Chocolate Chia Pudding is by far one of the most popular and frequently-made desserts in the Shuppe Home, for 3 main reasons:

1. It’s delicious! (as are all of our desserts)

2. It’s healthy! (again, as are most of our desserts…but you’ll see below that this dessert ranks even higher up on the “healthy dessert scale”, as it contains several superfoods!)

3. It’s SO QUICK & EASY to make!!!  Seriously, this chia pudding takes only a couple minutes to whip together!  The only thing that takes time is waiting for the pudding to thicken in the freezer/fridge — and you can accomplish other things while that’s happening.

So, before I get to the actual recipe, I wanted to highlight some of the ingredients in this dessert.  There are some amazing health benefits associated with the superfoods in this pudding, and I think it’s important for people to understand the basics of WHY certain foods are so nutritious.  Check out some of the incredible superfoods made by God that you’re about to give your body:

Chia seeds, a classic staple in Mayan/Aztec diets, is a nutritional powerhouse with numerous health benefits.  Some of the major benefits are related to the rich source of antioxidants, fiber, and omega-3 essential fatty acids found in them.  Antioxidants help fight against free-radicals, cancer, and aging in the body.  Fiber is shown to help regulate cholesterol, blood sugar levels, inflammation, and digestion.  Omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, support healthy cardiovascular function, regulate cholesterol levels, and even improve brain function.  These tiny seeds are proof that sometimes BIG things come in the smallest little packages!

Raw cacao powder (raw chocolate) is another Aztec superfood with many health benefits.  Like chia seeds, raw cacao is also packed with antioxidant benefits, cardiovascular benefits, and tons of fiber.  Did y’all hear what I just said?!  Let me rephrase it more simply:  Raw cacao = healthy;  raw cacao = raw chocolate; so, raw chocolate = healthy!  YES, chocolate (when consumed in it’s raw, organic, natural, unprocessed form — the way God created it) is healthy! 

Cinnamon is another one of my favorite foods/spices.  Not only does it taste amazing (I pretty much add a dash of cinnamon to everything…haha), but it also has a long list of health benefits associated with it.  A few of the main benefits include its ability to help regulate blood sugarlevels, help decrease harmful cholesterol levels, help prevent or allow your body to heal from infections (due to its anti-fungal/anti-infectious compounds), and even help reduce certain types of pain.

Coconut milk is used as the base for this chia pudding recipe.  Many people balk at the idea of consuming coconut because of the high fat content — in fact, coconut is composed of almost entirely saturated fat.  “What?!  Saturated fat is unhealthy!”, you might be thinking.  But that statement couldn’t be farther from the truth.  First of all, contrary to popular belief, healthy fats/saturated fats are actually NOT the cause of high cholesterol, heart disease, obesity, etc.

The truth is, coconut is one of the healthiest foods in the world, and you need these sources of healthy fat in order for your body to function and heal optimally!  Some of the healthiest countries and groups of people in the world have a diet extremely high in coconut.  The health benefits of coconut products are literally endless!  Instead of listing them all on here, here’s just one of the countless articles discussing the benefits of coconut (this one specifically focuses on coconut oil, but coconut milk will have a lot of the same benefits).

Alright, that’s enough nutritional education for now — TIME TO EAT!! 🙂

P.S. I’ve got a special surprise for you beneath the ingredients & directions below — don’t miss it! ☺️

Ingredients:

(serves 2-4 people…only the 2 of us at our house!)

1 can coconut milk (Make sure it’s full-fat, organic, and the can is BPA-Free)

1/3 cup chia seeds (raw, organic)

3 tbsp. raw cacao powder

1 tsp. (or more) cinnamon

1 scoop Chocolate Grass-fed Whey Protein — I use & love the MaxLiving brand  (**optional, but highly recommended — it adds some high-quality protein, increases the thickness, and provides some sweetness to the pudding because the protein powder is sweetened with Stevia**)

1/2 tsp. – 1 tsp. vanilla extract

a pinch of sea salt (to taste)

**If you don’t have MaxLiving Grass-Fed Whey Protein (or a similar high-quality brand) –> Click here to order it!  Once you’ve had it, you’ll never want to live without it!!  It’s an everyday-staple in our house (smoothies, desserts, etc.)  In the meantime, you can add a little extra cacao powder, and you’ll also need to add some sweetener (since you won’t have the Stevia from the protein powder).  I would try using liquid vanilla stevia, powdered stevia, or raw honey.**

Directions:

1. Pour all ingredients into a medium sized bowl.

2. Mix with a spoon until cacao powder & protein powder is all mixed in smoothly.

3. Stick it in the freezer or refrigerator — and that’s it!!  Super quick & easy!!  (If you’re going to eat it relatively soon, like we always do, then put it in the freezer — it should take ~20-40 minutes, depending on how thick you want it.  If you aren’t going to eat it until the next day or for longer than an hour, I’d put it in the refrigerator so it doesn’t freeze and get too hard.)

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A Special Surprise For You

If you’re reading this, you’re most likely into delicious, healthy recipes.  And if that’s the case, I’ve got a special freebie download for you that’ll help you take your nutrition & recipes to the next level: Dr. Christi’s Must-Have Ingredients List.

This practical guide highlights 40 of my favorite go-to foods that are frequently found in my household & that I can’t live without (and you won’t want to either!).  These foods are fat-burning, health-boosting, nutrient-dense, & sure to become staples in your kitchen! Click below to get instant access to the list! 😄

Ready for some more super-easy superfood recipes??  Try this 7-Minute Garlicky Curry Carrot Soup!

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