Global · breakfast, snack

Meal-Prep Chia Pudding

Name: Meal-Prep Chia Pudding
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 2 tbsp chia seeds; about 18 g raw cashews, blended into ½ cup homemade cashew milk (or use ½ cup of any milk); about ½ cup water, blended with the nuts; about ½ tsp maple syrup, to sweeten the nut milk; ⅛ tsp vanilla extract, in the nut milk; about ½ cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen, to top

Meal-Prep Chia Pudding — from Downshiftology's cooking video

Watch how it’s made · 10:57

Video by Downshiftology on YouTube · Open on YouTube

20 minServes 1262 kcal a serve

Vegan
Gluten-free ingredients

Contains: Tree nuts. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

Two tablespoons of chia seeds give about 8 g of fibre and plenty of plant omega-3 (ALA); with homemade cashew milk and berries it is a no-cook breakfast with only about ½ tsp of maple syrup.

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Ingredients 6

2 tbsp chia seeds
about 18 g raw cashews, blended into ½ cup homemade cashew milk (or use ½ cup of any milk)
about ½ cup water, blended with the nuts
about ½ tsp maple syrup, to sweeten the nut milk
⅛ tsp vanilla extract, in the nut milk
about ½ cup mixed berries, fresh or frozen, to top

Method

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

For each portion, stir 2 tbsp chia seeds into ½ cup milk in a jar (the cook uses her homemade cashew milk, lightly sweetened with maple syrup and vanilla). For six portions, mix ¾ cup chia seeds with 3 cups milk in a bowl and divide. 2:06
Stir again after a few minutes. The seeds should start to gel within about 5 minutes; if they don't, they are stale. 2:33
Leave about 15 minutes, stir to break up any clumps, then top with the berries or other fruit. 3:04
Seal and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, or freeze for several weeks. 3:38
To eat from frozen, thaw overnight in the fridge (or 5–10 minutes on the counter if still icy), stir, and add any nuts or seeds just before eating. 9:41

Tip. Any milk works; dairy, soy or oat milk make it nut-free (homemade cashew milk needs the nuts soaked overnight). Chocolate version: add 1 tbsp cacao powder, 1 tsp maple syrup and ½ tsp vanilla.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 1

Energy262 kcal1,100 kJ

Protein7.8 g16% of a day

Fibre11 g40% of a day

Carbohydrate26 g15 g net · 8.4 g sugars10% of a day

Fat16 g2.2 g saturated20% of a day

Sodium10 mg0% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

Net carbs 26%
Protein 13%
Fat 61%

For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Omega-3 High271%

4.3 g a serve, mostly from chia seeds (98%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Magnesium High34%

144 mg a serve, mostly from chia seeds (56%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Selenium High31%

17 µg a serve, mostly from chia seeds (78%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Zinc High21%

2.4 mg a serve, mostly from chia seeds (47%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin C High21%

19 mg a serve, mostly from berries (98%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Iron Source19%

3.4 mg a serve, mostly from chia seeds (55%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Calcium Source13%

173 mg a serve, mostly from chia seeds (87%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Vitamin K Source11%

14 µg a serve, mostly from berries (55%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Show the other 7

Potassium7%

320 mg a serve, mostly from raw cashews (38%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Folate7%

28 µg a serve, mostly from chia seeds (43%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Vitamin B67%

0.1 mg a serve, mostly from raw cashews (67%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Vitamin E5%

0.7 mg a serve, mostly from berries (61%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Vitamin A0%

2.2 µg a serve, mostly from berries (68%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Vitamin D0%

0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Vitamin B120%

0 µg a serve. Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

Recipe and video by Downshiftology; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.