Thursday, September 21, 2017

Peaches 'n Cream Chia Pudding


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Back to School: What's for Lunch?


A little brain teaser to get started...
What is dairy (lactose) free, gluten free, vegetarian, organic, anti-inflammatory, naturally low sugar, but 100% tasty?
Peaches 'n Cream Chia Pudding, of course!

It's back to school season. This means the tiny humans are on the go, eating at school, heading to soccer practice and doing homework while their respective adults are playing chauffeur and personal chef, packing lunches and snacks. Although I am the tiniest human in the Benjamin house, and by no means headed back to school, as summer winds down and school kicks up I feel the changing seasons (gone are the lazy days). I am challenging myself to plan ahead and stay organized, especially when it comes to food.

Tossing a pre-made snack or frozen meal into a lunchbox is obviously the most convenient option, but the calorie and sugar content can be through the roof. I myself am guilty of this when it comes to my lunch at least once a week...I run out of leftovers and here I am on Thursday morning digging through the freezer for a HotPocket. Don't fall into the habit of prepackaged, high sugar snacks. Homemade can be just as simple but loads healthier when executed effectively. Take 5 minutes to throw together some Peaches 'n Cream Chia Pudding. The perk of this recipe is that it preps well and keeps throughout the week. Try making a batch on Sunday night, divide it into smaller containers and suddenly you are armed with a week of fresh and healthy snacks!




Peaches 'n Cream Chia Pudding

Prep Time , serves 4.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 Cup Chia Seed
  • 1 1/2 Cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
  • 1 Fresh Organic Peach, Chopped
  • 1 TSP Honey

    Instructions

    1. Combine chia seeds and almond milk. Seal well with lid, shake ingredients together, eliminating clumps of chia seeds.
    2. Refrigerate pudding mixture for several hours or overnight, shaking once or twice to break up clumps of chia seeds.
    3. In the meantime, dice one fresh peach. Combine with honey, mix until all pieces of fruit are coated. Refrigerate until peach is macerated in its own juices (best results after several hours or overnight).
    4. For tiny tummies, divide into 4 servings, top with peach mixture and pack into a leak-proof container. Send this off to school in your tiny human's lunchbox for a creamy, yet healthy dessert or morning snack! Don't forget their ice pack!

Tips and Tricks:


  • Short on Vanilla Almond Milk? Simply add 1/4 TSP vanilla extract to plain unsweetened almond milk.
  • For adult sized portions, divide vanilla cream chia pudding and peach mixture into 2 portions rather than 4. THis makes
  • Try adding chopped nuts for a bit of crunch and some healthy fat!
  • Looking for a sweeter treat? Try adding a drop or two of Splenda Liquid Sweetener to the milk and chia seeds in step 1 for a no calorie, no sugar addition.
This is a great creamy base chia pudding recipe that lets the natural fruit flavors shine. Keep your eyes open for seasonal variations! In the meantime, check out Nuts About Chai Chia Pudding for a warm, fall flavor, packed with more nutrition than your favorite latte!