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Secret Ingredient Chocolate Pudding

September 10, 2014   37 Comments

Do you have people bugging you to try new things? I get many e-mails from readers that tell me that I am missing out.

Chia Chocolate Pudding

The latest onslaught of reader demands has been about chia seeds. Have I tried them? No, I haven’t because they remind me of this:

Ch…Ch…Chuh…..Chia!!! Chia pets!

Do I look like I want to eat a chia pet?

Then someone pointed out that one tablespoon of chia seeds has more calcium than a glass of milk, more Omega-3s than Salmon, and more antioxidants than blueberries.

Okay, maybe I should give them a try. I decided to go with chocolate pudding because the idea of eating chia seeds was so repugnant. Chia seeds are great as a thickening agent so you don’t have to cook the milk to get the right pudding consistency.

It is rare to find a tasty pudding that is high in calcium, iron, fiber, manganese, magnesium, selenium, and vitamin B6.

Jello can’t touch this.

My husband thought this was a bit grainy – probably because our blender isn’t a Vitamix and didn’t pulverize the seeds enough.

My kids did not like it – but I did! This had a deep chocolate flavor and nice texture. Also, I didn’t need a large serving to feel satisfied as it is quite thick.

Use high quality cocoa powder if you have it.

You can find chia seeds in the natural foods section of your grocery store and they are not cheap - a small bag set me back $7. Any seed product is high in price because they are so hard to harvest. Think about them as an investment in your health.

Have you tried chia seeds? What do you use them in?

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding Recipe

1.8 from 25 reviews

Makes 4 – ¼ cup puddings

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Ingredients

3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons brown sugar
¼ cup chia seeds
1 cup milk (whatever you like – I used 2% cow’s milk)

Instructions

Blend cocoa powder, sugar, chia seeds, and milk in a blender for 5 minutes until chia seeds are pulverized. Pour into small ramekins and place in refrigerator.

Chill for 30-60 minutes and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts

94 calories, 4.3 g fat, 1.3 g saturated fat, 14.8 g carbohydrates, 9.4 g sugar, 4.2 g protein, 3.7 g fiber, 31 mg sodium, 3 Points+

Points values are calculated by Snack Girl and are provided for information only. See all Snack Girl Recipes

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37 Comments:

I'm going to try this! But I think I'll try putting the seeds in my coffee grinder to get them pulverized.

I put chia seed in my oatmeal every morning and don't notice a grainy taste. I also buy them at Costco. Good savings.

I love chia! I use them in smoothies and refrigerated oatmeal. I've also made jam with them...2 cups of strawberries or blueberries (or raspberries, whatever) 2T done sweetener, blend and chill. Delicious!

They upset my stomach! Anyone else have that problem?

I use chia seeds on top of yogurt with blueberries for breakfast. But if you don't want the seed taste then mix your seeds, or pulverized seeds with some water to make a gel first. In the pudding recipe, maybe try pulverizing first then adding to some of the cold milk to make it jell first before adding the rest? I add the seeds, or gel it first, to all my baked goods too......muffins, pancakes, coffeecake, brownies, cakes, etc. (1-2 TB in a cake mix) Experiment with it! You will not even notice they are there!

I drink them like a tea. A lot easier without the grain taste to my food, same benefits. Taste great with raw honey.

I, also, use my coffee grinder to to grind the chia seeds, flax seeds too. I'm going to try this recipe.

I've used chia seeds in various baking endeavours - added to pancakes, banana bread, etc. - and I also recently tried them in a pudding recipe. I recently made up a big batch of granola, and added them to that, too. Always yields great results. I also bought a big bag of organic chia seeds at Costco, too.

Seriously? 1/4 cup is 94 calories? 1/4 cup? I'm sorry but this recipe is a bust! Who of us is going to only eat 1/4 cup? SMH....

As with flax seed, do they have to be ground to reap their benefits?

I use chia seeds in oatmeal, waffles, pancakes, and muffins. I also throw in some flax seed. One blueberry muffin with these two boosters keeps me satisfied longer than eggs!

I love Chia seeds and buy them online in 5 pound packages! I have used them in meatballs instead of using eggs. I just mix them with some water and let the mixture thicken a bit. Or you can check out the recipe here on egg substitute. I haven't tried it in cookies but I think I will today and see it they hold together. http://www.foodrenegade.com/how-make-egg-substitute-chia-se…

I'm ashamed to say I haven't tried chia seeds despite all the health claims. So now I'll make sure to do so, with all these great ideas on how to use them. I love pudding now and then and this recipe sounds easy [however, I'll use coconut palm sugar and a few drops of stevia leaf extract cuz I quit buying white processed type over 2yrs ago --and no one misses it].

As for portion size, I think 1/2 cup is small enough--think single serve applesauce containers which are 1/2 cup--don't you think that is more realistic?

The serving size is small but the texture is very thick. You may only need a few spoonfuls to feel satisfied. If you double it - you are still doing great with a 188 calorie dessert (versus most desserts which are in the 400-500 calorie range and lack the nutritional bang).

Thanks for your thoughts and questions!

I've only tried one recipe with chia seeds, and I really like it - you keep them whole & they add a little crunch, but the milk & yogurt soften them up overnight - it is 1/2 c plain greek yogurt _ 1/4 c milk + 1/2 c oatmeal + 1 TB chia seeds + 1 TB honey (or less) + 1/2 tsp almond (or other flavoring) + 1/2 c. fruit (I've used blueberries, raspberries, mangoes - their all good.) - Mix it up & put it in 2 containers and refrigerate for breakfast or snacks.

