Effortless, delicious and healthy. This chia pudding recipe is a lighter take on a favorite dessert of mine. Kheer, which is an Indian-style rice pudding, is made by cooking rice in ample amounts of milk, sugar and cardamom until it softens and creates a thin pudding. It’s then chilled and served icy cold. (I especially like making it during the sweltering Texan summer.)
Now, I want to explore a different version of this dessert. Chia seeds are a popular super food and swell up when soaked in liquid, creating an almost custard-like texture. This makes them a great alternative to rice for this recipe. The key to making them is soaking them long enough. Patience is definitely key here or you will end up with a crunchy pudding.
In terms of flavor, cardamom is the highlight of this recipe. For those who aren’t familiar with it, cardamom is a very sweet, slightly citrusy spice. It’s one of my favorite and most-used ingredients. Great mixed in with ground coffee before brewing, stirred into yogurt with honey, or folded into orange pound cake batter; this spice is easy to integrate into your kitchen once you give it that first try. To maximize it’s flavor, it’s best to cook the cardamom in milk first. However this recipe keeps things simple and raw, resulting in a more subtle flavor. You are welcome to heat the milk, honey and cardamom first before adding the chia seeds if you want the flavor to be stronger.
Outside of the health factor of chia pudding, I have to say that I love making it because of it’s simplicity. This overnight food comes together in minutes. Prep it the night before and wake up to the pudding ready to eat. Also, chia pudding stores very well, so it’s is a great thing to make ahead for meal prep.
Lastly, I like to add a lot of toppings for added texture. Tart strawberries add brightness and work well with the honey and cardamom. They also bulk up the portion size to make a single serving quite filling. I’ve also used nuts for some crunchiness and added protein. Feel free to play with toppings here and make this recipe your own.
Now, let’s get started!
Chia Pudding with Cardamom and Honey
Makes 2 servings
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 8 hours
Ingredients
- 6 tbs chia seeds
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tsp ground cardamom
- 3 tsp honey (feel free to add more to taste, I like mine slightly sweet)
- Toppings of choice, strawberries or sliced almonds work beautifully
Step 1: Mix the cardamom, honey and chia seeds together in a large bowl until you get a thick paste.
Step 2: Slowly stir in the milk until fully combined.
Step 3: Cover bowl with cling wrap. Let mixture rest 15 minutes, and then mix again. Repeat this step 3 times until the pudding is thickened.
Step 4: Let pudding rest overnight or until the seeds are soft. There should be no crunchy texture left. Top with your choice of toppings, strawberries pictured, and serve.
The Glutton Diaries 