Blueberry and coconut chia pudding
by Megan Stiles of The Stiles Files
My mom always said to eat lots of color. Well, this recipe should do the trick!
For years, I had been reading about the healthful benefits of chia seeds. After exhausting my “I’ll get around to trying it someday” excuse, I figured it was time I finally give it a go. However, I wasn’t just about to sprinkle it over some cereal. No, it had to be something far more tempting for my taste buds.
When I came across this recipe, I knew I had to stop looking because this was so very clearly “the one”, yet another life lesson my mom has been preaching to me. All things aside, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as Andrew and I both did!
Blueberry and Coconut Chia Pudding
6 tablespoons chia seeds
2 cups vanilla almond milk
2 tablespoons agave syrup
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup blueberries
4 tablespoons unsweetened coconut
3 teaspoons raw pistachios
About 6 hours before serving the pudding, prepare the chia pudding. You can simply stir all ingredients together or do my low speed blender method. I add the milk, vanilla, sweetener, salt, and cinnamon. Slowly pour in chia seeds so they do not stick to the sides. Blend for about 2 to 3 minutes in order to jump start the chia seed plumping process. For the blueberries, just fold in the 1/2 cup right into the pudding.
Transfer your chia mixture to a relatively large jar. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 6 hours. About an hour and a half after placing in the fridge, I like to give my pudding a few stirs to swirl the chia seeds a bit. This prevents them from clumping up at the bottom or top of the glass.
When ready to prepare, finely chop your pistachios and set aside. For the coconut, heat the coconut in a dry skillet over high heat, just until the edges start to brown and “toast” and then set aside as well.
Add chia pudding to your preferred bowl. You can stir some or all of the coconut right into the pudding or just layer it on top of the pudding in the parfait glass. Top with the fresh blueberries, more toasted coconut, and pistachios. I love to serve my chia pudding with a giant side bowl of extra blueberries because you can never have too many blueberries on the table!
Contributor Bio - Megan Stiles
Megan Stiles is a Midwest girl working and playing in the Southwest. She graduated from the University of Iowa back in December of 2012, moved down to Arizona shortly thereafter, and is now the Business Relations Manager for Bar Napkin Productions, a creative agency based out of Phoenix. She's currently living in Old Town Scottsdale with her wonderful boyfriend of almost four years, Andrew, and their two hilarious cats, Mackey and Garrison, affectionately known as Mac n’ Gees. You can read more of her work over on The Stiles Files where she finds ways to make everyday life just a bit more charming!