Cocoa Banana Chia Pudding

For a light yet filling snack, try this chocolate pudding thickened with chia seeds and sweetened with banana.

Chia seed pudding can be a nice change of pace when you want something different to snack on but want it to be a nutritious option. If you didn’t already know, chia seeds absorb liquid making them expand, which can make a pudding-like consistency. The dish reminds me of tapioca a little bit, because chia pudding has little beads of texture throughout.

I’ve tried a variety of chia pudding variations, but I usually come back to this one because chocolate and banana are a winning combo in my book.

Chia seeds are full of omega 3 fatty acids, calcium, protein, fiber, and antioxidants. Making a “pudding” out of them is an easy way to eat a nutrient-packed bowl of the superfood.

To keep this recipe extra healthy, I chose to use banana as the sweetener, so you can take comfort in knowing there’s no added sugar—just the natural stuff.

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Cocoa Banana Chia Pudding

Servings 2 servings

Ingredients

• 1 ripe banana
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk (or dairy)
• 2 Tbs chia seeds
• 1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional: banana slices and chocolate chips for topping

Instructions

• Add all ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth.
• Refrigerate for at least an hour. When ready to serve, top with banana slices and chocolate chips.

Chia pudding can be customized in many ways, especially when you blend it all together like I do in this recipe. Store it in the fridge for a quick snack later, or enjoy as soon as the chia seeds are done working their magic and have created a pudding!

This post was originally published on October 20, 2014.