This Vanilla Chia Pudding makes for a quick light breakfast on the go. Gluten free and can be made vegan by simply using non-dairy milk substitute and maple syrup instead of honey. Add toppings of your choice, from fresh or dried fruits, nuts, coconut chips and granola.

I used to travel a lot for work, it was tiring but sometimes fun as it gave me the opportunity to see other places and experience their culture and food even for just awhile. But despite the fun and excitement,  I still cannot helped myself but miss home. I miss my own bed, I miss the convenience of going to places by simply walking, I miss my usual routine which means my routine of making home cook meals , preparing my own breakfast and being able to choose and make healthy option meals for myself. Don’t get me wrong, there are already a lot of healthy option meals available in restaurant, but traveling makes me sometimes break my rules of healthy eating.

My eating habit changed when I travel,  and I wanted so much to try different food in the short time that I have. But, I try my best to make healthy choices whenever I can. In my last trip, I ate nothing but oatmeal and banana every breakfast and I really don’t mind. It wasn’t that hard because all other food in the buffet doesn’t really appeal to me and I have to say their oatmeal taste amazing, and the toppings are among my favorite (granola, brown sugar, candied pecans, and coconut flakes).

Whenever I came back home, I am back into my trays of roasted vegetables, apple chips, grilled salmon and bowl of mix green salad again, which I absolutely love. For breakfast, I like making my own oatmeal at home, and recently some chia pudding as well for mid day snack, just something to keep me going before I have my lunch. This vanilla chia pudding is very simple and easy, consider it like a blank canvass, as start of something delicious. Use this as a base recipe and create your own variation. Addsome cocoa powder to make it chocolate chia pudding, or few teaspoon of matcha powder for a nice matcha chia pudding.

This recipe uses very few ingredients, and the chia seed was the star of the recipe. So I thought I’d share with you little interesting facts about chia seed. Here is goes.

What is Chia Seed? 

Chia seeds are tiny black seeds from the plant Salvia hispanica, which is related to the mint. Chia seeds were an important food for the Aztecs and Mayans back in the day. They prized them for their ability to provide sustainable energy. In fact, “chia” is the ancient Mayan word for “strength.” Despite their ancient history as a dietary staple, chia seeds became recognized as a modern-day super-food only recently. In the past few years, they have exploded in popularity and are now consumed by health conscious people all over the world. Don’t be fooled by the size — these tiny seeds pack a powerful nutritional punch.

Benefits of Chia Seed

• Chia Seeds Deliver a Massive Amount of Nutrients With Very Few Calories
• Chia Seeds Are Loaded With Antioxidants
• Almost All the Carbs in Them Are Fiber
• Chia Seeds Are High in Quality Protein
• The High Fiber and Protein Content in Chia Seeds May Help You Lose Weight
• Chia Seeds Are High in Omega-3 Fatty Acids
• Chia Seeds May Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease
• They’re High in Many Important Bone Nutrients
• Chia Seeds May Reduce Blood Sugar Levels
•  They May Reduce Chronic Inflammation
• Chia Seeds Are Easy to Incorporate Into Your Diet

Source: Healthline.com

The toppings are all up to you. I used fresh strawberry and blueberry and sprinkle of toasted coconut flakes. This recipe is super easy, healthy and delicious. Give it a try, and let me know how it goes. Let’s get started!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Milk ( Any kind of milk will work)
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2 tablespoon Chia Seed
• 1-2 tablespoon Honey (Can be substituted with Maple Syrup or any sweeter you like)
• pinch of Salt
• toppings : Dried fruits, nuts, coconut flakes, banana, etc.

For a larger serving portion, simply double the ingredients except for the sweetener. Add the sweetener gradually so you can adjust the sweetness.

Instructions:

1. Pour milk in a mason jar or any jar with lid. Add chia seed, vanilla extract and sweetener. Stir and leave at least 2 hours or overnight in the fridge.
2. Stir and taste for sweetness and adjust sweetness as desired. Transfer in a serving cup and garnish with desired toppings. I used Strawberry, Blueberry and Coconut flakes.

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