Love chia pudding but hate the overnight (or hours) wait? Wait no more, my friends! This instant chia pudding is ready in around 20 minutes.
This chia pudding is rich in nutrients, super easy to throw together, kid-friendly and extremely versatile (so many topping options!). Really, the only thing not to love about chia pudding is the overnight wait for it to thicken. Well….wait no more my friends, because I have the solution for you with my Almost Instant Chia Pudding! While not quite “instant”, it’s pretty close! You’ll have a deluxe chia pudding ready to eat in about 15 to 20 minutes. Yum!
What you need to make this chia pudding
Chia seeds: Are rich in health-promoting fats and the Omega-3 fatty acid ALA. They are loaded full of fibre, calcium and protein too!
Yogurt: We know that our friend yogurt contains probiotics that are helpful for the gut. I love using Greek, which packs a protein hit; you can use your favourite dairy or vegan yogurt.
Milk: Both plant and dairy milks have Vitamin D added (as long as they’re enriched), which helps us absorb calcium for strong bones and teeth!
Toppings of your choice: This is where the fun and creativity comes into play! Keep on reading for some ideas.
Some of our preferred toppers that you might wish to try:
- Granola + almond butter + banana + shredded coconut + dark chocolate chips
- Granola + strawberries + blueberries + lemon squeeze
- Granola + vanilla yogurt + diced apple + cinnamon + dark chocolate chips
- Chopped cashews or pistachios + mango + banana + squeeze of lime (not pictured)
The fun is in the mixing and matching, you nearly can’t go wrong!
How to make this almost instant chia pudding
It couldn’t be simpler – heat up your preferred milk, add it to a jar, stir in the seeds, syrup, vanilla and a pinch of sea salt and let the mixture sit for a few minutes, until it starts to “set” or thicken.
Add a dollop of your favourite yogurt, stir, and chill. Once the pudding has gelled, after 10 to 15 minutes in the freezer, it’s ready to be topped with crunchy granola or chopped nuts and juicy, fresh fruit. I love to add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice over the fruit for a bright tang that enhances the sweet pudding, mmmm!
How to enjoy chia pudding
Chia pudding has been popular for a while now, and no wonder. It assembles quickly with pantry ingredients that are usually on hand and its subtle sweetness is appealing to everyone. You can use black or white chia seeds, whichever your family enjoys most. I like to use whatever granola I have handy (we love this one) and if I’m short on fresh fruit, frozen works great on this pudding.
It makes a lovely breakfast or lunch addition and is a great snack to help fill in the nutritional gap between kids’ meals. For parents, it’s a peace of mind snack or dessert as everyone can add their own preferred toppings (and parents know what the faves are, so we can have them out and ready!) and this recipe provides an opportunity for kids to try a new food, perhaps a new fruit or granola? Oh, and it’s school-safe as well, as long as you don’t use nuts as a topping.
You don’t need to take my word for how fabulous it is, though, if you have 20 minutes or so and a bag of chia seeds, I encourage you to give this simple, sweet and pretty recipe a try. We know that kids are more likely to eat a dish that they helped to prepare, why not let them choose the toppings and set them out in little bowls at the table? You can triple or quadruple the recipe to have enough for the whole family. This is a recipe to have fun with, both eating and making it! It travels well, too, making it perfect for lunchboxes (theirs and yours!) and after-school sports or activities.
More chia recipes:
Almost Instant Chia Pudding
Love chia pudding but hate the overnight (or hours, at least) wait? Wait no more, my friends! This recipe is ready-to-eat in around 20 minutes. Yes, really! It has a hint of sweetness from pure maple syrup and vanilla, protein and omega-3s from yogurt and chia seeds, and best of all, you get to tailor the toppings to your own taste! From fresh fruit to chocolate chips, garnish away. This pudding is portable and ideal for lunchboxes, too. Let your kids choose their toppings and they’re more likely to eat it; nourishment for them and peace of mind for us!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup milk (plant or dairy)
- 3 1/2 tablespoons chia seeds (black or white)
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of sea salt
- 1/4 cup yogurt (regular or vegan)
- Toppings of choice
Instructions
- Microwave the milk for about one minute, until it’s hot but not boiling.
- To a 1 1/2 to 2 cup jar, add the hot milk, chia seeds, maple syrup, vanilla and sea salt. Stir, and let sit for 2 to 5 minutes, until slightly thickened.
- Add the yogurt, stir to combine, then transfer to the freezer for 5 to 10 minutes.
- It should be gelled and ready to eat! Add your favourite toppings (fruit, granola, nuts, nut butter, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, etc.) and enjoy! If you don't plan to eat it right away, cover the jar with a lid and transfer to the fridge.
