I convinced my husband to do a Clean Eating Detox diet with me for the week. Oddly enough, it didn’t take as much convincing as I thought. Lunch and dinner meals aren’t too hard to replace with “clean eating”, but we found that breakfast was the most difficult to substitute for a healthier option. Then I found this chia seed pudding recipe online and it was love at first sight.
For breakfast we keep it simple. Clint is up early and out the door by 7:45 so he usually eats just a bowl of cereal. (We tend to stick to Honey Bunches of Oats, Special K, or Cheerios.) If he feels like getting fancy, he’ll add some sliced banana on top, or whatever other fruit we have. He’s easy. He can eat the same thing, every day, consistently, and be content. Me? I get bored with the same foods and flavors every day; I have to switch it up. I’m also not a morning person, so concocting a big breakfast pre-coffee is never appealing.
This breakfast recipe was perfect because I could prep it after dinner, let it sit overnight in the refrigerator, and have it ready-to-go in the morning. Not to mention, it’s packed with nutritional benefits to help you tackle the day: antioxidants, fiber, protein, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin B, potassium, and the list goes on.
So here’s how to make it:
Lemon Blueberry Banana Chia Seed Pudding
Serves 4 | Active Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 3.5 hours
Ingredients
For the pudding:
- 2 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 – 1 scoop of protein powder (preferably vanilla or lemon flavored)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
For the toppings:
- 1 banana (per person / serving)
- 1 handful of blueberries (per person / serving)
Preparation
Blend milk, protein powder, vanilla, and lemon juice together in a blender on high until smooth. Pour the mixture over chia seeds and whisk thoroughly. Let the mixture rest for 5-10 minutes and then stir again until the texture is thick. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least 3 hours). Before serving, stir the pudding and divide into separate bowls. Top with banana slices and blueberries. Serve and enjoy!
Need a healthy dessert idea? Make this as a dessert by adding some cashew cream on top!
For the cashew cream:
- 1/4 cup of cashews
- 1/4 cup of blueberries
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon stevia
Soak the cashews in water and refrigerate overnight (or at least 3 hours). Blend the blueberries in a blender until you have a smooth puree. Drain and rinse the soaked cashews, then add to the blender with cold water. Blend until the cashews are liquefied, and have a smooth texture. Add vanilla and stevia, blending until well combined. Top the pudding with the mixed cashew cream and enjoy!