Admittedly, I grew up in household with all the sweet treats readily available.  That includes everything from Twinkies to Instant Jell-O Pudding.   If only I knew that a simple Chocolate Chia Pudding would make me just as happy.

My sweet tooth lives on today but thankfully, I’ve found other much healthier alternatives.

My husband might not agree that all my desserts are worthy of being called “dessert” (because you can only reduce the sugar so much until it tastes like cardboard).  Luckily for everyone here, this is a recipe that he would approve of.  It’s creamy, chocolatey AND nutrient-dense.   Plus it takes minutes to make.  Truly an instant pudding without all the fillers.

I am constantly singing the praises of chia seeds for adults and kids alike.  It is a nutritional powerhouse for so many reasons:

• Ounce for ounce, chia contains 500% more calcium than 2% milk.  Whoa!
• 2 Tablespoons serve up more omega 3 fatty acids than one 4 ounce serving of salmon.
• A one ounce serving provides 11 grams of fiber (more than half of your child’s daily requirement and 1/3 of an adult’s).

This may surprise you but Cacao doesn’t fall short from a nutrition perspective.  That is if it’s organic raw cacao which is different from your traditional cocoa powder and chocolate.  Raw and unprocessed, untreated cacao is the highest plant-based source of iron known to man with 7.3mg per 100g.  With 1 in 8 toddlers reported as anemic by the age of two, this is fabulous news for parents with young children.  Just make sure you choose raw organic cacao from companies like this.

A few other important benefits of cacao can be found here.

So if you have a little one at home who is a picky eater, or who’s diet falls short on protein or other important nutrients, you will both love this Chocolate Chia Pudding.

Chocolate Chia Pudding

Recipe inspired by Oh She Glows.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 2/3 cup to 3/4 cup dairy-free milk (I used homemade vanilla hemp milk – recipe below.  Start with less and add more if needed)
• 2 Tbsp raw cacao powder
• 1-2 tsp maple syrup

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.
2. If you prefer colder pudding, let it sit in the fridge for 20 minutes or so.
3. Watch your family devour it!

Homemade Hemp Milk

Ingredients:

• 2 cups filtered water
• 1/2 cup hemp seeds
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-4 dates soaked (depending on desired sweetness)
• few shakes of sea salt

Directions:

1. Put all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Use a cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve to strain out the remaining pulp (or if you’re not picky leave it in and shake the bottle before use).
3. Store in a glass bottle for 3-4 days.

I’m anxious to hear what you all think of this Chia Pudding.   Please leave comments below.

What other chia seed recipes are your go-tos?