My name is Christina, and I have texture issues. Phew! It feels good to get that off my chest. My texture issues usually stem from creamy things–more specifically: creamy things thickened with eggs. All of the homemade pudding I consume is double strained because if oh-my-god if I get one of those gelatinized egg pieces, I can’t eat the rest of the day. So, you better believe that I double-strain my banana pudding, and chocolate pudding. I have a delicate relationship with flan (each bite must be thoroughly inspected for lumps). While you would think creme brûlée would give me the willies, not-so-surprisingly, with enough heavy cream, everything is delicious. I shouldn’t confess how many times a month I make my creme brûlée in the crock pot.
What’s the chia pudding ratio?
All this to say: I have avoided chia pudding for all of these reasons. But, the internet has pummeled my eyeballs with so many images of chia pudding that I just had to try it. And worst case scenario, I would toss it in the blender for 5 hours to eliminate all lumps. My chia pudding is super thick, almost like cheesecake. I like it like that, because my name is Christina and I have texture—ok ok, we’ve been there before. However, if you want a thinner pudding similar to tapioca, add 1-2 tablespoons of regular milk to thin it out, k? For me, the perfect chia pudding ratio is 3 tablespoons of chia seeds to 1 cup of liquid. Let the mixture do its thing for 5 minutes, and stir–thin it out with milk just before serving if you wish.
Chia seed baby food ideas:
I forged on, mainly making this for baby, but if Mama enjoyed a spoonful, it wouldn’t be too bad. Camille is in that stage where she wants to eat everything I’m eating. She pulled a Castelvetrano olive off my plate and never looked back. Yesterday, I was munching on cucumber sticks doused in vinegar and cayenne (did you know I’m Czech?), and she had to have a bite. Lacking teeth, she sucked the vinegar off and asked for more. So, I just knew if Mama and Bebe sat down together and each had a pretty jar of chia pudding, there would be lots of smiles and many smears of pudding. These are the cute jars in the photo. Chia seeds are super healthy for us, and are especially beneficial for babies over 8 months old. I wouldn’t give them to a baby that has swallowing issues or texture issues, as they can be thick and slimy for a young eater. But if your babe is gobbling down all sorts of foods, take the opportunity to get some healthy fiber and omegas in her gut with chia!
Chia pudding keto
One thing I really love about this recipe is that since we start with 1 cup of chopped mango and use it all in the top and bottom layers of the pudding, we each get a ½ cup serving of fruit. One serving down for today, 4 more to go! If you want to make this chia pudding keto friendly, then substitute your desired sweetener instead of the maple syrup. Stevia readily dissolves with some heavy whisking. Speaking of, have you seen my collection of keto recipes for two?
Chia pudding with coconut milk:
This part is for my Mom: you probably think this recipe is weird, Mom. I get it. But go to the bulk section of Whole Foods (the same place you bought quinoa for Camille last week), and find chia seeds. Yes, they’re the same as chia pets. Moving on, you only need 3 tablespoons from the bulk bin. Don’t buy any more than that because if you hate it, you’ll have leftovers. Also while you’re there, grab another can of the full-fat coconut milk that Camille likes. And finally: I really do think you’ll like this, especially since you like tapioca pudding. It’s much healthier, because chia seeds have omega 3’s. Try it! If I can convince you to eat Ezekiel bread and drink green smoothies, chia pudding really isn’t that much weirder. Trust me? Love you!
*To make this keto-friendly, sub your favorite sweetener for the maple syrup. Easy!
