I’ve only ever met one person in my whole life who didn’t like chocolate. I know. Crazy. I don’t have a big sweet tooth, but I enjoy chocolate treats regularly. I mean, why wouldn’t you? Especially when it’s a good quality chocolate, not the cheap kind filled with sugar and additives. This Chocolate Chia Pudding is a perfect treat in your lunch or even a great breakfast!
Chocolate Chia Pudding for the win
This chia pudding made with raw cacao powder is a winner! Of course, you can make it using regular Dutch processed cocoa powder, but if you can, try to get some high quality raw cacao powder, which will make it that much more nourishing because it contains even more magnesium. Magnesium is an essential mineral that works along calcium and potassium and pretty much regulates all of our muscles and nerve functions, which includes our heart (i.e. our big powerful muscle!).
The issue with taking vitamin and mineral in pill forms is that it’s not always balanced properly, so we might get too much of one mineral and not enough of the other, and that sometimes create issues or becomes useless. By eating whole foods, we rarely have that issue because it naturally contains a balanced amount of nutrition, so that takes a lot of pressure and makes it easier to know we’re eating a healthy diet. Don’t ya think? 🙂
Chia
Chia seeds are also quite amazing for our health because they not only contain a crazy amount of complete protein, and fibre, but they also contain calcium, manganese, phosphorus, and are a great source of healthy omega-3 fats. Their gelatinous component that makes them so awesome for vegan dishes is also a natural “cleanser”. It’s like eating a mini-detox. The gelatinous content also prevents blood sugar spikes, and binds with some chemicals and heavy metals in our body and drags it out. So, all in all, it’s a great food to eat regularly (of course in moderation and variety). Don’t be afraid to add a tablespoon or two to your smoothies.
If you’re looking for other delicious chia recipes, check out my Chia Pudding Breakfast Bowl, and my Strawberry Rhubarb Chia Jam.
Enjoy!
Chocolate Chia Pudding
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 7 oz full fat coconut milk (1/2 a can or approx. 200 ml/7 oz)
- 1 cup nut milk or rice milk
- 1/2 cup raw cacao powder
- 3 medjool dates , pits removed
- 3-4 Tbsp maple syrup (medium)
Optional toppings:
- 1 cup frozen organic strawberries , heated up in a small pot for about 10 minutes on medium-low heat, until they're soft and mushy, then add 2 Tbsp maple syrup, mix, and cool down a bit before serving
- cacao nibs
- shredded coconut
Instructions
- Put all of the pudding ingredients in a high performance blender, and blend for 1 minute, until it's smooth. Serve in containers and put in the fridge to cool. Add optional toppings before serving.
Note: I do not believe anyone should worry about counting calories, but here is the nutritional information for one serving
Calories: 282kcal | Fat: 15g | Saturated fat: 10g | Sodium: 52mg | Potassium: 530mg | Carbohydrates: 38g | Fiber: 9g | Sugar: 22g | Protein: 5g | Vitamin A: 25% | Vitamin C: 21.7% | Calcium: 123% | Iron: 4.2%
This dessert is right up my alley with the dates, chocolate and chia seeds. Yum! I have to pick up some cacao powder as I’ve only ever used the dutch processed version. I think I’ll try it this weekend 🙂
The taste is similar, but the health benefits are much higher if you get a raw cacao powder. Might as well make it healthier if we can, right?
I looooove chia pudding! I have been making a mixed berry chia pudding lately with coconut milk and I actually introduced my boyfriend to it just a few days ago (he had never even had chia seeds before!). He went crazy for it!! I told him the next flavour he’ll have to try is chocolate chia pudding and I think I just found the recipe…!
what?! I can’t believe he had never tried chia pudding before! haha It looks so weird at first, but once you try it, you’re hooked! Mixed berry chia pudding with coconut sounds relish! By putting it all in the blender, it really makes this pudding rich and creamy. Yum! I’m sure he will love it! I think I need to make another batch…
Yummm! Love chocolate pudding and what better than a healthy version. These look delish!
Thank you! Healthy AND delicious, always! 🙂
This pudding is heaven in a jar. Both Nicoletta and I are with you on good quality chocolate , and once you have had that, the run of the mill mass produced stuff doesn’t cut it. As far as chia goes, I use it in our oatmeal in the morning and put it in smoothies. I have never thought to make pudding with it, what a great idea. It is so good for you. Who would have thought that when chia pets made their debut that we would be ingesting it in the future, lol. Great post very informative, well done!
Here’s to health and happiness, have a great weekend
Loreto@SugarLoveSpices
Thanks Loreto, I hope you’ll have a chance to give it a try in a pudding like this one, especially with chocolate, it’s so good, and smooth when blended. Chia pets were so funny, weren’t they?! But now we eat them instead. lol
I’m the same as you — I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, and I can’t say I *LOVE* chocolate — but every once in a while I am hit with a craving for something sweet, and in that moment chocolate seems like the best thing ever.
This pudding looks and sounds like perfection. I love the addition of chia — that’s my daily dose of fiber, actually, so I am very much thinking that I need to make this soon 🙂
Gorgeous photos, as always!
Thanks Dana! Chia is so amazing for fibre and protein, it’d be silly not to use it! 🙂 You’ll enjoy this pudding even if you don’t have a sweet tooth. It’s a nice little ending to a meal too. Just a bit of sweetness, but not too much.
Chia seeds are an incredible superfood indeed! I love how you made it feel like a dessert with the chocolate.
Absolutely! Why not, right? 🙂