picture from google images

Overnight Chocolate Oats:

Ingredients:

1 cup SILK coconut milk (or almond/cashew milk)

½ cup of dry Old Fashion or Rolled Oats

1 tsp chia seeds

2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder (Wholefoods)

2 turns of crushed pink Himalayan sea salt crystals (Trader Joe’s)

1 TBSP Natural Almond/Peanut Butter (0ptional)

1 tsp of pure Vanilla Extract

7 drops of stevia or 1 tsp pure maple syrup (exclude for diabetics)

1 tbsp naturally sweetened chocolate chips (Wholefoods, Trader Joe’s)

Directions:

1. Add oats, chia seeds, flaxseed meal, cocoa powder, pink Himalayan salt (optional), chocolate chips to a 12 oz mason jar. Make several jars for the week, seal the jars, and store at room temperature until ready to use.
2. The night before you are ready for oatmeal add all your wet ingredients (coconut milk, vanilla extract, sweetener, natural almond butter).
3. Seal the jar and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, stir the oatmeal.  Soaking the oatmeal overnight allows the chia seeds to hydrate, swell up and offer the oatmeal a pudding consistency.
4. If you do not like your oatmeal cold (like me), then briefly warm it up in the microwave for 1-1.5 minute(s) or until chocolate chips melt.

If you like this recipe, you’ll like our 7-day clean eating eCookbook.

wholisticallyimproveyou.squarespace.com

wholisticallyimproveu@gmail.com

I was first introduced to chia pudding after watching a Food Network Video.  After watching the video I decided to start experimenting on how to make the chia pudding.   At first I wanted to make it the way I make my oatmeal.  However, that was a complete disaster.  Then after a little more research, I learned chia seeds can hold up to 10 times their weight in water.  Finally, I decided to fill a 24 ounce mason jar with 4 cups of coconut milk, followed by 1/4 cup of chia seeds.  The chia pudding is not ready to eat instantly.  The chia seeds need time to absorb the liquid and become gelatinous.  I usually make my chia pudding and refrigerate it over night.  Some recipes say it takes a couple of hours for the chia seeds to form a pudding but I love letting it sit in the refrigerator for several hours.  I notice each day that goes by the consistency gets better and better.

I love using SILK coconut milk because it is sweet but not off the charts in terms of carbohydrates per serving.  SILK also has an unsweetened or reduced carbohydrate versions for those who are watching their sugar consumption.  And not I do not receive royalties for promoting this brand. I’ve tried many dairy substitutes over the past 27 years and I’ve finally found a product I love.

Other than it’s extensive health benefits what I love most about chia pudding the association with my childhood fondness of rice pudding, less the butter, sugar and eggs.  I also can make a batch of chia pudding for the week and store it in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed mason jar.

Below is the recipe.  However, feel free to modify it for your taste buds and texture preference.  You can top the chia pudding with fruit or nuts.

CHIA PUDDING

Shopping list:

1 half gallon of SILK Coconut Milk
1/4 cup of chia seeds
cinnamon (optional)
pure vanilla extract (optional)
pure 100% maple sugar (optional)
24 oz mason jar with the lid

Ingredients:

24oz SILK Coconut milk #80
1/4 cup of chia seeds
2 tsp pure raw maple syrup
2 tsp pure vanilla extra
Few dashes of cinnamon powder
Top with your favorite fruit

Directions:

• Place ingredients in a 24 oz mason jar, starting with coconut milk first. Mix vigorously.
• Refrigerate overnight. The longer it sits the better. I make a new batch each week and store it in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed mason jar.  It stays fresh for at least a week.
• When you are ready to have some chia pudding, pour from the jar, then reseal the jar.  Try not to spoon out from the jar to help to prevent the chia pudding from spoiling.

Ingredients