Blueberry Chia Pudding

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Creamy chia seed pudding paired with tart lemons and a sweet blueberry compote is the perfect summer breakfast. Refreshing and delicious, this healthy breakfast is dairy-free, naturally sweetened, and keeps you fueled for a busy day ahead!

We’re coming into blueberry season around these parts and this Blueberry Lemon Chia Pudding is one of the easiest (and most delicious) ways to use them!

If you’ve ever been to Maine, you know we LOVE blueberries. They’re kind of a big deal around here.

And we put them in everything: whoopie pies, BBQ Sauces, ice cream…EVERYTHING.

Since we’re in the dog days of summer right now, I’m not particularly inspired to bake up a blueberry pie or some cobbler right now, but I still want my saucy, sweet blueberry filling!

The solution?

A refreshing Lemon Chia Seed Pudding smothered in a Blueberry Compote.

Bingo.

The compote is a lot like the filling you’d get in a blueberry pie–it’s thick and sweet and juicy. But instead of cranking up the oven and making a pie crust, I spoon it over a tangy, sweet, (no-cook) lemon chia seed pudding.

The result? Summer in a glass.

And what’s even better, is this whole recipe is naturally sweetened with maple syrup, so you can feel good about eating a ton of it. Not to mention chia seeds alone are a nutritional powerhouse.

So head off to the lake today and bring along a batch of this pudding. You’ll thank yourself later.

Oh and make extra blueberry compote, you’ll eat half of it on the drive to the beach.

What is chia seed pudding?

Well in a nutshell, it’s chia seeds mixed with the liquid of your choosing and left to soak for a couple hours–or overnight.

While soaking, the chia seeds swell and thicken up or “gel” the liquid around them, creating a pudding like consistency.

I would compare to the texture to tapioca pudding! But with smaller seeds.

How do chia seeds work?

Chia seeds are one of the coolest little ingredients that I have in my pantry. The fact being that they “gel” when added to liquids. Therefore turning whatever they sit in into pudding!

Now if only all our foods could magically turn into a pudding.

Hmmm….that might be weird actually.

But how do they do it?

Well, their outer shell has the ability to absorb a ton of water! Like 10x their weight in water.

And since they’re packed with so much fiber, absorbing all that water causes their soluble fiber to turn into a gel like substance once they are soaked.

As a result, the seeds thicken the liquid around them into a pudding like consistency.

I found all this info from Bon Appetit and from wellnessmama.com. These guys have a lot of good info and some tasty looking recipes too!

How To Make Blueberry Chia Pudding

Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients:

• Unsweetened oat or almond milk – I like to keep this recipe plant based, but you can use any milk you’d like, including dairy.
• Chia seeds – wouldn’t be chia pudding without the seeds!
• Maple syrup – I like to naturally sweeten this pudding, and because I’m from New England, I have to use maple syrup. Feel free to swap in agave or honey!
• Fresh lemon juice and zest – this makes the pudding fresh and citrusy, and it brightens up the blueberry topping we make later.
• Vanilla extract – this is just for extra flavor and warmth. You can leave this out if you’re using a vanilla flavored milk.
• Blueberries – fresh or frozen work for this recipe!

Instructions:

Combine the milk, chia seeds, mapley syrup, lemon juice and zest and vanilla in a liquid measuring cup.

Whisk with a fork until well mixed.

Divide the mixture between two 8-oz mason jars or glasses. Chill at least 4 hours or preferably overnight to set.

While the pudding is setting, make the blueberry topping.

Cook the berries in a small saucepan with the lemon juice over medium heat and bring to a simmer.

Heat and stir the fruit for 1 minute, lightly mashing the berries until slightly thickened. It should coat the back of a spoon.

Stir in maple syrup and salt and remove from heat.

Let cool before serving or store in the fridge until ready to use. When the chia pudding has set, top with a scoop of blueberry compote and enjoy!

Toppings and Variations

This is another great thing about chia seed pudding, it allows for so much creativity when it comes to toppings! Here are a few fun options:

• Fresh fruit–bananas, blueberries, strawberries, raspberries
• Toasted almonds, walnuts, or any nut you’d like!
• Coconut–sweetened or not is up to you
• White chocolate chips
• A sprinkle of cinnamon
• Crunchy, sweet Granola
• Yogurt–any flavor you’d like!

Other Recipes You Might Like

Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding

Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

Cauliflower Crust Breakfast Pizzas

Homemade Chunky Granola

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