NUTRITIOUS CHIA PUDDING WITH FRESH BERRIES

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Nutritious chia pudding with fresh berries will always be our go-to breakfast these days. Ever since our chilled out stay at Qualia, we have started preparing healthier and more nutritious breakfast meals. Since our first stay there four years ago in 2015, we have noticed some changes in terms of clientele, breakfast menu and added luxury experiences at the renowned resort at Hamilton Island, Australia. The breakfast spread incorporated fresh and nutritious servings of fruit smoothie, small plates of fruit, a selection of green juice, grapefruit juice and orange juice amongst others, chia pudding and salmon poke.

Needless to say, breakfast should not be tedious to prepare. The trick is to have some ingredients prepared before hand which makes breakfast preparation plain sailing. To prepare chia pudding, chia seeds need to be soaked overnight. The strawberries can be pre-cut and stored in a plastic container to prevent the hassle of cutting them each morning especially when we have to rush to work.

A staple food of the Aztecs and Mayans, chia seeds provide sustainable energy. One ounce or 28 grams of chia seeds contain 11 grams fiber, 4 grams protein, 9 grams fat of which 5 grams are omega 3, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Always go for organic chia as they are are grown without pesticides and don’t contain preservatives.

We make raspberry and strawberry coulis to pour over the yogurt. Then, we finish the presentation with fresh berries, especially the ones in season. Fresh grapes also work well for the top up.

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Ingredients

1/4 cup chia seeds

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 tbsp vanilla paste

1 tsp vanilla essence

yogurt

fresh berries

fresh grapes

Method

1. Pour chia seeds in a container. Add almond milk, vanilla paste and vanilla essence. Mix thoroughly. Place in the fridge overnight. Mix every two hours so the chia seeds won’t clump together.

2. Blend some raspberries and strawberries in a Nutribullet to make coulis. Pour it in a container and refrigerate it.

3. When the pudding is set, scoop some in a glass container.

4. Add some yogurt on the pudding.

5. Next, add some coulis.

6. Top up with fresh berries and grapes.

7. Serve and enjoy.

Sometimes I add warm oat first and then layer it with the chia pudding and top it up with coulis and fresh berries. I also add some nuts and sultanas for some crunch and depth of flavour. The list just goes on. Chia pudding is full of soluble fiber. When taken with oat it fills you up till lunch time.

Since blue berries cost sky high at this time, we stick to raspberries and strawberries. Full of antioxidants, nutritious chia pudding with fresh berries is a superb breakfast on weekdays when we are on the go.