V is for: Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

When it comes to breakfast, I’m generally an egg person,
with an emphasis on savory over sweet. To me, there’s nothing better than
cutting into a perfectly cooked sunny side up egg, and letting the yolk serve
as a delicious sauce for the rest of your breakfast plate.

That said, it’s good to change it up every now and again,
especially when you need a quick breakfast before flying out the door on your
way to work.

That’s why I’ve been enjoying this chia seed “pudding”
recently. You can make it the night before, and you can even make a double or
triple batch to have breakfast ready to go for the next couple days.

It also uses chia seeds, which are considered a superfood.
They are a great source of protein, fiber, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids and much, much more. They also
have this cool property in which they absorb liquid and serve as a thickening
agent, which makes them great for turning almond milk into pudding. (Or as a
binder for meatloaf!)

Start with your favorite almond milk. I recommend a cup per
serving, so adjust accordingly depending on how much you want to make. Add 3
tablespoons of chia seeds per cup of milk. I wanted to use some vanilla beans I
had in the cupboard, so if you are going this route, split the beans down the
middle and scrape out the insides into the bowl. After this, I just chucked the
whole pod into the almond milk to infuse even more vanilla flavor. (*if you
don’t have vanilla beans, you can use a teaspoon of vanilla extract per cup of
almond milk)

Stir or whisk everything together for about 30-60 seconds
and allow it to sit in the fridge for 20-30 minutes. Give it a few more stirs,
then remove vanilla bean pods and pour into individual serving bowls. Cover
each bowl with plastic wrap and leave in the fridge overnight. 

(And don’t be too sad when your photo turns up blurry.)

When ready to eat, top with berries and/or nuts and enjoy!
(If serving to guests, a sprig of mint is a nice garnish as well).

The consistency is sort of similar to that of tapioca
pudding, so if you’re not a fan of that texture, you may want to steer clear.
Otherwise, enjoy this super easy, super healthy, superfood breakfast!