Pomegranate Chia "Pudding"

Developed and submitted by Brooke Bulloch, Registered Dietitian and mom

With this recipe, by no means am I trying to replace your favourite pudding (mine is chocolate), and this isn't an effort to "healthify" pudding. For lack of better description I used the term pudding because, let's be real, nobody is going to search "chia junket" or "soaked chia seeds and fruit", haha. 

I'm a huge fan of chia seeds (salvia hispanica L.) because they contain nutrients and beneficial components including calcium (100g per tablespoon!), protein, omega 3 fatty acids, antioxidants (chlorogenic acid, quercitin, and caffeic acid) and fibre. As a gastrointestinal dietitian, I'm especially interested in chia's fibre benefits, especially for people who struggle with chronic constipation. One tablespoon of chia seeds contains ~5g fibre. Not only does fibre reduce heart disease risk and improve blood sugar management, it may aid in bowel regularity.

You could swap out pomegranate arils for any berries or fruit pieces that are in season or that you enjoy better. I used pomegranate because they're still in season and I love the colour and crunch!If you need some help with exracting the arils from the whole fruit, watch my how-to video on Youtube.

(For anyone following the low FODMAP phase for IBS, this recipe is low FODMAP if the pomegranate arils intake is less than 1/3 cup).

This recipe will make 2-3 small containers.

Ingredients

1/4 cup + 2 tsp dry chia seeds

1.5 cups milk (I recommend cows milk or soy milk for added protein)

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 pomegranate (extracting the arils); or ~ 1 cup pomegranate arils

Directions

1. Pour all of the ingredients into a mason jar or air-tight container that you can shake to mix.

2. Stir or shake well.

3. Let sit in the refrigerator overnight, stirring a few times. If you prefer it thicker, you might add another teaspoon or two of chia seeds. Assess the thickness as time goes on.

4. Once your chia "pudding" is ready, start with a layer of chia seeds at the bottom of your container. Add a layer of pomegranate arils, then another layer of chia and so on. I usually do two layers of each but you could do more. Split into 2-3 containers.

5. Sprinkle the top with coconut flakes, chocolate pieces, cinnamon, or anything you feel might complement your "pudding".

Enjoy!