Chia Seed Chocolate Pudding

Chia Seed Chocolate Pudding

September 9, 2015   18 Comments

About a year ago, I wondered why anyone would use Chia seeds for anything.

I was anti-Chia because of the name. I know that sounds terrible – being prejudiced against something because it has a funny name – but like many things we have to get used to (Barack Hussein Obama anyone?) it is best we put aside our superficial judgments and give new things a try.

One tablespoon of chia seeds has more calcium than a glass of milk, more Omega-3s than Salmon, and more antioxidants than blueberries.

I decided to go with chocolate pudding because who doesn’t like pudding? 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 full as it is quite thick. My friend Mary’s kids are fans – perhaps she did a better job making the recipe.

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?

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Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding Recipe

Makes 4 – ¼ cup puddings

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

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!

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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18 Comments:

Looks so good...& easy to "veganize!" If there is an Ocean State Job Lot in your area, they have chia seeds at great prices! Thanks for posting this recipe :-)

on September 9, 2015

Chia seeds were easy to incorporate into our diet. We use them on Snack Girl's Stovetop Granola and on oatmeal. We sprinkle them on salads too. One of my favorite uses is as an egg substitute in baked goods. One tablespoon chia seeds to three tablespoons water. It's good to drink more water with them. There is a recommended daily amount which is probably a little different for every body. They are an easy way to get so many nutrients and we love using them.

on September 9, 2015

I made Chia seed pudding with sweetened almond milk. I bought some dark chocolate almond milk. Going to try it next. Don't have to add sugar with the sweetened milk.

on September 9, 2015

Jano how do you find out what the recommended daily amount is for each person?

on September 9, 2015

Lisa! I have been in love with chia seeds ever since your post a year ago, making luscious chocolate pudding about twice per month now. You are so right about feeling satisfied with less than regular choc pudding due to the richness too. I have settled on the ratio of 1 cup of milk to 1/3 cup of chia, 1.5 tbsp cacao, 2 tbsp maple syrup, 1/4tsp flavoring [vanilla, orange or coconut extracts are my favorites]. I do not dirty a blender, just add everything to a pint size Ball jar and shake vigorously and it gels in about an hour or overnight. How I enjoy this heavenly goodnessis by adding a healthy dollop [about 2 tbsp] : on top of oatmeal w/berries, on top of yogurt with berries, over vanilla yogurt, sliced bananas, sliced strawberries as a mock banana split, in a wine glass layered with yogurt, cooked berries, granola for a healthy parfait dessert! When my adult kids visit everyone gets their own pint--we are wild over chia LOL. And we like the texture of the seeds. Recently my son, in Nashville, showed me an organic vanilla powder to make vanilla chia which he used to concoct a fruit-granola-van.pudding parfait; now I'm looking for that vanilla powder too. Another blogger I follow adds a tbsp of chia to defrosted berries to sop up the juices, so maybe adding chia to other fruity pie fillings would be a great alternative to flour or cornstarch. Thank you for your testing this out--hoping your kids have acquired a taste for it by now. Don't give up trying! :)

on September 9, 2015

Annie, if you google Chia seeds: frequently asked questions those websites say diarrhea is the sign you're adding too many. It would probably be good to see the info for yourself.

on September 9, 2015

would you be able to make this pudding with another sweetener like dates, honey, maple syrup and use almond milk instead of cows?

on September 9, 2015

@Kandy - I think that you could use whatever sweeter and whatever "milk" you want. Take this recipe as a guideline and create! Thanks for your question.

on September 9, 2015

Thanks Jano :]

on September 9, 2015

I sprinkle chia seeds on salads, mix them into a smoothie, mix them into yogurt, granola.etc

Sam's has the "betterbody" brand. They are organic and cost $11.00 for 2lb.

on September 9, 2015

Yes, we LOVE Chia seeds around here and have for a couple of years now. I also drink them in warm lemon water with a little honey in the mornings!! Great way to start my day with a burst of energy. They are great in shakes and smoothies too! You don't have to use dairy milk, I only use coconut milk or coconut and almond milk together. Recipes will thicken because of the seeds, not the milk.

on September 10, 2015

ALDI has a great price on Chia seeds, also. I sometimes make the pudding & then make freezer pops since I love ice cream!

on September 10, 2015

Love making chia pudding. Purée fruit works well too if you don't want chocolate. Made raspberry jam with chia seeds today.

on September 11, 2015

Do chia seeds retain their nutritional value when finely ground? I've heard you only get the benefit when the are whole. I've put them into smoothies, but then wondered if I'm blending away all of their goodness. Online articles seem contradictory on this. Thanks for any info you may have.

on September 17, 2015

I love chia seeds! I found a pancake recipe on Dr. Oz's site--but I make them into waffles and they freeze beautifully!

But my fave recipe is jam!

I use 1 cup of fruit--usually mixed berries, 1T of water, 1T of chia seeds and 1T of sweetener--have used honey and splenda. Combine the water and fruit in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Mash w/potato masher. Add seeds and sweetener. Refridgerate overnight. I love this on my Ezekiel bread w/natural pb!

on September 24, 2015

We sprinkle chia seeds on mac and cheese. Our kids love it!!!

on June 7, 2016

I calculated this at 22 smartpoints for the whole thing. I wonder if this is correct?

on January 22, 2017

Thank you, but where to find a true and biological chia seeds!?

on March 18, 2017

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