Easy, Delicious Coconut Chia Pudding!

This post is part of a paid collaboration with NOW Foods.

Happy Friday friends! I must say, I’ve certainly been slacking in terms of recipes, but I wanted to put this one up here because whenever I post about chia pudding, I always have someone reach out asking for the recipe. Truth be told, chia pudding is SO easy to make, that it doesn’t feel like much of a recipe to me, but alas, here we are!

When I started my candida cleanse back in January, I wanted to find easy staples that could be part of my cleanse meals. Chia seeds, while not super exciting to some, have always been a favorite of mine. I love that they are PACKED full of fiber, essential fatty acids. Chia seeds are one of the best-known plant sources of essential fatty acids, which account for almost two-thirds of chia’s total fatty acid make-up! When I am shopping for chia seeds, I always opt for organic, which is why I choose NOW Foods’ chia seeds! They offer both black seeds and white seeds, but there is no difference in flavor between the two!

After many years of eating chia pudding with almond milk, I decided to use some coconut milk in my pudding last month. And HOLY SMOKES! Using coconut milk instead of almond milk is the GAME CHANGER to this “recipe”. The coconut milk gives a depth of flavor (via fat) that almond milk simply cannot deliver. I’ll never make chia pudding with almond milk again! Also, fun fact about coconut oil, it is a great thing to incorporate into a candida diet, as can work as a natural anti-fungal, and can help reduce harmful yeast. Win win!

Long story short, if you’re looking for a delicious candida cleanse-approved snack that is packed with fat and fiber, look no further than this coconut chia pudding!

I will say, this recipe makes about a weeks-worth of chia pudding. I find it can sit in the fridge (in an air-tight container) for 5-7 days no problem. Odds are, it won’t even last that long because you’ll eat it so quickly! With chia pudding, I eat it on its own, with fruit, mixed into smoothies, mixed into oatmeal or yogurt. The list goes on! It is just a great thing to have in your fridge at all times (in my opinion!).

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup NOW Foods Organic Chia Seeds

• 1 13.5oz can of full-fat coconut milk (I like this brand, because it doesn’t contain guar gum)

• 2-3 drops of liquid stevia extract

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Dash of cinnamon

• Pinch of sea salt

• 1/4 cup of water

Preparation:

• Pour 1/2 cup of chia seeds into a Mason jar.

• Blend coconut milk, water, cinnamon, vanilla, stevia and sea salt in a blender until well-incorporated (I’ve found adding everything, minus the seeds, to a blender is the best way to get a smooth consistency. Often, the coconut cream and water are separated, so it is best to blend them all together).

• Add the coconut milk mixture to the chia seeds. Stir until all seeds are incorporated (make sure to skim the seeds from the sides and the bottom of the jar).

• Allow seeds to sit for 30 minutes before consuming.

• Store in fridge in an air tight container for up to 1 week.