I can never get tired of eating chia porridge (or pudding) and all its different variations. If you were on Instagram, you would notice that I post pictures of it all year round. As the weather changes, I just use the fruits in season and maybe change the nut milk or the other toppings every now and then. In the fall, I sometimes warm up my liquid a little bit but in the warmer days, I would soak the chia overnight in the fridge.
So what’s my fascination about chia porridge? Well for one, it keeps me full and prevents me from snacking before lunch. Secondly, it has no starch which is my nemesis at this stage of my life. Most of all, it’s delicious and nutritious and does not require cooking or a lot of prep. All you need with the chia seeds is your choice of nut milk, fruits and some nuts and seeds for toppings. I add 1/2 of an avocado all the time. I just like the different flavours of creamy, nutty, sweet, tangy and crunchy on that bowl of chia porridge. After soaking the chia seeds in the nut milk for a minimum of 20 minutes, they will swell and will look like mini tapioca.
Almond milk is a good choice. Some days I use hemp or cashew milk. Other times, I would blend a mix of 3 Tbsp. dehydrated organic coconuts and 1 Tbsp. melted coconut butter with 1 1/2 cups of water and this serves as my light version of “coconut milk.” This is actually what I used when I took this picture but to make it simpler, I have indicated almond milk or your choice of any nut milk in this recipe.
Salvia hispanica, also known as Chia (pronounced chee’ah), is one of the richest and unprocessed, whole food source of pure Omega3. A member of the mint family, Chia is native to Central America and has been used traditionally for over 3000 years. Chia seeds have:
• 3 times the iron of spinach
• 5 times the calcium of milk
• 2 times the potassium of bananas
• 2 times the protein of any other seed or grains
• 3 times the antioxidant potency of blueberries
• It contains 20% Omega 3 ALA, making it a super food for the brain and heart. Chia has eight times more Omega 3 than salmon
Fall Chia Porridge With Apples, Pomegranates and Avocado
Ingredients:
3 Tbsp. chia seeds (you can use white or black)
1 - 1 1/2 c. almond milk (depending on how thick you want it)
1 Tbsp. coconut nectar or maple syrup
1 organic Fuji apple, cut in cubes
1 c. pomegranate seeds
1/2 avocado cut in cubes
1/4 c. raw almonds
2 Tbsp. hemp hearts
2-3 Tbsp. dehydrated organic coconut flakes
1/2 tsp. organic vanilla powder (optional)
1/4 tsp. organic cinnamon (optional)
Method:
- Warm your nut milk for 1-2 minutes (optional).
- In a bowl or a mason jar, mix the chia seeds and almond milk. Let it soak for 20 minutes or longer making sure to stir it a few times so they don’t get too lumpy. Soaking it longer would be ideal.
- When it’s ready, serve them in a bowl or large glass and add the toppings. This serves 2. Enjoy!
Suggestions:
- Nut milks - feel free to experiment with different nut milks. I love the coconut flavour. I have a Nutribullet and it’s a fast way of making quick nut milks or my version of light coconut milk. Make sure you soak your nuts at least 8 hours to overnight. It’s not even necessary to strain them through a nut bag or a cheese cloth after blending as it will taste good in the porridge. I will post an article about nut milk making in the coming days!
- Fruits - berries and mangoes are great in the summer time. In the fall, I use persimmon, apple, pear figs and my latest obsession - pomegranate.
- Nuts and seeds - almonds, walnuts and pumpkin seeds are some of my favourites. I also add hemp hearts a lot since this is such a healthy seed.