6 delicious ways to pimp your chia pudding

Rich in omega 3, protein, fibre and antioxidants, the humble chia seed has a lot to offer in the health stakes.

As good as they are for us though, what can we actually do with them to make them more appetising? For some creative culinary inspiration, we asked nutrition expert Clarissa Lenherr, founder of Newtriciously You  for her 6 favourite chia seed pudding recipes guaranteed to change the way you see chia seeds forever. With both sweet and savoury options on the menu, they’ll soon become the cupboard staple you’ll wonder what you did without.

Recipe 1: Punchy matcha green tea chia pudding

"This chia seed pudding will give you that added zing you need for your morning (particularly Mondays!)."

Health benefits: "Matcha green tea powder is packed full of goodies: it boosts your metabolism and burns fat, is rich in fibre, chlorophyll and Vitamin C and has 137 times more antioxidants than regularly brewed green tea.

"Green tea has its own unique antioxidant group known as Catechins which cannot be found in foods. Its star antioxidant is named EGCg which has been shown to provide the body with cancer fighting properties by counteracting free radicals in the body and reducing DNA damage.

"By sprinkling this pudding with some yummy bee pollen, you are increasing the protein level of the pudding even further. Bee pollen is one of the richest sources of animal protein available and has more amino acids than eggs, beef and cheese! It is also a massive immune system booster and is full of vitamin B which will contribute to further energy release from your pudding."

Ingredients – serves 1

3 tbsp of chia seeds

2/3 cup/150 ml of almond milk

2 tsp of honey/agave syrup

½ tsp of matcha powdered green tea

Pinch of Himalayan salt

Cacao nibs/bee pollen sprinkles

Method

1. Mix together the almond milk, honey, matcha powder and salt in a bowl.

2. Pour in the chia seeds and then the matcha almond milk mixture. Stir to coat chia seeds with the liquid. Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours, even better overnight. You may want to stir it occasionally to stop clumping.

3. When ready, spoon the mixture into a bowl or Mason jar and sprinkle with a little matcha and cacao nibs/bee pollen to serve.

MORE GLOSS: Matcha teas reviewed

Recipe 2: Sunrise mango and passion fruit chia pudding

"A beautiful tangerine-coloured pudding, this is the perfect summer breakfast. The teaming of mango, passion fruit and coconut transports your taste buds to a beach far away in the Caribbean. This pudding needs no other sweetener as the natural sugars from the fruits are plenty to satisfy any sweet tooth."

Health benefits: "The mango fruit delivers a wonderful source of minerals including vitamins A and C which are both beneficial for eye and skin health. Passion fruit is high in iron and can provide 20% of your recommended daily allowance along with strong levels of Vitamin C, which is vital for absorption of iron."

Ingredients – serves 1

3 tbsp of chia seeds

2/3 cup/150ml unsweetened coconut milk (for drinking not cooking)

1 tsp of natural vanilla essence

250g chopped fresh mango

2 passion fruit centres scooped out with a spoon

4 tbsp of coconut/soy/dairy yoghurt

Enough for a sprinkle of toasted almond slivers & shredded coconut

Method

1. Mix together the chia seeds, vanilla essence and coconut milk in a bowl and refrigerate overnight. You may need to stir the mix occasionally to stop it from clumping.

2. Remove from the fridge after it has set, and spoon the mixture into a medium-sized jar.

3. Using a blender, blend the mango chunks until smooth. Spoon into the jar, layering it on top of the chia pudding.

4. Spoon your chosen type of yoghurt on top of the mango layer and top with the passion fruit seeds. Sprinkle slivered almonds and shredded coconut and eat straightaway.

Recipe 3: Cacao-cado antioxidant powerhouse

"Cacao has been one of 2015’s superfoods, and for a good reason."

Health benefits: "Super high in anti-inflammatory antioxidants called Flavonoids, cacao has wonderful benefits for those at risk of inflammation or those who are frequently in contact with free radicals and toxins such as cigarette smoke and pollution.

"Cacao can be consumed as a powder, in bars or in nibs. It is best to buy it in its raw, unprocessed form, as it loses some of its nutritional power when it is heated above 46°C. This teaming of avocado with cacao is not only a scrumptious combination, the two foods teamed together are an antioxidant power bomb. Avocados increase the absorption of antioxidants into the body, as well as providing their own host of antioxidants. Any toxin or free radical in the body will have a hard time fighting this mixture."

Ingredients – serves 1

½ cup/110 ml of almond milk

3 tbsp of chia seeds

1 avocado, flesh

2 tbsp of raw cacao powder (substitute for cocoa powder if cannot find cacao)

2/3 tbsp of maple syrup

Sprinkle of cinnamon

Choice of topping - blueberries, granola, coconut, goji berries...

Method

1. Blend all the ingredients together in a food blender/processor until smooth.

2. Place in the fridge for about fifteen minutes to allow the chia to set.

3. Serve cold and with your toppings of choice – blueberries, granola, coconut, goji berries - experiment!

MORE GLOSS: Hemsley and Hemsley Paradise Bars recipe

Recipe 4: Savoury beetroot, goat’s cheese & pistachio chia pudding

"This recipe is a delicious savoury take on chia seed puddings and can be served as a main meal, starter, breakfast, snack or brunch!"

