In my quest to eat not none, but considerably less sugar, I find myself needing alternatives to my favorite sugary go-to treats, like ice cream, chocolate, and cookies — because I have such a sweet tooth, I can’t bear to go without.
My black bean brownies are an insanely great alternative, because they literally taste better than regular brownies to me. However, because I know they mostly consist of beans, i.e. protein, the husband and I will go through an entire batch in two days flat. We can’t stop!
Jess at Apples to Zoodles has been posting these chia seed pudding photos on her Instagram feed and I thought if these “desserts” are as sweet as they are pretty, they have to be tasty as well, and I set out to find a recipe that would win me over, found my ingredients, and got busy.
I can’t say that I’m in love just yet, but I’m working on perfecting this healthy treat, so help me.
* This recipe is based on Domesticate-Me’s Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding
What You’ll Need…
* ¼ cup plus 3 tablespoons raw chia seeds
* 2 cups vanilla almond milk (You can also use coconut, soy, or regular milk)
* 1¼ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 2 tablespoons organic maple syrup
* Serves 4
Steps…
* Pour chia seeds in a medium glass bowl.
* Add almond milk, vanilla, maple syrup and whisk.
* Whisk whisk whisk so that your seeds are mixed within your almond milk and not sitting at the bottom. I whisked for about ten minutes on and off.
* Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight {or for at least 4 hours}
Over time, the chia seeds will get this gelatinous film around them and combined with the milk, create a pudding-like texture. You can eat it alone, but it’s far better with a few toppings like granola and fruit.
And… Serve!
* Sweep away the foam at the top {I may have whisked too much}, and spoon your chia pudding into small bowls or pretty cups. Add toppings of your choice. {I added granola and bananas and a few blueberries on top} Domesticate-Me’s Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding recipe has more topping options, but I like the basics for now. I’d love to figure out how to make this chocolate… but like REALLY chocolate, not lame chocolate, like when I added cacao powder to the recipe. Yuck!
I was worried about the “seeds” because I don’t even like seeds in my smoothies, but once they swell in the milk, they’re soft and don’t have that seedy crunch. The texture is good, not a worry to get over really, it’s the taste I’m still on the fence about.
Enjoy! {Or try to?}
* Find all my recipes here
If you have any amazingly delicious healthy, low-sugar, desserts I should try, PLEASE leave me suggestions in the comments. I’m desperate for some good treats right now!
