About a year ago, we were preparing chia pudding on set for one of our TV appearances and we poured the chia seeds out of the container and into a bowl and added a little bit of almond milk. A few minutes later, the food stylist who had purchased the chia seeds for our nutrition segment came over to us and was in a panic—she thought that the chia seeds disappeared. She had never seen how chia seeds swell when you add liquid and at first she looked horrified by unidentifiable the gelatinous mixture in front of her, but when we explained that what she was looking at was the chia seeds and their benefits her face quickly changed as she became fascinated with the mighty little seeds, and with good reason.! As registered dietitians, a lot of our clients ask about chia and wonder why we recommend it.
So, why is chia so cool?
For starters, they absorb about 10 times their weight in water (wowzers!), so they turn into a thick gel-like texture, which is perfect for pudding making—not to mention, this is also perfect for helping you to feel satisfied. Think…that same thing happens in your stomach—the seeds swell and fill you up!
They’re also rich in Omega 3 fatty acids– and also in fiber and protein which is the magical combination when it comes to providing satiety. And chia seeds are packed with antioxidants to prevent cell damage from free-radicals that can lead to diseases like cancer.
In honor of our love of chia seeds as well as our cravings for a little something sweet, we created this Strawberry Banana Chia Pudding. This pudding is hits the spot–it’s deliciously sweet and packs in nutrients. Add a hard-boiled egg and you have the perfect grab and go breakfast!
(Pssst… looking for more healthy recipes? Please feel free to search this site! And here are a few to start:
- Chocolate Chip Banana & Zucchini Muffins
- Ginger-nana Pineapple Smoothie
- Skinny Chicken Pot Pie
- Green Lentil Soup
- Lime Shrimp with Coconut Rice
This strawberry banana chia pudding is so simple to make. Toss all of the ingredients into a food processor or blender, allow to chill overnight, top with a few banana slices, more berries or enjoy the pudding toppingless and voila! If you’re like us and sometimes want a touch of something sweet after dinner, take a few bites of this! We keep it in our fridge and take a few bites if we get a sweet craving—it works like a charm!
Strawberry Banana Chia Pudding
Makes 3 Servings
Ingredients:
- 2 ripe bananas, peeled
- 2 cups fresh or thawed (if frozen) strawberries
- 2 Tbsp almond milk
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup (or sweeten to taste)
- 1 Tbsp flax meal
- 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
Directions:
- Put the bananas, strawberries, and almond milk in a food processor and mix until combined. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender and blend until smooth. Add the maple syrup and adjust sweetness if desired.
- Add the chia seeds, flax meal and cinnamon and pulse until combined.
- Place the chia pudding into 3 or 4 serving dishes and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight before serving. Garnish with more berries and a few banana slices.
Nutrition Information per serving
- Calories 170, Total Fat 3.5 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium 9 mg, Potassium 506 mg, Carbohydrates 33 g, Fiber 8.3 g, Sugar 19 g, Protein 4 g
- 2 ripe bananas, peeled
- 2 cups fresh or thawed (if frozen) strawberries
- 2 Tbsp almond milk
- 2 Tbsp chia seeds
- 1 Tbsp maple syrup (or sweeten to taste)
- 1 Tbsp flax meal
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
- Put the bananas, strawberries, and almond milk in a food processor and mix until combined. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender and blend until smooth. Add the maple syrup and adjust sweetness if desired.
- Add the chia seeds, flax meal and cinnamon and pulse until combined.
- Place the chia pudding into 3 or 4 serving dishes and chill for at least 2 hours or overnight before serving. Garnish with more berries and a few banana slices.
