Cherry Chia Pudding

Today’s post is a special one in coordination with Jonny’s elementary school’s GREEN Week!  They’re going to be celebrating Meatless Monday, biking and walking to school, and learning how to grow their own veggies at home!  I’m thrilled to be able to participate, both by sharing this recipe, and also by volunteering in person next week!  So a special big hello and welcome to all you cool Bobcats and kittens out there!  We’re so happy to have you here!

As many of you long time readers know, this blog originated (nearly 10 years ago!) as a place for me to share the recipes that I was feeding (at the time) baby David…and now Jonny as well, and to answer the ever present question “but what do you guys actually eat?”  As the boys have gotten older they have moved beyond taste testers, and are now involved in the actual recipe creation.  Every recipe on my site is something we eat at home….and it’s almost always kid friendly (except for a few cocktails here and there—those are for the parents!)!  Today’s recipe was made with Jonny’s help!  Like many (all?) of us, Jonny is not exactly the quickest riser in the morning.  Having an easy breakfast ready to go helps give him a little extra oomph before starting the school day…..and because it’s made the night before it’s one less thing for us to tackle in the morning!  This Cherry Chia Pudding is packed with flavor, fiber, and protein, tastes yummy, and is easy to make.

Cherry Chia Pudding

Do you remember those fruit on the bottom yogurt cups from when you were a kid? I always liked them better than the ones with the fruit already mixed in.  And black cherry was my absolute favorite flavor.  This was my inspiration in making this variation of chia pudding—a layer of sweet fruit on the bottom, topped with creamy chia pudding.  For extra fun we’ll top ours with some coco whip and chocolate chips.  It’s like a dessert that you can actually eat for breakfast!

Chia Seeds

Did you know that chia seeds absorb up to ten times their weight in liquid?  And they take on the flavor of whatever you add to them, making them the perfect base for a breakfast treat!  My kids always enjoy making chia pudding because it’s one part yummy and one part science experiment!  It’s magical to watch the chia seeds plump up and go from dry to a gel in just a few minutes!  They’re also packed with fiber and protein, making them a great start to your day.  We mix the chia seeds with oat milk, vanilla, cinnamon, and a splash of agave.  So yummy! (chia seeds come in both white and grey varieties—I used the white ones for my pictures as they’re a bit more photogenic, but the grey chia seeds are more common, less expensive, and taste exactly the same)

A Plant Based Diet is an Earth Friendly Choice

Did you know that enjoying just ONE plant based meal a day makes a positive impact on the environment?  Yep!  If you eat just one plant-based meal a day for a year, you’ll save almost 200,000 gallons of water (that’s 11,400 showers!) and the pollution equivalent to about 3,000 miles driven in your car (roughly LA to NYC).  And it’s pretty easy to do!  Love cereal for breakfast?  Swap our your milk for non dairy milk.  Skip the meatballs on your pasta for an easy meatless dinner.  Or pack some hummus and pita chips in your lunch box!  Little swaps here and there add up to big impacts! 

Time Efficient

Not only is this chia pudding good for the planet, it’s good for your schedule too!  Jonny and I often make some chia pudding or overnight oats on Sunday night so that we have breakfast ready to go the next morning….and for the rest of the week!  We are not morning people, and anything we can do to make the morning school rush a little bit easier is a win!  This recipe makes five portions, so it’s a cook once, eat five times situation!  

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Kid Approved— 3 Reasons Why You Should Give Chia Pudding a Try!

I asked Jonny to share with his Bobcat friends three reasons why they might like to try chia pudding for the first time!  In typical 8 year old fashion he said…..

1. “because it’s good.”
2. “because it’s good.”
3. “because it’s good.”

Ah, to be 8.  So I followed up with a more directed question: “what would you tell your friends if they were worried that chia pudding is slimy?”  Jonny answered “I would tell them that it’s not slimy.”  So there you have it!  Did he convince you?

More of Jonny’s Favorite Kid Friendly Plant Based Recipes

• Vegan Dirt Cups: you’ve gotta check out this one and see the video of sweet baby Jonny making his very own dirt cup!
• Chocolate Chip Cookie Overnight Oats: another busy morning staple!
• Salsa Rosada Dipping Sauce {Mayochup}: Jonny’s favorite for dipping just about anything!
• Vegan Pasta Bolognese with Lentils (Pantry Staple Recipe): a thermos packed with pasta is Jonny’s lunch of choice!
• Vegan Chocolate Birthday Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting: Jonny’s favorite birthday cake!

Let’s Make Cherry Chia Pudding

Jonny raced into the kitchen this morning to make sure that he beat his brother to the last cherry chia pudding cup.  Time to make another batch!  Want to join us?  You’re just a few steps away from this yummy breakfast treat!  Leave us a note in the comments below and let me know how you like it!

Print Recipe

Cherry Chia Pudding

This Cherry Chia Pudding is packed with flavor, fiber, and protein, tastes yummy, and is easy to make.

Prep Time15 mins

Chill Time8 hrs

Total Time8 hrs 15 mins

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: breakfast, Kid Friendly

Servings: 5 servings

Author: Sarah

Ingredients

For the Chia Pudding

• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• 2 Tablespoons finely shredded coconut
• 1 1/4 cup non dairy milk (we like oat milk!)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 Tablespoon agave (or maple syrup)

For the Cherry Sauce

• 2 cups frozen cherries (see notes)
• 1 Tablespoon agave
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Toppings

• "coco whip"—coconut whipped cream
• chocolate chips (dairy free) We like Enjoy Life mini chips!
• maraschino cherries

Instructions

• Place the chia seeds, coconut, milk, cinnamon, agave, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Whisk together and set aside to allow to "gel" for 15 minutes.
• In the meantime, mix the frozen cherries, agave, and vanilla in another small bowl.
• After 15 minutes, spoon the cherries into 5 individual bowls (I like using small 8 ounce canning jars for individual portions).
• Evenly divide the chia pudding mixture on top of the cherries. It will still be a bit thin, as it needs a bit more time to really set up.
• Refrigerate the cups for several hours, preferably overnight.
• Top with coco whip, chocolate chips, or just enjoy as is! Serve for breakfast, or a yummy snack!

Notes

I make this with frozen cherries because they hold up really well after the thaw.  You could try using different fruits—fresh strawberries or blueberries would be delicious!  And I think frozen mango would hold up really well also!  Have fun experimenting!

Be sure to check out my guide on “how to become a vegan”