As the heat of summer rolls around, I crave fresh fruit and cool sweets. Unfortunately I’d be 50 pounds heavier if I indulged in ice cream as often as I’d like, so I need lots of healthy dessert alternatives. Here’s one of my faves, particularly because of the gooey texture and subtle sweet, nutty flavor. And let’s be honest, I douse it with loads of maple syrup and fresh fruit from the garden. Yum!
Unfortunately I can’t remember where this recipe came from, so I’m afraid I can’t provide proper credit. If I ever figure it out, I’ll be sure to update this post!
Chia Pudding with Fresh Berries
This sweet dessert is light, healthy and refreshing! It's perfect for summer when you have fresh strawberries, blueberries and other fruits available, but it's almost as yummy with frozen fruit (either kept frozen or allowed to thaw). I always top mine with real maple syrup that I purchase directly from a farm in Vermont.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked 2 hours or overnight unless you have a high powered blender
- 4 cups water
- 7 Medjool dates pitted and coarsely chopped
- pinch salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons coconut butter also known as coconut manna
- 5 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Place chia seeds in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Drain soaked cashews and rinse well. Add cashews, water, dates, salt, cinnamon, coconut butter and vanilla to the blender. Blend on high speed for 2 minutes. NOTE: If you can't fit all these ingredients in the blender, just add as much of the water into the blender as you can and add the remaining amount to the chia seeds along with the mixture once blended.
- Pour mixture into the bowl with chia seeds; stir with a whisk. Let mixture stand 10 to 15 minutes, whisking occasionally to prevent chia seeds from clumping. Refrigerate until cold, about 3 hours. Store in the fridge.
- To serve, top with berries and maple syrup. Yields approximately 8 servings.
