While I’ve been a huge fan of smoothies forevah and know a lot of you like the easy breezy speediness of whipping up a smoothie, some of us do better (and like better) chewing our food.
And you know, since it’s the Fall season here in the U.S., somehow pumpkin has to come onto the scene. And chocolate, of course. Cuz… chocolate.
For now though, let’s consider a chia pumpkin pudding that features some upgrades to make it more filling.
Don’t knock it ‘til you try it.
Chocolatey Chia Pumpkin Pudding Recipe:
8 oz (240 ml) of protein-fortified non-dairy milk* (I used Silk’s Protein unsweetened cashew-almond-pea)
2 Tbsp (24 gm) chia seeds
20 grams worth of chocolate protein powder of your choice (I used Thorne’s whey isolate which was about a 1 scoop amount)
1/4 c (60 gm) pumpkin puree
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
* I recommend using a more hearty milk than the standard almond milks that are available. Many companies are fortifying their non-dairy milks with pea protein, which is helpful to boost the Ooomph Factor of our concoctions. Make sure to look for unsweetened varieties though. And yes, if you are a traditional milk lover (cow milk), you can swap the non-dairy milk for the cow milk.
Preparation Steps:
Grab a glass jar or container of your choice that has a tight fitting lid. Stir together the milk, chia, and protein powder and let it sit for 3-5 minutes.
Stir in the remaining ingredients (and you can put the lid on and shake well a handful of times).
Store in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours to let the mixture thicken and the flavors blend together. Consider making at night to enjoy the next day (my fave) and of course, you can make more than one to have on hand.
Basic Nutrition Info:
385 calories
21 grams carbohydrate (11 grams of fiber!)
37 grams protein
17 grams fat
You can use this goodie as breakfast, a snack before a workout (although there is quite a bit of fiber, so you may want to eat half of it prior to a workout to test out gut tolerance), as a great option for workout recovery (truly a protein pack!), or as an afternoon snacky.
Chia for the win
Enjoy and as always, please tag or ping me if you try it!
-Dina