Health benefits: "The beetroot is a wonderful dark red vegetable with a distinctive sweet and earthy taste. These have gained a huge amount of popularity recently due to their blood pressure lowering benefits. The nitric acid in the beetroots helps with the vasodilation of your blood vessels, which results in lower blood pressure in the body. They can also help to cleanse the liver, as they are high in Betaine pigments which help to break down the toxins in the body so that they can be excreted.

"Goat’s cheese is a great alternative for those who suffer from lactose intolerance to cow’s milk but can still consume goat’s and sheep’s products. It also tends to be lower in cholesterol, calories and fat but still delivers a worthy source of protein."

Ingredients - serves 4

1.5 cups/350 ml of water

12 tbsp of chia seeds

1 beetroot, blended

3 tbsp of coconut oil

2 tbsp of agave syrup

For the oats:

3 cups/700 ml of rice milk (can be substituted for almond/goat’s milk)

1 cup/90g steel cut oats

1 tbsp of honey or maple syrup

100g of soft plain goat’s cheese

(Optional) toppings: pistachio nuts, cranberries or extra chia seeds

Method

1. Place the water, blended beetroot, 1 tbsp of agave and the coconut oil, in a saucepan set over medium heat.

2. Bring to a gentle boil, and remove from the heat allowing the mixture to cool for a few minutes. Stir in the chia seeds and extra agave syrup.

3. Let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes (up to an hour) so that the chia seeds will swell and the “pudding” will thicken.

4. Whilst the chia seeds are thickening make the oats. Add the rice milk to a large bottom pan and bring to a boil. Stir in the oats, and reduce the heat to low. Allow the oats to cook for approximately 5/10 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed, but the oats are not dry.

5. Once cooked, remove from the heat, and whisk in the honey and goat’s cheese, allowing the cheese to melt and removing any lumps.

6. To assemble your jar or bowl, alternate the layers of oats with the chia seeds. Sprinkle the top with pistachios and additional chia seeds.

7. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe 5: Super-spice boosting pud

"Turmeric has certainly risen to fame this year. Often referred to as “The Queen of Spices”, this beautiful yellow root has a delightful sweet yet spicy flavour and when powdered is perfect for adding to dishes for a bonus nutritional boost."

Health benefits: "Turmeric and ginger both have an abundance of qualities that are fantastic for the body including high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Ginger is particularly useful when trying to fight a bug as it can treat nausea and help fight infections. Turmeric contains a substance known as lipopolysaccharide which is known to kick start the immune system and this super-spice is also full of antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal agents.

"As if this chia seed pudding needed any other blessings, the distinctively flavoured Manuka honey has potent antibiotic qualities and is nature’s own antibiotic. It is renowned for its inflammation healing, particularly when fighting off those colds and flus.

"This chia seed pudding is the perfect blend for anyone needing an immune system boost or trying to fight off an imminent cold or flu - it’s sure to give any lingering or impeding bug a run for its money!"

Ingredients – serves 1

3 tbsp of chia seeds

1/2 cup/110ml of almond milk, unsweetened

1 tsp of turmeric powder

20ml water

A small knob of fresh ginger, grated, or 1/2 teaspoon ginger, ground

1 tsp of Manuka honey (adjust as desired)

Optional bee pollen

Method

1. Mix the turmeric and water together in a small bowl until the turmeric has been fully dissolved and you are left with a bowl of golden glow.

2. In a large mixing bowl, lightly whisk the turmeric water and the rest of the ingredients. Transfer the contents to a container with a lid and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight.

3. Stir the pudding before serving and serve chilled with a sprinkle of bee pollen.

MORE GLOSS: 8 ways to introduce turmeric into your diet

Recipe 6: Banoffee chia style pudding

"A healthy twist on banoffee pie, this chia seed pudding is healthy decadence."

Health benefits: "Adding almond butter to the mix gives the pudding a good protein boost and adds sources of Vitamin E and healthy fats which will help keep you feeling fuller for longer.

"The maca root comes from Peru and when powdered offers a lovely sweet and caramel like flavour to foods. Maca powder is often added to foods for its rich supply of vitamin B, C and E which can boost energy levels and stamina in the body. It is also widely used to promote sexual functioning, so if you are lost at what to serve your partner for dessert on date night, offer them a Banoffee chia style pudding and head straight to the bedroom..."

Ingredients

3 tsp of chia seeds

1/3 cup/70ml of hazelnut/almond milk

2 tsp of almond butter

1 handful of almonds

1 banana, sliced into discs

1 tbsp of maca powder

Method

1. In a bowl, combine the hazelnut milk with the tbsp of maca powder and stir to combine. Add the chia seeds, mix and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 3 hours).

2. When the chia seed pudding has solidified, prepare your bowl or jar. Crush the almonds and put at the bottom of your bowl.

3. Drizzle the almond butter over the crushed almonds. If the almond butter is hard, try melting this over a pan of boiling water for a few minutes.

4. Slice up half of the banana and layer it on top of the almond butter.

5. Pour in the chia and hazelnut milk mixture and top with the other half of the banana.

6. Keep it in the fridge overnight, or for a minimum of 3 hours.

7. Serve and enjoy!

Follow us  @getthegloss , Clarissa  @NewtriciousYou  and Ayesha  @Ayesha_Muttu .