Over Oatmeal? Try Chia Pudding!

I am SO OVER oatmeal!  DONE!  I've been eating oatmeal (more specifically, "overnight oats") for about 6 months; Monday through Friday.  Oatmeal is healthy and budget friendly, but I can't stomach another bit of it.  So I've been looking at some easy and budget friendly alternatives to replace oatmeal.  In case you haven't read the previous posts on my eating habits, I do not like a lot of fuss when it comes to food.  I am not a fan of cooking or foods which involve too much preparation.  I like to have my breakfast ready and accessible so I can take it to work, no problem, that's why overnight oats were so convenient because you just basically "set it and forget it".

I heard of "chia pudding" before but never really gave it much thought.  I've had chia seeds in my oatmeal and in shakes, but never considered the pudding.  Chia pudding is so easy to make.  Chia seeds are much more expensive than oatmeal but are so worth it!  They are so nutritious.  If you haven't heard of chia seeds before, you need to get on it!  Ask the wise Google about them.

I basically prepare them just like I would overnight oats.  It takes me about two minutes to prepare. All you need is:

• Chia seeds (you can find them at any health food store; Wholefoods, Sprouts, Trader Joe's, etc...)
• A liquid of choice (milk, for example)
• A sweetener of choice
• Any other flavors you'd like to add
• And any toppings you'd like

You can pretty much prepare and eat the pudding however you want!

I like mine with unsweetened, vanilla coconut milk, agave nectar (or honey), and cinnamon. I make a big batch to last me about 3 days (I put it in one medium-sized Mason jar), and scoop a bit out every morning for breakfast.  To prepare it, I fill my mason jar with one quarter of Chia seeds and 3 quarters of liquid (in my case, coconut milk); so the ratio I use is 1 part chia to 3 parts liquid.  Less liquid will make it much thicker, so it's up to you how you like it.  When you're preparing it, add the ingredients you need to make it taste the way you want it to.  Chia pudding is very similar to oatmeal in that it'll take the taste of whatever you put in it.  I'll add agave or honey to sweeten, as well as cinnamon.  I then mix it all together and taste a bit to see how it'll come out. Once I'm satisfied, I'll cover my jar and place it in the fridge.

The next morning...

When I'm ready to eat it I'll add something crunchy, like granola, almonds, sunflower seeds, and dried fruit.  Sometimes I'll even add Greek yogurt.  Chia pudding on its own has the consistency of tapioca or rice pudding; it's very mushy.  I like a little crunch to go with it.

Voila!

Like oatmeal, chia pudding is very versatile.  I also like how it looks; I imagine myself eating caviar when I'm eating it.  Have fun with your food!  I am gonna stick with this for a while and try to switch up the toppings.  Since the summer is coming up, maybe I'll try adding some frozen mango chunks (YUM!).

Have you tried chia pudding before?  If so how do you eat it?

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