Calgary’s Top Three Chia Seed Pudding Recipes

Chia seeds can be added to a catalogue of recipes for an added health supercharge. I like to mix mine into smoothies, porridge, scrambled eggs, muffins and omelettes, among other recipes. But one great way to use these little balls of goodness is in a chia seed pudding which is not really a dessert; it’s more like a tapioca/porridge mix. Chia puddings make a super simple breakfast or can be an afternoon treat – all you need to do is soak the chia seeds with almond or coconut milk in a bowl or jar, then add in anything extra for flavour. Give it all a good whisk together and then pop in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. The possibilities for these are endless but here are three of my favourite combinations:

Purple power chia seed pudding
serves 4
150g chia seeds
750ml almond or coconut milk (unsweetened; from a carton)
2 tbsp desiccated coconut
20g flaked almonds, toasted, plus extra to decorate
60g frozen blueberries (use frozen as they turn everything bright purple– fun!)
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp vanilla extract

Exotic chia seed pudding
serves 4
150g chia seeds
750ml almond or coconut milk (unsweetened; from a carton)
3 Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ tsp vanilla extract pumpkin seeds, to decorate
Tutti-frutti chia seed pudding
serves 4
150g chia seeds
750ml almond or coconut milk (unsweetened; from a carton)
1 tbsp almond butter
1 medium apple, grated
70g pomegranate seeds, plus extra to decorate

Extracted from Keep It Real by Calgary Avansino, published by Yellow Kite, £25

Photography by Kristin Perers