Simple solutions to fit Real Life

How many times have you looked at a picture in a recipe book, drooled, bought the entire book just for that one recipe that promised to taste great and give you oodles of nutrients, only to find a flavorless mound of (what exactly is this??) in your mouth?

I’m looking at you cauliflower purée that tried too hard to be alfredo sauce.

I’ve tried “muffins” that weren’t muffins; “burgers” that weren’t burgers; “nacho cheese” that wasn’t nacho cheese. And I’ve decided that I do not like food that is pretending to be other food. My brain does not appreciate these tricky games and as such it has warned my taste buds to reject all things that are not what they claim to be.

Enter chia pudding.

I resisted. Ohhhh boy did I resist.

I know what pudding tastes like, and it most certainly cannot be replicated by these little black balls that form a gelatinous coating (what even is this?!) when soaked in a liquid. Don’t tempt me with fruit toppings and innumerable options for customization! I will not be bought by reviews in the thousands of people claiming “it’s pretty good! (Two thumbs up)”

But I was sucked in when I heard chia is in the top ten of anti-inflammatory agents by researchers and because I’m allllll about living that fire-free life, I bought a bag. I committed to an entire bag of chia seeds. Not a difficult commitment, really. Number one: we already use them in a blend with flax and hemp seeds in our oatmeal so even if I found the pudding totally gross and disgusting they wouldn’t go to waste, and number two: it’s been decades since I’ve grown a Chia Pet, so if pudding fails I can find something to smear them on and grow a cute little sprout ball.

Let’s just say, I’m living that chia life now. And although nothing ever in this world will recreate the magic of Snack Pack pudding, chia pudding is a pretty good alternative that can fool even the most finicky of taste buds like mine. And the best part is that you can customize the pants off of it! You like chocolate pudding? Add a scoop of cocoa powder. Vanilla pudding? You guessed it, a splash of vanilla extract. And the sky is the limit when it comes to toppings, for cryin’ out loud.

The recipe

1. Put two tablespoons of chia into a container.
2. Add at least a half cup of your liquid of choice (I use kefir for those yummy probiotics my gut loooooves, but you can use almond milk, regular milk, etc.)
3. Stir in any pudding flavors like vanilla, chocolate powder, cinnamon, etc.
4. Cover and let it set overnight in the fridge.
5. Top it and enjoy it.

Don’t be scared. At best, chia pudding can be a good addition to your healthy meal and snack options; at worst, you can look for ways to incorporate it into foods where you won’t notice. Regardless, it’s a great idea to work chia into your diet one way or another. Your gut will thank you.