Lemon Chia Seed Pudding with fresh berries
A delicately sweet and refreshing lemon pudding that works well for breakfast, snack or dessert!
Author: Kelly
Serves: Makes 2 puddings approximately 1 cup/250 mL each
Ingredients
- 1 cup milk variety of choice
- ½ cup unsweetened plain Greek yogurt (I typically use 2% fat)
- 4 generous Tbsp chia seed
- juice of one lemon
- zest of one lemon + more for garnish
- 4 Tbsp honey or pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp pure lemon extract, optional
- raspberries and basil or mint for topping, as desired
Instructions
- In a generous sized mixing bowl, combine: milk, yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, honey or maple syrup and lemon extract if using. Add chia seed and whisk ingredients well before carefully transferring the pudding into serving dishes of choice.
- The recipe renders approximately 2 cups/500 mL of pudding so you can divide into two, 1 cup/250 mL portions or four half cup/125 mL portions, as you wish.
- Cover the puddings with wrap and carefully place in fridge for at least 20-30 minutes before enjoying (See Notes on pudding texture and appearance below).
- Just before serving top the puddings with additional lemon zest (if desired), berries and a sprig or two of basil or mint.
Notes
Breakfast, Snack or Dessert: I served this pudding for breakfast - it was cool and refreshing and just right on a warm California morning but you could equally enjoy it for snack or dessert as you wish.
Chia Seed: Chia seeds offer plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, antioxidants and an impressive array of minerals. Unlike flaxseed, chia does not have to be ground to be bioavailable (ie: to be absorbed and usable by the body). Chia is also highly 'hydrophilic' meaning that its seeds absorb water/moisture beautifully to create a mucilaginous gel that's ideal in desserts, puddings and jams. Flaxseed has a similar nutrition profile to chia (with slightly less fibre, omega-3s and minerals per serving) but flaxseed has the added benefit of containing lignans - plant compounds believed to be protective of breast health - which chia does not. Chia is more expensive than flaxseed but due to the highly concentrated nature of its nutrients on a gram per gram basis, a small amount of chia goes a long way. You can find chia seed at any health food store and many larger grocery stores.
Pure Lemon Extract: Pure lemon extract is a great way to intensify lemon flavor in desserts - it is simply lemon concentrate that does not contain any added sugars. I find the juice and zest from the lemon combined with the honey/maple syrup just the right combination for my taste but, if you want a slightly more pronounced lemon flavor, this is a great option.
Pudding Texture & Appearance: The longer you allow the chia to sit in the pudding mixture, the more moisture it will absorb, the larger and more visible the chia seed granules and the more set/thick the pudding will become. A 20-30 minute sit should give you some nice gelling but more of a milky texture (a bit reminiscent of tapioca pudding). A two hour or more sit (you can leave it over night to enjoy the next morning/day) will deliver a thicker texture while bringing more visibly large chia seed to the surface, so you can decide on the texture and appearance you prefer.
Make-Ahead Option: You can make the chia pudding the evening before, store it covered in the fridge and enjoy it the next day.
Chia Seed: Chia seeds offer plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, antioxidants and an impressive array of minerals. Unlike flaxseed, chia does not have to be ground to be bioavailable (ie: to be absorbed and usable by the body). Chia is also highly 'hydrophilic' meaning that its seeds absorb water/moisture beautifully to create a mucilaginous gel that's ideal in desserts, puddings and jams. Flaxseed has a similar nutrition profile to chia (with slightly less fibre, omega-3s and minerals per serving) but flaxseed has the added benefit of containing lignans - plant compounds believed to be protective of breast health - which chia does not. Chia is more expensive than flaxseed but due to the highly concentrated nature of its nutrients on a gram per gram basis, a small amount of chia goes a long way. You can find chia seed at any health food store and many larger grocery stores.
Pure Lemon Extract: Pure lemon extract is a great way to intensify lemon flavor in desserts - it is simply lemon concentrate that does not contain any added sugars. I find the juice and zest from the lemon combined with the honey/maple syrup just the right combination for my taste but, if you want a slightly more pronounced lemon flavor, this is a great option.
Pudding Texture & Appearance: The longer you allow the chia to sit in the pudding mixture, the more moisture it will absorb, the larger and more visible the chia seed granules and the more set/thick the pudding will become. A 20-30 minute sit should give you some nice gelling but more of a milky texture (a bit reminiscent of tapioca pudding). A two hour or more sit (you can leave it over night to enjoy the next morning/day) will deliver a thicker texture while bringing more visibly large chia seed to the surface, so you can decide on the texture and appearance you prefer.
Make-Ahead Option: You can make the chia pudding the evening before, store it covered in the fridge and enjoy it the next day.
Recipe by Inspired Edibles at https://www.inspirededibles.ca/2014/06/lemon-chia-seed-pudding-with-fresh.html