One of my very favorite treats is so easy to make and even good for you – Dairy-Free Chia Seed Pudding! With just 69 calories in a tablespoon of chia seeds, a plethora of nutrients in this tiny little seed, and endless options regarding flavoring, what’s not to love?! The consistency can best be described as a comparison to tapioca pudding without the calories. This article will provide four dairy-free chia seed pudding recipes and options for many more varieties. Let’s get started with a little nutrition lesson on what makes chia seed pudding such an amazing snack!
I switched to a plant-based diet in my late 40s, completely vegan for about 7 years and now I’d say I’m mostly plant-based. We all have our reasons for changing our diet but mine had to do with hormones and menopause. If you are interested in this topic, check out the following article where I delve deeper:
Article: Can a Plant-Based Diet Minimize Your Menopause Symptoms?
Health Benefits of This Recipe
The recipes below call for 2 tablespoons of Chia Seeds. A sampling of the nutritional profile in just 2 tablespoons includes:
- Almost 10 grams of fiber
- 4.7 grams of protein
- 12 grams of carbs
- 9 grams of fat (of which 8 grams are heart-healthy
Chia seeds are also an excellent source of the following nutrients:
- Calcium
- Iron
- Magnesium
- Vitamin B1
- Vitamin B3
- Omega 3 fatty acids
- Antioxidants
They are relatively low-calorie, heart-healthy, fulfilling, and full of antioxidants. Again, what’s not to love?!
The Basic Dairy-Free Chia Seed Pudding Recipe
To make your own dairy-free chia seed pudding, start with this basic recipe. There is no limit to the number of variations that can be made from this starting point.
- 2 Tablespoons Chia Seeds.
- 1 Tablespoon Monk Fruit Sugar (0 Calories. You could use any sweetener, honey, maple syrup, or whatever you like).
- 1 Cup of Almond Milk (30 cal). You could substitute coconut or any other plant based option.
OPTIONAL: Two other ingredients you can add to just about any recipe are vanilla extract and cinnamon. They are not required but provide a little more flavor.
Tip: I have this 6-pack of Shelf stable Almond Milk on auto-delivery from Amazon every month. It’s much cheaper than buying it in the store (at least where I live) and I always have some in the cupboard on hand.
You can check out all My Favorite Health & Wellness products here.
Instructions
I’m not sure the instructions could be any easier for a recipe but here you go.
PRO TIP: Put all the dry ingredients in first, put the lid on, and shake it up to some awesome music!
Then add all the wet ingredients, mix it up really well (I use a 4-ounce mason jar), put it in the fridge for a couple of hours, and voila!
Other Recipes You Might Be Interested In
Vegan Chocolate Protein Smoothie
Flavors are Endless!
I’ve tried lots of different flavors. I’ll give you a few to get started but try whatever you have on hand or the flavors you (and your family) love best.
Chocolate Peanut Butter
Add to the basic recipe:
- 1 Tablespoon Cocao (or Chocolate flavoring of your choice)
- 1 Tablespoon PB Fit
Pumpkin Pie
- 2 Tablespoons Pumpkin puree
- Cinnamon
- Pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp pecans
Cherry Pie
- 2 Tablespoons pureed cherries (I get these fresh in season and then freeze them for smoothies). You could also use cherry pie filling but I think that has added sugar and other ingredients.
Banana
- 2 Tablespoons pureed bananas
As you can see by my options, all you need to do is add one or two tablespoons of whatever flavor you like and adjust accordingly. I have seen recipes for Carrot Cake, Coconut Cream Pie, and Apple – the options are endless!
I keep several 4-ounce jars of this pudding in my refrigerator at all times just in case I have some sort of sugar attack. Since I’m trying to lose weight these are a much better option than a 1/2 pint of ice cream or bag of chips. For the most part, all of my recipes come in under 250 calories per 4-ounce jar and I generally only eat half a jar to curb a craving.
Related Article: How I Lost 40 lbs: Weight Loss in Menopause
Try it out and let me know what you think!
Amazon Links to Products Listed in this Post (I am an affiliate)
You can find all my health-related products on my Amazon StoreFront in the Health and Wellness section or you can order them individually below.
Monk fruit sugar (I love this stuff! Measure the same as sugar, 0 calories, no insulin spike, and no gross after-taste)
Summary
As you can see, the varieties to make your own dairy-free chia seed pudding are absolutely endless! Basically, any flavor you love can be added to the basic recipe. You might also be interested in some of these other health and wellness articles:
