It’s been a little over a week since I’ve given you a pumpkin recipe so clearly you were long overdue. 

If you follow any food bloggers, especially of the health/vegan variety, you’ve probably heard of chia pudding.  It sounds a bit odd and maybe slightly gross and a few years ago I was right there with you.  When chia seeds get wet they expand and get a little slimy and they can cause liquids to gel and thicken, sort of like pudding.  Again, it sounds slightly gross.

I saw a recipe for lemon blueberry chia pudding and it sounded so good, so I thought I would give it a try.  It was awful.  The pudding did NOT taste like blueberry or lemon.  It had only slightly thickened so it was like eating runny pudding with lumps.  It was just an unpleasant experience and I decided I was not a chia pudding fan. 

Then I got my Vitamix.

And I saw people making chia pudding that looked completely smooth and not lumpy or gross.  So I thought I would try my hand at this chia pudding thing one more time.  Low and behold, it worked!  My first batch had the right consistency but needed a boost of flavor and my second batch turned out just right.

The best part about chia pudding is that you can make it the night before and then pull it out of the fridge as an on-the-go breakfast.  You can also customize your toppings and change it up when you get bored.  So versatile and so good for you!  Now, just a quick warning, you will get a smoother pudding with a high-speed blender BUT don’t worry.  I tried this with a regular blender and while you can detect the chia seeds a little more it doesn’t have an unappealing lumpy texture.

Oh, and the second best part of this pudding?  It’s pretty much like having pumpkin pie for breakfast and THAT’S a win!

Pumpkin Chia Pudding 

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 yellow/brown plantain (peeled and sliced)
• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup nut butter (I used homemade hazelnut, but almond, peanut, or even sunflower seed butter would be good)
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp clove
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt (ONLY if your nut butter doesn’t have salt in it)
• Topping/mix-in ideas: dried cranberries (no added sugar please!), walnuts, almonds, coconut flakes, hemp seeds, additional nut butter, coconut whip cream, maple syrup, or pumpkin pie granola for a pumpkin squared meal! 

1. Place everything in the blender EXCEPT the toppings/mix-ins.  Blend until completely smooth.
2. Pour into a mason jar or other container with a lid and let it sit in the fridge for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
3. Top the pudding with everything your heart delights!