Chocolate Layered Chia Pudding

Chocolate pudding… my all-time favorite dessert as a kid, especially with a hefty helping of whipped cream on top. Now, my (and my kiddo’s) favorite dessert is a vegan, no-refined-sugar chocolate chia pudding with bananas and strawberries on top. I personally think it’s even more delicious than my previous pudding encounters… likely because it has waaaaay more health benefits.

I didn’t know much about chia seeds up until about a year ago… and I’m bummed I hadn’t discovered them sooner. They’re nutritional powerhouses that benefit you skin, heart and bones and may even play a role in preventing breast and cervical cancers, according to Dr. Josh Axe. Plus, they’re great to eat during pregnancy since they’re loaded with Omega-3s, which benefit baby’s brain development. The other cool thing about chia seeds is that they expand when mixed into a liquid… thus creating a pudding-like texture.

Enjoy this recipe as a dessert or even for breakfast if you so desire!

Chocolate Layered Chia Pudding

Ingredients (makes two 16 oz. mason jars):

• 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
• 1 can of light coconut milk
• 1/2 c. of chia seeds
• 1 tbsp. of pure maple syrup
• 4 tbsp. unsweetened cacao powder, divided
• 1/3 c. unsweetened chocolate chips (such as Lily’s dark chocolate baking chips)
• Slivered almonds, sliced bananas, berries and/or more chocolate chips as a topping

Directions:

Combine almond milk, coconut milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon of the cacao powder in a blender. Pour half of the mixture into one mason jar.

Add the remaining cacao powder to what’s left in the blender and blend again. In the other mason jar, alternate layering the dark chocolate mixture with the lighter chocolate mixture from the first mason jar. Repeat for the other mason jar. Seal and refrigerate overnight for best results.

And… any leftover pudding can go towards making our no-bake/paleo/vegan chocolate almond coconut pie next!

XO,

-P