This Dark Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding is creamy and filled with flavor and heart healthy ingredients. An easy to make, satisfying snack or decadent dessert.
Have you ever tried chia seed pudding? I have to admit that, before developing this recipe, I hadn’t tried it. I’ve seen it many times on Pinterest and on my Facebook feed. But I never got around to trying it. Now I ask myself, why not? Chia seed pudding is the perfect dessert. It’s easy to make, scores high on the nutrition scale, and is just so darn good – especially this Dark Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding with Raspberries that I’m sharing with you today.
Since it’s American Heart Month, and Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, I wanted to make a dessert that would complement a dinner for two and be heart healthy. And so entered dark chocolate, chia seeds, and raspberries. Who wouldn’t want dark chocolate and raspberries for dessert – or any meal or snack for that matter? They just go together. Add the chia seeds with some almond milk and you have a satisfying snack or a decadent dessert elegant enough for a Valentine’s Day dinner for two.
What makes chia seed pudding a healthier choice?
· Dark chocolate
This recipe calls for dark chocolate cocoa powder. Cocoa powder contains heart healthy flavonoids and antioxidants. These nutrients appear to have a positive affect on vascular health, such as reducing blood pressure, improving blood flow, and affecting cholesterol levels. For the most benefits, choose a product that is not alkalized (Dutch processed).
· Chia seed
This is another heart healthy, and all around nourishing, ingredient. One ounce, which is about two tablespoons, supplies around ten grams of fiber – good news if you’re trying to increase the fiber in your diet. Foods high in fiber help you feel full for longer period of time. So, having a high fiber snack like chia seed pudding can help keep hunger pains away in between meals. In addition to fiber, chia seeds are high in omega-3-fatty acids and antioxidants, both of which are thought to be helpful in preventing and treating heart disease. Throw in the fact that chia seeds are a good source of minerals like calcium, phosphorus, and manganese, it’s easy to see how nourishing this food item can be.
· Raspberries
Besides adding a beautiful color, juicy texture, and sweet flavor to this recipe, raspberries provide a high amount of anthocyanins. Anthocyanins are a flavonoid that give raspberries, and other fruits and vegetables, their red color. Flavonoids like this, which are also antioxidants, may help decrease the risk of heart disease as well as certain cancers. In addition, raspberries are high in fiber and vitamin C, with one cup of raw raspberries supplying eight grams of fiber and over 50% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C.
To sum it all up, dark chocolate, chia seeds, and raspberries are all heart healthy foods on their own. When you put them together in this Dark Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding with Raspberries, you end up with a decadent dessert that’s also nourishing and heart healthy. Let’s get on with the recipe, shall we?
You may also enjoy these recipes!
Dark Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding with Raspberries
Ingredients
- 1 c. unsweetened almond milk
- 1 Tbsp. dark chocolate cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- 4 tsp. honey
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 3 Tbsp. chia seeds
- 1 1/2 c. fresh raspberries
- 2 Tbsp. whipped topping if desired
Instructions
- In a small sauce pan, whisk together the almond milk, cocoa powder, salt, and honey. Turn burner to medium heat and warm the mixture just till it’s steaming, stirring frequently. Remove from heat
- Stir in vanilla and pour the chocolate mixture into a pint-sized canning jar or other jar with a lid. Add chia seeds to the jar and cover with lid. Shake covered jar until chia seeds are fully mixed with the other ingredients.
- Place in refrigerator overnight or for 3 to 4 hours. Shake or stir chia seed pudding again after about an hour in the refrigerator. Pudding will thicken as the chia seeds absorb the moisture.
- To serve, spoon about 1/4 of the pudding into two separate small bowls or glasses. Add a layer of fresh raspberries (about 1/4 of the raspberries) in each bowl/glass. Then spoon the rest of the pudding into the two bowl/glasses, divided evenly. Place the rest of the raspberries onto the last layer of pudding in the bowls/glasses and top with whipped topping (if desired).
- Serve immediately.
5 Comments