Side Dish

Raspberry Almond Chia Pudding

Chia seed pudding is probably one of the easiest snacks to make, and as a bonus it is healthy with a little sweetness too! If you like rice pudding, you will probably like Chia pudding.

Ta da! Will stay fresh for 2 days tops...

Ta da! Will stay fresh for 2 days tops…

2 cups almond milk (or other non-dairy milk you like)
8 tbsp Chia seeds
2-3 tbsp maple syrup
1-2 tsp Disaronno (optional)
1/4 c. coconut flakes (unsweetened)
30-35 fresh raspberries
1/4 c. chopped almonds (or your favorite nut) for topping

  1. Simply combine the milk, chia seeds, half the maple syrup and half the Disaronno in a measuring glass and whisk vigorously.
  2. Let sit for about 5 minutes and whisk again. Pour half the mixture into the serving dish and let sit an additional 10-15 minutes. You want the mixture to thicken naturally – the chia seeds will plump and form an outer gel – very cool!
  3. After it has thickened, sprinkle half the coconut flakes on top of the mixture in the serving dish and press half your raspberries into the mixture.
  4. Complete these steps again for the final layer.
  5. Toss the remaining coconut flakes, maple syrup and a little more Disaronno with the chopped almonds. (Disaronno has an almond flavor, so it enhances the almonds – this is my “secret” ingredient!)
  6. Place container in fridge to chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight works too.

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Chia seed pudding is something that is SO easy to make, so get creative with it! I’ve also made this with JUST almond milk, chia seeds, cinnamon and raisins for a more traditional ‘rice pudding’ substitute. You can also just do it plain, with your nut milk of choice and chia seeds. Then you can plop it on top of your morning oatmeal for a flavorful and energizing addition. Have fun experimenting and enjoy the wonderful benefits of Chia!

Cabbage and Carrot Salad with Lemon Maple Dressing

Here is a ridiculously easy, super healthy salad! I just threw it together tonight; I loved it so much I had to share immediately.

Salad
1 small head green cabbage, cut into small pieces
4 carrots, peeled and shredded
1/2 cucumber, peeled partially and diced
4 radishes, diced
1 cup dry chickpeas, soaked, cooked and cooled in fridge (you can use canned too, cooked and cooled)*
Dried cranberries and sunflower seeds to garnish

Dressing
1/4 c. Olive oil
2 tbsp maple syrup
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
Salt and pepper

Simply combine all the salad ingredients (except the cranberries and sunflower seeds) into a large bowl and toss to combine. Mix together dressing ingredients in a small dish and pour over salad. I just used my hands to toss and make sure all the salad was coated in dressing. Serve immediately and sprinkle with dried cranberries and sunflower seeds. That’s it!

*I prepared the chickpeas in a crock pot before work. I measured out 1 cup dry chickpeas, rinsed them and then added them to the crock pot with 3 cups of water. I turned  the crock pot on low and when I returned 9 hours later, they were perfect! I simply drained them and rinsed under cold water and placed in the fridge while I prepared the rest of the salad.