Black Forest Chia Pudding

My first experience with chia seeds was a messy one.  One day a few years I bought a bag of chia seeds to see what all the fuss was about. I guess I was too excited to try this miracle grain because I accidentally spilled most of the chia seeds when trying to open the bag.  

The experience was so jarring (I’m being dramatic) that I never tried chia seeds again until recently.  Now that I know more about chia seeds I wish that I had given them a second chance sooner.  Chia seeds are rich in antioxidants, omega-3s, fiber and protein. Two tablespoons of chia seeds contain 5 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber.

One of the reasons why I decided to create this Black Forest Chia Pudding was because sometimes I feel like having dessert for breakfast.  With this pudding I get to enjoy the rich chocolatey flavor of a black forest cake but with the added health benefits of chia seeds. This recipe consists of three parts: the chocolate pudding, the cherry jam and the white topping.  I used plain full fat Greek yogurt, but you are free to use your favorite yogurt or non-dairy yogurt.

Prep time: 10 minutes . Inactive Time: +4 hours . Yield: Serves 3

[ezcol_1third]INGREDIENTS
Chocolate Chia Pudding
1/2 Cup Chia Seeds
1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
1 Cup Reduced Fat Coconut Milk
2 Tbsp Raw Cacao Powder
1 Tbsp Sweetener of your choice
1/2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Cinnamon powder
Dash of ground nutmeg
Fresh cherries or other fruit for garnish

Cherry Chia Jam
2 Cups Frozen Dark Cherries, thawed
1/4 Cup Fresh Orange Juice
0-2 Tbsp Sweetener of your choice
2 Tbsp Chia Seeds
1/2 Tsp Ground Cinnamon

White Topping
1 Cup Yogurt (we used a plain full fat Greek yogurt)

[/ezcol_1third][ezcol_2third_end]METHOD
Chocolate Chia Pudding
Combine all ingredients for chocolate chia pudding. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Cherry Chia Jam
1. Combine cherries, orange juice and sweetener in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes while stirring frequently and mashing cherries. Remove pan from heat. Optional: After cooking cherries, use blender to make a smoother jam.
2. Stir in chia seeds. Let cool so that jam thickens. Store in jam in airtight jar in refrigerator.

Assemble Layers
Start with 1 cup of chocolate chia pudding, followed by 2 tablespoons cherry jam, then 1/3 cup of yogurt and finally top with 1 tablespoon of cherry jam or fruit.

Nutrition per serving of chocolate chia pudding (1 Cup) & Greek yogurt (1/3 Cup): 317 Cals; 27g Carb; 16g Fat; 12g Protein; 16g Dietary Fiber

Nutrition per serving of cherry chia jam (2 Tbsp): 45 Cals; 9g Carb; 1g Fat; 1g Protein; 2g Dietary Fiber
Nutrition calculated using the MyFitnessPal Recipe Importer
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