Recipe: warm chia pudding with berry syrup

With nutrition, they say, "Fail to plan and plan to fail." This is especially true at breakfast-time, when it is easy to grab the quickest thing and be on your way. But, a healthy breakfast sets you up for less bloat and more energy for the rest of your day. We love this recipe for warm chia pudding, inspired by our student Jasmine, who is a personal chef.

The best part of this recipe is it is quick, easy, cheap and can be made in advance.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups coconut milk (I prefer canned)
• 6-8 tablespoons chia seeds
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon honey (or sweetener of your choice, optional)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla (to taste)
• 1 cup berries (I typically use organic frozen berries to save money and waste less)

Recipe:

CHIA PUDDING

1. Chia pudding must sit for 3-6 hours. I recommend setting the pudding overnight in the fridge.
2. Combine coconut milk and chia seeds in a 1 cup: 2 tablespoons ratio. If you prefer a more gelatinous pudding, you can use a 1:3 ratio. For this recipe, the 3 cups of coconut milk can be used with 6-8 tablespoons of chia seeds
3. Add 2 tablespoons of cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of honey or syrup, and vanilla. 
4. At this point, you have some choices:
1. Place everything in a sealed container and shake it like a Polaroid picture. *This is the way I recommend because it is easy. No extra cleanup! I just combine everything in a mason jar and shake it up.*
2. Whisk it all up in a bowl.
3. Blend it with an immersion blender for a little smoother texture.
4. Blend it in a blender for a very creamy texture, more similar to regular pudding.
5. Set in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 6 hours. For the first few hours, turn the container upside down or whisk briefly every hour or so. You will notice the chia starting to expand and become like pudding nearly immediately. If you see clumps, give it a shake, a whisk or a flip. 
6. This should hold you over for a few days to a week! You can enjoy a spoon or two for dessert or a snack anytime of day.

BERRY SYUP

1. When you're ready for breakfast, place a pot on the stove at low to medium heat.
2. Add 1 cup of berries of your choice.
3. Continue to heat, stirring occasionally, until the berries release some water and soften. The consistency will be like syrup.

COMBINE

1. Stir 1 cup of chia pudding in with the berries to make one complete serving. If you are cooking for multiple people, use 1 cup of berries and 1 cup of chia for each person. 
2. Stir until the chia is warm. 

ENJOY

1. Top with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon (to taste). You can add allspice, turmeric, a dash of sea salt, or any other seasoning you like. 
2. You can top your chia pudding with granola, fresh banana, or be creative and add whatever you want!