Wednesday, September 07, 2011

mexican-chocolate
raw chia pudding

I think Frida would approve of raw chia pudding

While attending the VidaVegan Conference, non-raw vegans like me were intrigued by – and came to love – the raw chia pudding that graced our daily breakfast buffet. Its subtle sweetness and gooey consistency imparted the same satisfying comfort as the tapioca pudding my Babci [grandma] made for me as a kid. So of course, I had to recreate it at home. Amber of Almost Vegan kindly tweeted me some inspiration – the base recipe for raw chia pudding: 2 T chia seeds and 1 cup of almond milk.

When I gave my food writing makeover seminar at the conference, I had challenged bloggers to infuse their writing with their own distinct personality and style and to invent new words if they can't find the right ones. The same is true of recipes, mine or anyone else's; recipes are not rules – they are merely starting blocks. Food, like language, is fluid, continually evolving and changing.

What is my personality? Curious, loud and opinionated. Drawn to colorful people, places, clothes and flavors. That said, although the quiet flavor of basic chia pudding pleased me, my personality itched to impart the base with "louder" flavors, like chocolate and cinnamon. And so, another recipe was born. Take it where you will...

Mexican-Chocolate Raw Chia Pudding

  • 1 T agave nectar, or to taste
  • 1 T raw cacao powder [or cocoa,  if you're not aiming for 100% raw]
  • 1 cup raw almond milk [any nut milk will do]
  • Seeds from 1 vanilla bean [or 1 tsp vanilla extract, if you're not aiming for 100% raw]
  • 2 T chia seeds, white or black
  • Pinch salt
  • Coconut meat slice, cacao powder or fresh fruit [eg, raspberries or thin orange slices] for garnish
Serves 2 

Whisk agave nectar and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl.

Whisk in almond milk and vanilla, then add the chia seeds. Whisk until blended and the seeds are separated.

Taste. Adjust seasonings and sweetness. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight. Spoon into bowls and top with your garnish of choice




14 comments:

JL goes Vegan said...

Mmm, I like your take on the chia pudding.

Millie said...

Yummy!!!!

foodfeud said...

Great combinations. I try to eat high raw but I have yet to make full on chia pudding. This sounds delicious,I wonder where else it can go...

Chef Amber Shea said...

I'm glad you made yourself some chia pudding! And I love the Mexican chocolate flair, yum.

JESSY said...

Mmmm I love chia pudding. Just found your blog and love it! :) Check out mine and "follow" if you like it! :) Thanks!

Theresa said...

Ooh, we discovered chia pudding last week, and I can see how a chocolate version would be pretty fab.

Weber Grill Recipes said...

What a yummy chia pudding! Love it :)

Vegan Miam said...

Oh that looks glorious. I love that type of dessert. Nicely done!

xx

MeloMeals said...

Oh yum! I love chia pudding... and this looks really great.

MizShrew said...

This sounds great, and I really want to try this stuff, but I'm a little confused on the chia-to-milk proportions: your recipe has 2T to 1 cup, another I saw has 1/4 cup (4T) to 1 cup, and Choosing Raw has it at about 1/2 cup to 1 cup. The last appears to take only 30 minutes or so, others list overnight soaking, and so on. Are there different chia seeds that require different proportions, or is it just a matter of how thick you want the pudding and/or how long you have to soak the seeds?

Also, while all the recipes call for almond milk (I'm assuming because it's more raw-friendly) if I have rice milk on hand will that work as a sub (understanding that it's no longer raw at that point?)

Thanks for the great insights and recipes!

Babette said...

I love chia seed pudding.. I discovered it just a few weeks ago and I make different versions. Sometimes I include cinnamon because it's rich in iron... I bet it'd be good too with raisins, soaked overnight.

MizShrew said...

Now that I've tried a variation of the recipe, I think your proportions are the best -- it does seem to be a matter of soaking time, mostly. Yummy breakfast, I'll be doing this again. Thank you!

Anyway, disregard my previous question...

James said...

This is absolutely delicious! We were a little skeptical at first (chia seeds? really?) but then we ate it... AAAAAAHHH! Amazing! Thank you for the recipe :)

sarahyoga said...

What is the shelf life on this pudding?