Christ is risen!

I have come to accept, I am not a morning person. I have tried for decades to be one and there is only one or two exceptions that makes me a morning person. One is going to church. I still have a hard time waking up but I am driven to go to divine liturgy to receive healing for my soul. Second, the only time that I do get up early without an alarm clock is when I am amongst nature and the forest. I don’t want to miss a second of the fresh air or the beautiful green scenery. To me, in my own personal opinion, living in New York City all my life, except during my university days, I find that is very energy draining. The fast paced lane is not my style. I’m more a forest-mountain woman at heart with a NYC edge to my kick. I like to stop and smell the roses, sunflowers, dahlias and every flower in between. Last week, I had wonderful green tree views with snow, delicious breakfasts that were made from local produce in Vermont, and free from body pain, with the exception of too much snow shoeing that my bunion was in protest to stop (but I didn’t). New York City has its perks, but the lifestyle I need to live doesn’t fit in an apartment. I dream of having a large kitchen with a very long table to feed my loved ones; a secondary room attached to the kitchen which would be for canning, preserving and storing homemade medicine from the land with herbs hanging from the ceiling ready to be used in homemade olive oil infusions or medicinal tinctures. Lastly, attached to that drying/store room, I would have a greenhouse for fresh produce and flowers to have all year long, if possible. We have a decent sized space to accommodate having an art studio, but that store room and green house definitely cannot fit in our NYC apartment.

Sorry for the nature rant. I am a *HUGE*nature girl at heart. 🙂

I am too tired in the morning to make a full breakfast. During my university days, I would have oatmeal or piece of toast with cream cheese or cottage cheese and jam, eggs or leftover salmon on a taco with avocado and lettuce. Nowadays, my breakfasts are much more simple. There are times that I do make a full on breakfast but it isn’t often. Here comes the life changing chia pudding breakfast…

Since I have had my first chia pudding a few years ago, I try to buy it whenever I see it in store. It is usually sold in a delightful small cup with raspberries or whatever fruit is in season. I tried and failed many times to make it at home, I gave up the idea for a while. Something would always go wrong. The chia seeds would clump together so it felt more like chia cereal instead of pudding; if I was going for chia cereal, I hit the jackpot but that’s not what I was aiming for. Amongst my many endless list of recipes I have clipped and saved from magazines, I found one for chia pudding. I taped it to my chia seed jar. I wish I could remember the source where I got it from but I had clipped this years ago. It may have been from “Vegetarian Times” or some vegan or vegetarian magazine. So this isn’t an original recipe of mine, but I have to share it with you. If you are anything like me, and dread making something for breakfast when feeling tired, or are someone who has no time to make breakfast before heading to work etc, this recipe is for you and me!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. It is really simple, really easy, and you can get so creative with this! I like blending the milk with some raspberries or maqui berry powder for some color and additional health benefits along with topped fruit on top. Chia seeds have a neutral-ish taste, so you can use whatever fruit you like. Now that I am thinking about it more, I don’t know how watermelon would taste with this- I will let you know if I try this in the summer. Let me know if you like it with watermelon topped on it!

Please keep in mind, the kind of milk you use will vary the end results of nutrition. Feel free to experiment with different kinds of milks and flavors. Chia seeds have a quiet volume in terms of how loud the flavor is; but their flavor profile has notes of nuts and or poppy seeds. I personally love oat milk. My personal favorite is using Chobani Extra Creamy Oatmilk or Oatly. Both are creamy and rich, which makes the pudding that more satisfying.

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Makes 2 cups (500 ml)

Ingredients

6 tbsp chia seeds (color of choice)

1/2 tsp ground vanilla or 1 tsp vanilla extract, optional

2 cups plant based milk of choice

Liquid sweetener, maple syrup, agave or local honey, optional

Fruits of your choice, optional

Directions

1. Place all of the ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl and whisk until combined.
2. Whisk from time to time in the first 10 minutes to prevent any lumps from forming, and then set aside to soak in the fridge for at least 20 minutes until thick and jelly-like (or leave overnight).
3. Store the chia pudding in the fridge in a sealable glass jar and it will keep for a few days.

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Health Benefits

Chia Seeds

According to Joel Fuhrman, he lists it as a top-10 “Super Food for Super Immunity”.

53% Fat

36% Carbs

11% Protein

Calories: 140 per 1 ounce serving

Protein: 4g

Composed of 30% of alpha-linolenic acid, an essential fatty acid.

According to “Healing with Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition”, Paul Pitchford says that an energy tonic that lubricates dryness. Next to flax, they are the highest source of omega-3 fatty acids. The Southwest American Indian ate chia for sustenance during endurance contests. Latin Americans use them to treat constipation. Paul Pitchford says that chia seeds are a good dietary option for heart and artery renewal. Paul further suggests that if one is experiencing vascular system products, like strokes, heart attacks, arterial hardening and deterioration, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, stress, and migraines, the fatty acids that are beneficial are alpha-linolenic acid, gamma-linolenic acid, and EPA and DHA. Alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3): use seeds amongst other seeds or fresh seed oils of flax, chia, and/or pumpkin: soy foods, dark-green plants, cold-climate crops.

Sources

“The Vegetarian Flavor Bible”, Karen Page

“Healing with Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition”, 3rd Edition, Paul Pitchford

I will post when I have found the source for the chia pudding recipe!!

Medical Disclaimer:

I am not a medical doctor. Please consult your physician.