Chocolate Chia Pudding

A delicious and light breakfast, snack or dessert made with chia seeds, a Southwestern native plant food. You can use dairy for this, or make it totally vegan. Vary the toppings with fresh fruit, granola, nuts, yogurt or whipped cream (or coconut cream). It takes a while to soak, but is so easy to make, and keeps several days, that we find it a great staple item. Sweeten with agave nectar to carry on the native plants theme, or you can use maple syrup, honey, or your favorite syrup.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup chia seeds
1 and 1/2 cups milk (We usually use oat milk or almond for a nice non-dairy treat everyone can enjoy)
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2-3 Tbs agave syrup (you can add more at any time)
spices (a pinch of salt, dash of cinnamon or clove, hint of espresso powder, be creative)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (or experiment with other liqueurs or extracts)

Process:

Pour 1/2 cup milk into a container or mason jar. Add the cocoa powder and shake or stir. Add the chia and repeat, then add the rest of the milk. Stir and let rest for 10 minutes, then stir again. Put in the fridge for at least 4 hours. It’s even better overnight. Add more liquid as desired for consistency. Chia reacts to humidity like flour, and so may absorb more or less moisture on any given day. Taste and adjust sweetness and spice! Serve with the fruits and nuts on hand, and enjoy guilt-free.

About Chia:

Salvia columbariae (chia) is a member of the mint family. With square stems and showy purple flowers, it is a festive annual after a good spring rain. Its flower calyxes look similar to its relative, salvia dorrii (desert purple sage), but have protruding spikes.

Chia is an important Native American food plant, and is, of course, also eaten by birds and small mammals. It is best to leave wild chia seeds for the ecosystem, but it can easily be purchased at health food stores, Mexican markets, or online. It can also be grown from seed in the Southwestern garden.