My Favorite Chia Seed Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 cup cashew milk, almond milk or light coconut milk (homemade preferred)
• 0.5 tsp orange zest (preferably from an organic orange)
• 0.125 tsp vanilla extract (more to taste)
• 3 tbsp chia seeds
• honey or maple syrup (for drizzling)
• toppings (sliced bananas, fresh or defrosted berries, berry chia seed jam, shredded coconut, or toasted chopped nuts)

Steps

1. 1

   In a small jar or bowl, combine the milk, orange zest, and vanilla extract.

2. 2

   Taste the mixture, and if you’d like a more pronounced vanilla flavor, add another 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract. Be sure to measure out the extra vanilla extract rather than just pouring more in—it’s easy to go overboard.

3. 3

   Whisk in the chia seeds.

4. 4

   Let the mixture rest for about 15 minutes, then whisk the mixture again to break up any clumps.

5. 5

   Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight), until the chia seeds have absorbed enough moisture to achieve a pudding-like state. If you think of it, give it a stir sometime along the way to break up any clumps of chia.

6. 6

   Before serving, stir once again to break up any clumps of chia seeds.

7. 7

   Serve with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup on top and any additional toppings you might like.

Notes

This pudding will keep well in the refrigerator, covered, for about 5 days. Note on Orange Juice: Earlier versions of this recipe included orange juice, but the acidity can sometimes prevent chia seeds from plumping properly depending on the pH of the juice and milk used. Zest is more reliable for flavor. If the pudding is too thick, simply stir in a little extra milk.

Nutrition per serving

• breakfast
• snack
• dessert
• gluten-free
• vegan-option
• no-cook
• meal-prep
• healthy