shake-n-go chia pudding recipe and contest winner

Strawberry Shake-n-Go Chia Pudding

Chia pudding is all the rage these days. The consistency reminds me of the tapioca pudding that my Babci (grandma) and Cioci (aunt) Regina made when I was a kid. But unlike starchy tapoica, which is made from cassava root, tiny chia seeds are nutritional powerhouses – rich in omega-3 fatty acids, protein and fiber.

Sometimes, we buy into the myth that making healthy foods is time-consuming. This 2-minute recipe [5 minutes, if you're adding pureed fruit] kicks that myth on its ass. Talk about fast food! This dessert is perfect for busy folks, and it's so easy that even young kids can make it successfully. 

You simply pour toss all the ingredients into a mason jar or airtight tupperware container, give it a shake, and a few hours later: voilà –  a tasty, healthful dessert magically appears. Lately, I've been assembling the pudding in a Tupperware bowl with a screw-on lid just before work. By the time lunchtime rolls around, my thick and tasty treat is ready. This recipe is modular. You can use fruit – or not. You can use any kind of non-dairy milk you like: soy, hemp, coconut, chocolate-almond, etc. Sweeten it up with agave nectar, maple syrup, rice syrup or date sugar. You get the idea. Each combination yields an entirely different result. For the chia pudding shown, I used organic strawberries and unsweetened flax milk with stevia. Here are the proportions and directions. The resulting pudding is fairly thick. If you like a thinner consistency, add about 1/4 cup more milk.

Contest Winner
Before I give you the recipe, it's time to announce the winner of Nava Atlas' newest book, Wild About Greens. The winner is...drumroll!....Rebecca! Congratulations, girl. Please email me with your address.

Put everything in a container and shake-shake-shake!

Shake-N-Go Chia Pudding

• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 cup non-dairy milk
• Sweetener of choice, to taste (eg, stevia, agave nectar, maple syrup, sugar, molasses)

Optional additions:

• 1/4-1/2 cup of fresh fruit (optional)*
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Cocoa or cacao powder 
• Coconut flakes
• Splash of vanilla or other favorite extract (eg, coconut, orange, maple)

Makes 4 small or 2 regular servings

In a few hours, your pudding will magically thicken.

Place everything in a mason jar or tightly lidded plastic container, and shake-shake-shake your groove thing for about 1 minute. If using fresh fruit, puree it in the blender or a food processor with the milk before shaking. Place in the refrigerator and let it sit for about 2 hours. Eat within 3 days. [Like this recipe? You might also want to try my recipe for Mexican-Chocolate Raw Chia Pudding.]

Speaking of my Cioci Regina...
We just celebrated her 90th birthday last weekend. (The not-vegan cake says "Happy Birthday Cioci.") Just look at her – barely a wrinkle! Luckily, she lives in a house directly behind my sister and is always surrounded by family and friends. She gardens. She cooks. She cleans the house. She watches "Dancing With the Stars." She goes shopping and out to eat. When I told her she didn't look 90, she laughed and said "I guess the kids keep me young."

My Aunt Regina apparently does not age! That's my great nephew, Aiden, blowing out the candles.