This is great! I never thought to use chia seeds in pudding. They are also full of protein at 4 grams per ounce.

The story I best remember is about Native Americans carrying chia seeds in a pouch so they could just reach in and eat them as they were long distance running from point A to Point B. Chia is the Mayan word for "strength" and the plant is native to South America.

Chia seeds are high in calcium and magnesium and low in carbs. Just right for diabetics.

They can be sprinkled on yogurt, ice cream, soups, just about anything because they flavor is very mild.

Thanks! I have only been putting them in my salads so I needed a new way to consume them. Once again....you ROCK!

I like to put some on an open faced peanut butter sandwich for a little crunch and extra fiber.

Thanks Snack Girl and all other posts, I will now look for the seeds the next time I shop, with all these great ideas to experiment with I'm eager to try them.

I love chia seeds and I love chocolate pudding. I think I am going to really love this recipe. :D

I put whole Chia seeds in my plain Greek nonfat yogurt along with cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Delicious!

Thanks to you all for your great Ideas, I have often thought how good is the Chia seed, I have seen them in my Pharmacy but have wondered which is better Prepacked or are the Chia seeds available fresh from our local grocer? Also can anybody shed some light on Stevia as a alternative to sugar in my Coffee and Tea and baking needs. I am from Perth WA Australia so may be some things are available in a different format. Mal. :-)

They make an awesome brittle! Substitute them for nuts, yumo. I added them to everything while i was pregnant, way more appetizing thanfish

My family, including myself, are pretty fussy. What do chia seeds TASTE like? Do they taste like a nut? Or like an oatmeal? I'm guessing they don't taste like chicken... LOL!

Ha Ha Ha !! :-) Would you like Fries with that? LOL.

I made this, last night. It didn't come out thick at all. I've let it set in refrig. over night and still not very thick. Does grinding them make it so they don't thicken?

@Mary - are you expecting it to get as thick as Jello? I found that it thickened the pudding but it wasn't super thick. It was like a slightly melted soft ice cream. I am sorry it didn't match your expectation.

chia seeds are fantastic! i don't ever compare them to the pet part of the equation; they are so good in so many edible

apps. use them in (1-2 T. in overnite oats in a jar) no flaxseeds or yogurt needed...check the web...many great recipes. egg replacer in select recipes. they do soften with

liquid added to them and you shouldn't have any 'crunch' factor once set...they are found @WF or nuts.com in black or white seeds, so will disappear in oats but the black seeds can be easily used in choc brownies....cake, etc.! great superfood.

I love chia seeds! I discovered them about two years ago . I put them in my smoothies, omelets, & yogurt. I can't wait to try this pudding recipe ... so healthy! :))

You can buy "Ground Chia Seeds', made by Spectrum Essentials. They are already finely ground and don't have that gel like texture as much as the regular chia seeds to.

Made this this morning....came out great! Used my bullit machine and just kept it all in the taller 'mug' and will take spoonfuls of it as i feel like! Thanks for a WINNER combo!!!

Would it be Ok to use "Stevia" instead of the Brown Sugar in the Chocolate pudding recipe does any body know or tried? :-)

Costco just had them when I was there 2 weeks ago. They had a 48oz. bag and it was around $12. That is the best price I have found yet for that amount. Just wanted to pass along the info....I love them and add them to my greek yogurt every morning. Love your posts Lisa! You rock Chickie!

I can't wait to try this! If you want another delicious recipe for chocolate pudding, you should try avocado chocolate pudding--it sounds strange, but it's surprisingly rich and delectable. All you need is some ripe avocado, cocoa powder, and agave! (Maybe a little milk for consistency)

Can't wait to try it! Will use my nutribullet to get "rid" of grainy texture and try unsweetened almond or coconut milk (30 cal/cup) and stevia or monk fruit to sweeten so I can eat more without increasing the 3 points plus value! LOL :)

I don't know why I've been craving chocolate pudding lately! I've been wondering about how healthy, non-dairy, and with minimal sweetener it could be and still be delicious. So I remembered this post and checked out a chia recipe on-line that looked thick, healthy, and lo-cal. Actually I read quite a few recipes to get a handle on chia/milk ratio. This recipe I found required just a jar and took 3 minutes to prepare plus overnight to congeal. I only added 1/2 tsp coconut extract because choc-coconut is a personal favorite of mine. This morning I tried it and the taste was awesome, but not thick enough. Its ok-will not down the drain, will use as topping on fruit with granola.

Monday I'm going to up the chia seeds to 1/3 cup to 1 cup milk and try again. The health benefits are too great to give up on this superfood!

Thank you Lisa for your test kitchen--its so helpful!

http://ifoodreal.com/chocolate-chia-pudding-recipe/

I_Fortuna, Hi! Thank you for the nutrition info on chocolate; I always enjoy your comments and your experience and knowledge about diabetes. With chocolate nutrition PLUS chia nutrition I feel positively compelled to include chocolate pudding in my weekly rotation for either dessert, snack or breakfast! Here is an article on some benefits I found on chia, my new favorite staple:

http://authoritynutrition.com/11-proven-health-benefits-of-…

Thank you Barb L. I enjoyed the chia article also. We are on our way to better health!

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