Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Chia Seed Vanilla Pudding


Let me first say that I definitely didn't come up with the recipe on my own. No, I browsed a number of blogs mentioning Chia seeds and puddings before ever embarking on my own experiments. I did some tweaking and came up with this 75 calorie snack.

Chia seeds are this magical food that everyone is talking about lately and I had no idea why... other than they are good for you. It turns out that Chia seeds have been around since the Aztecs who prized Chia seeds like gold. A good source of Omega-3 essential fatty acids, Chia seeds are also chock full of fiber and other nutrients.

Nutritional Information for 1 Tablespoon of Chia Seeds:
  • 40 Calories
  • 4 grams of fat (1g saturated fat, .25g monounsaturated fat, 2.75g polyunsaturated fat)
  • 5 grams of carbohydrates (5 grams of fiber: 1g soluble, 4g insoluble)
  • 2 grams of protein
  • 6 mg Vitamin C (10% DV)
  • 76 mg Calcium (8% DV)
  • 1.8mg Iron (10% DV)
  • 150mg Phosphorus (15% DV)
  • 38mg Magnesium (10% DV)
  • 85mg Potassium (2% DV)
  • 2,406mg Alpha Linolenic Acid (Omega-3 EFAs)
  • 792mg Linoleic Acid (Omega-6 EFAs)
  • 294mg Oleic Acid (Omega-9 EFAs)
Amazing stats, right? Why am I just now learning all of this. Chia seeds -- where have you been all my life????

Back to the pudding. What is cool about Chia seeds is that they also act as a thickening agent. When added to the almond milk, they become almost gelatinous with semi-crunchy beads throughout.

Uncovering Food's Chia Seed Vanilla Pudding
Serves One

3 ounces unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze
1.5 tbsp pure Chia Seeds
1/2 packet of a Stevia sweetener

Mix together and let sit chill for twenty minutes of up to 24 hours. It will continue to thicken overnight. I enjoy this as a dessert, a snack, or even as part of a morning meal.

Stats for the pudding: 75 calories, 8g fat, 10g fiber, 4g protein

11 comments:

Marisa @Loser for Life said...

I just found chia seeds, too! Do you find that they have a very slight peppery taste? I thought they should be flavorless, but I'm not sure how fresh my seeds were!

Angie's Recipes said...

Never had chia seeds...they look very interesting and intriguing.

hsullivan66 said...

Chia seeds have been around my life in the form of Chia pets:-)

Sounds good though with the Omega 3s - I'd prefer the seeds over fish oil pills.

Anonymous said...

This sounds delightful! I'll have to get some chia seeds very soon and try this!

Mom on the Run said...

Wow! What a great post! They added Chia Seeds to the crackers I buy and didn't really know what all the hype was about.

I am so intrigued I might have to make this pudding.

Lauren said...

this is the third chia post I've seen tonight! Guess I'll have to pick some of these babies up. The pudding looks great!

Kristin Pizzi said...

yum! Looks good! Thanks for sharing!

chrystad72 said...

Im loving the chia pudding!! ive only made chocolate so far but your vanilla recipe looks awesome!! its a must try! I love the crunch they add to foods. Sometimes I throw them in my yogurt or something just because I like crunchy things in my food! Thanks so much for sharing!!!

Anonymous said...

I have never had chia seeds before but this looks very tempting!! Thanks for the recipe!

Gera@SweetsFoodsBlog said...

No idea about chia seeds the Aztecs with chocolate and now these exceptional seeds!
A healthy 75 calorie snack and moreover - delicious - Perfect :)

Cheers,

Gera

Mo Diva said...

where has this been all my life????

Disclaimer:

I get asked by readers if I am being paid to push products. The simple answer is no. In fact, most of the products I write about are ones I have found and purchased during my trips to the grocery store or on the road. Occasionally, a company will send a sample my way and if I believe the product will serve a need for my readers and I would buy the product myself, then I will share it with you. Sometimes I will write to a company after reading about it, if I believe it will help us lead healthier lifestyles. But even then, if the product doesn't pass my scrutiny, it won't make the screen of Uncovering Food. You can trust that every product or recipe posted here has passed through my lips, and that I wouldn't blog about it if it wasn't worthy of you... my favorite readers.