Notes
Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
![[AD] Who else loves a quick, one-pot meal for the busy back-to-school season? 🙋♀️
As a dietitian and mom, I’m all about recipes that are quick, affordable, nourishing, and of course, delicious. That’s why I’ve teamed up with my friends at L’Ancêtre Cheese to bring you my Homemade One-Pot Hamburger Helper—perfect for weeknight dinners and makes awesome leftovers for lunchboxes too!
What I love most? You can toss everything—beef, pasta, veggies—into one pot, saving time and dishes! Plus, @ancetrecheese , made locally here in Canada from pasture-fed cows, adds that perfect cheesy touch. It’s organic, sustainably produced, and absolutely delicious. 🧀
What you need:
* 1.5 lbs lean ground beef
* 4 cups uncooked whole grain, regular or gluten-free pasta noodles (like rotini or macaroni)
* ½ yellow onion, diced
* 2 cups veggies of choice, diced (eg. mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower etc.)
* 1 cup frozen peas
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tsp pepper
* 1.5 cups milk of choice
* 1.5 cups chicken broth
* 1-680 mL jar tomato pasta sauce
* 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
* Tsp red pepper flakes
* 3 cups L’Ancêtre’s Marbled Mild Cheddar
Put it all together:
1. Cook beef in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned, then drain. Add onion, garlic, red pepper, mushrooms, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; cook until veggies are tender-crisp.
2. Mix in milk, broth, tomato sauce, and uncooked macaroni. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 15-18 minutes, stirring often. Adjust liquid as needed.
3. Remove from heat, stir in frozen peas and 1 cup of cheese until melted. Transfer to a casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake at 375°F for 5-10 minutes until golden. Cool before serving.
Make sure to pick up L’Ancêtre cheese (either a family-sized block or pre-shredded) at a local retailer near you! Visit https://www.fromagerieancetre.com/en/cheeses/ to find out more!
#Ad #Partner #BackToSchool #LunchboxIdeas #OrganicCheese #FamilyMeals #LAncetreCheese](https://www.sarahremmer.com/wp-content/uploads/sb-instagram-feed-images/459558167_1543212989903442_998663133378052381_nfull.webp)
![👇[AD] Dietitian-approved “snack lunches” that my kids love, in partnership with my friends at @naturesbakery 💜
Make sure to comment “snack lunch” and I’ll send you a free school-lunch cheat sheet 🙌🏻
Let’s be honest, the items kids get most excited about in their school lunches are the... snacks! So, why not build a meal-worthy “snack lunch” that your kids can be excited about opening and enjoying?
We do this often, and for good reason. It’s quick and easy for me (yay!), and my kids love helping pack them. Plus, these lunches can be just as nourishing as a “traditional” lunch. Bonus: the most often get eaten!
Here’s my “rule of 4” for building these lunches, ensuring they’re packed with the nutrients my kids need for the day:
1️⃣ Whole grains/starches
2️⃣ Protein-rich foods
3️⃣ Fruit
4️⃣ Veggies
As a dietitian Mom, I’m a huge fan of including @naturesbakery Fig Bars in my kids’ lunches. Not only do they always get eaten (aka my kids love them), but I love that they contain a simple ingredients list with whole grains and real fruit. They’re also plant-based, dairy-free and nut-free (making them perfect for school lunches!).
A typical “snack lunch” might look like this:
Charcuterie-Style
* Meats, cheese and crackers; for plant-based families, you could swap the meat and cheese with smoked tofu slices, tempeh strips or plant-based deli slices, plant-based cheeses, and hummus, roasted chickpeas or edamame.
* Cut up fruit
* Chia pudding
* A Nature’s Bakery Raspberry Fig Bar (plant-based, dairy-free, and nut-free!)
Mediterranean-focused:
* mini naan bread/pita
* Hummus
* mini caprese salad skewers
* Nature’s Bakery Blueberry Fig Bar
* Fruit
* Dried chickpeas
Fun Finger Foods:
* energy bites
* edamame beans
* Seed and banana roll-ups
* string cheese (or dairy-free alternative)
* Nature’s Bakery Raspberry Fig Bar
* Mini carrots
If you think your kids will love snack lunches, comment “snack lunch” below for a free school lunch cheat sheet ❤️
#Ad #Partner #NaturesBakery #SnackLunch #SchoolLunchIdeas #DietitianApproved #PlantBasedSnacks](https://www.sarahremmer.com/wp-content/uploads/sb-instagram-feed-images/458372728_522285503507501_4269903014098073865_nfull.webp)
Comments
Delores Richardson says
I love the recipe in 20 minutes. This is outstanding. Where could I get those jars from?
Sarah Remmer, RD says
They are from Amazon!