I was a bit late to the chia party, but once I discovered these amazing tiny seeds and their many health benefits there was no looking back! I love adding them to all sorts of things, especially my smoothies and granola.

If you are not familiar with chia seeds this superfood has lots of incredible benefits in the diet. Besides being full of fibre, protein and antioxidants they are also very high in Omega 3 fatty acids. Gram for gram they are one of the most nutritious foods in the world. What is interesting about chia seeds too is their ability to absorb large amounts of liquid, causing them to swell. In this way they have the ability to thicken liquids and this is the principle we are using in this vanilla chia pudding.

We call this a pudding, but let’s be honest – it is something you could enjoy at any time of the day. Yep, you can have pudding for breakfast… how cool is that? Prepare it in the evening (it only take a few minutes to whisk everything together), pop it in the fridge overnight and you will have a tasty breakfast or snack waiting for you in the morning. If you know you have a busy morning coming up simply pop the mixture in a mason jar and grab it as you head out the door for a delicious meal on the go. So how do you make this chia pudding? Keep reading!

One of the things that I think put me off making chia pudding while the craze was exploding around the world was the texture. Let’s be honest, it does look a bit funky. But after using chia seeds in my smoothies I got used to it very quickly and I really like it now! Don’t forget to dress your chia pudding up with some tasty toppings – my favourite is a sprinkling of cinnamon. Give it a try, your body will thank you!

I made this easy chia pudding on the Expresso Show last month, you can check out the video below:

Cook’s notes:

• If you notice after an hour or two that the chia seeds have clumped together at the bottom or top (or both) give the pudding a quick mix with a teaspoon to disperse the seeds evenly.
• Make a vegan / dairy-free chia pudding by using almond milk instead of cow’s milk.
• I find this chia pudding ratio of seeds to liquid gives just the right texture. Add more chia seeds for a thicker pudding or less for a thinner one.