- 1 cup (140 g) strawberries, blueberries, or jam fruit of choice (frozen and thawed* or fresh)
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
PB&J Chia Breakfast Pudding
Yield: 3 servings
This healthy, prep-ahead breakfast makes me feel great and is surprisingly satisfying. Feel free to use your favorite jam in place of the chia jam recipe and customize with your favorite fruits and toppings.
Ingredients
For the chia jam:
For the chia pudding:
- 3 tablespoons (48 g) peanut butter** (creamy or crunchy), plus more for serving if desired
- 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons (22-30 ml) maple syrup (to taste)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) milk of choice (I’ve made with Silk’s unsweetened almond, coconut, and cashew milk and like them all!)
- 1/3 cup (63 g) chia seeds
- A pinch (1/16 teaspoon) sea or kosher salt
- optional toppings: Fresh berries, sliced banana, toasted coconut, and/or chopped nuts of choice
Instructions
For the chia jam:
Add the fruit to a small saucepan. Warm over medium-low heat until bubbling. Cook for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and mashing the fruit with a fork as it cooks, or until the fruit breaks down and becomes syrupy. Remove from the heat and add the 1 tablespoon of chia seeds and maple syrup. Stir to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness at this point. I often add another teaspoon of maple syrup if the berries aren’t exceptionally sweet.
Divide the jam among three 8- to 12-ounce jars or glasses. Set aside.
For the chia pudding:
In the meantime, add the peanut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla to a medium bowl and stir well. Drizzle in a just a few tablespoons of the milk to start, and stir to thoroughly combine. (Tip: It all the milk is added at once, it’s difficult to evenly incorporate the peanut butter. I use a dinner fork as a whisk.) Whisk the remaining milk and the pinch of salt, going slowly with the milk until the peanut butter is completely incorporated. At this point you may taste and adjust the flavors as needed, adding more maple syrup for sweetness or peanut butter for saltiness.
Stir in the chia seeds and set a timer for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, stir the chia pudding well, breaking up any clumps of seeds. Repeat this process one more time. (Tip: This is the trick to perfect chia pudding, ensuring a smooth, clump-free pudding. I set the kitchen timer so I don’t get distracted and forget.)
Next, divide the chia pudding over the jam in the three serving glasses. Cover and place in the refrigerator to chill, preferably overnight for the best pudding-like consistency.
To serve, top with fresh berries and/or other optional toppings of choice. The prepared puddings will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Notes
*You can cook frozen fruit without thawing, but it’s easy to scorch it. For best results, I add a tablespoon or two of juice or water and thaw the fruit over low heat before proceeding.
**If it’s cold and firm, allow the peanut butter to soften to room temperature or gently warm in the microwave before trying to incorporate it with the milk.
**For a little extra oomph, you can take an additional teaspoon or two of peanut butter and spread it down one side of the individual jars or glasses, keeping the layer on the thick side. When eating, you can scrape a little onto each bite.