrifying. Chips, brownie sundaes, and bologna sandwiches have made a few dozen appearances. This morning I woke up craving two things: a good book and real food. I browsed Instagram and came across a picture of a chia seed pudding mixed with fruit compote. So I decided to make it today. I grabbed my bag of chia seeds, some almond milk, and some strawberries and went to work.

All I can say is OH MY LANDS, is this stuff good. The chia pudding takes a good 6 hours to form into it's delightful self, so I didn't actually get to try my concoction until about 3:45 today. But it was definitely worth the agonizing wait ( I am being a bit dramatic today--but I am not exaggerating how good this is.) Chia seeds are an amazing superfood that nature has provided us with, and normally I use them in smoothies, salads, and in breakfast cookies. It's a gelatinous seed, which acts like a "binder" and binds up all the stuff that gets left behind in our intestines. It pulls it all together and we pass it, so it cleans you out pretty well (but tastes way better than Metamucil or seaweed ;)

Make this for a yummy, slightly sweet breakfast with an egg or fresh fruit or pancakes. Or for a light snack, or for a sweet tooth midnight craving. No matter when you eat it, it is sure to satisfy. :)

Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding with Almond Milk

Combine 2 cups Almond Milk (or coconut or regular organic milk), 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup plus 1 handful of chia seeds in a bowl. Mix well, and refrigerate for at least 5 hours to overnight, stirring every other hour.

Strawberry Compote

Combine 1 pint strawberries (or any berries, fresh or frozen), 1/3 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon vanilla over medium high heat. Let simmer until strawberries become soft, easily mash-able (word?) and the juice from the strawberries begins to thicken (15-20 min). Store in fridge until ready to serve over pudding.


Let me know how it goes!

Steffanie xo