More like CHIA yogurt than pudding #GardenCuizine #HealthySnack

CHIA Yogurt-Pudding
Very Vanilla

Many recipes on the internet call for similar ingredients for making Chia Pudding so I decided to try a recipe I found on the Food Network with a few changes. The final result - a creamy and delicious Chia yogurt-pudding. I think the taste and texture was sweet and gelled enough to call it pudding.

The recipe combined equal parts milk with yogurt, which seemed to work okay - the chia seeds swell up and thicken the milk. The Food Network recipe called for maple syrup and salt. I didn't like the idea of adding salt to a wholesome food that already had sodium in it (sodium in the milk) so I didn't add any more salt. And, I used just a little sugar rather than maple syrup to keep the recipe more affordable.

The chia pudding was devoured this morning after breakfast. We all decided it would make a great healthy snack. Experiment and have fun creating your own recipe variations.

Here is my basic recipe. Enjoy!
 
Yields: 1 quart (7 servings)
Ingredients
2 cups Very Vanilla Silk soy milk
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup chia seeds
2 Tablespoons and 2 teaspoons sugar (or other sweetener of choice)
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Fresh cut fruit (we used a few fresh strawberries as a topping. Another option is to layer the pudding with fresh cut fruit for a Chia Pudding Parfait. Kiwi and strawberries combine well and taste great with a sprinkle of cinnamon)

Low-fat granola - makes a great topping! (We like Kashi GoLean Crunch - a multigrain cluster cereal)

Creative Flavor Ideas
Magical Mocha: to V.Vanilla chia yogurt add ground coffee and unsweetened cocoa powder
Super Strawberry: puree fresh strawberries in a small amount of V. Vanilla chia yogurt before combining with the remaining yogurt (this way all the chia does not get pureed)

Putting it all together
In a medium bowl, mix together the milk, yogurt and sweetener. Add the chia seeds and mix together well. Cover and refrigerate overnight before serving. 

• Chia pudding can be layered in glasses with fresh fruit to create colorful and nutritious snacks or dessert parfaits.

Excellent Source: dietary Calcium
Good Source: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, dietary Fiber, Protein
GardenCuizine Chia Pudding Nutrition Data: see food label shown

Related Links
Grow your own CHIA part 1 - Check out CHIA - A Super Salvia 
Grow your own CHIA part 2 - Check out CHIA - An Indigenous Food
Grow your own CHIA part 3 - Check out CHIA - Super Seed Nutrition
Blog post and photo Copyright (C)Wind. All rights reserved. Revised 3/29/15.