I have jumped on the chia seed train and it's hurdling along at full speed. If you're thinking "ch-ch-ch-chia", we're talking about the same shit...I just don't rub them all over myself and wait for them to grow. Instead, you can find me sprinkling seeds into my recipes and atop my salads, and now concocting chia pudding recipes.


I have always hated pudding...something about the textureless goo made me feel like I was choking down a cup full of someone's snot. No thanks. Chia pudding on the other hand, thanks to the little seeds, is full of a little crunch and no so snotty. To make sure it was tolerable, I started with a chocolate recipe, topped it with strawberries. I was impressed with how satisfying and filling one cup of these little guys were. The chia pudding recipe quickly intrigued me as a blank canvas that I could easily make my own. I fell in love with chai lattes this fall, prompting a purchase of Celestial Seasonings Mountain Chai Tea Latte Concentrate. In this love, my chai chia pudding recipe was born.

Nuts About Chai Chia Pudding

Prep Time 8 hr. (overnight), serves 2.

Ingredients

• 1/4 Cup Chia Seed
• 2 Tbsp Hemp Seed
• 1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
• 1/4 Cup Celestial Seasonings Mountain Chai Tea Latte Concentrate
• 2 TSP Sugar, granulated
• Sprinkle Ground Cinnamon

Toppings

• Unsweetened Toasted Coconut
• Walnuts
• Almonds
• Flax Seeds
• Mixed Berries

Instructions

1. Combine chia seeds, hemp seeds, almond milk, cinnamon and chai tea concentrate. Seal well with lid, shake ingredients together.
2. Refrigerate pudding mixture for several hours or overnight, shaking once or twice.
3. When ready to serve, separate into 2 servings. Top with combination of nuts and berries and enjoy.
4. Need to toast your nuts? Easy. Preheat your oven to 350°. Chop nuts to similar size (especially walnuts and almonds). Combine nuts on baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes, stirring once.

Chia pudding in general is a great source of fiber and calcium. One serving of my Nuts About Chai Chia Pudding contains 47% of your daily fiber and 39% of your daily recommended calcium intake. The addition of some walnuts on top adds a dose of heart healthy antioxidants, all for under 300 calories. Nuts About Chai Chia Pudding is a great mid-afternoon snack at work when you need something healthier than that chocolate bar or chai tea latte to hold you over until dinner is ready. Check back next month for another seasonal chia pudding variation!