My Powerhouse Chia Pudding

Prepare to be bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and suitably nourished with this powerhouse pot of antioxidants. Often the butt of many a joke, chai seeds are sadly dubbed the frogspawn of the breakfast menu.

But before you pass on this ancient dietary staple, let me tell you why you need it in your cupboard and ultimately, your stomach.

Let's get straight to it it:

1. Chia seeds are high in antioxidants, they exist to protect the fats in the seeds and in turn, this wonderful health benefit is passed on to us as we digest it.

2. Oddly (but awesomely) enough, they're a great source of omega-3 fatty acids that reduce inflammation and protect the skin from sun damage. It's crazy that such a little seed can radically aid our wellbeing.

3. As well as containing a decent amount of protein (who'd have thought it?), these beauties are high in fibre. Fun fact: when reading the nutritional content it'll say chia seeds are high in carbohydrates, but the majority of these carbs are actually fibre which isn't digested by our bodies meaning a chia pudding is a great high fibre but low carb start to your day.

Did you know that? This always blows my mind, in such a simple way.

Wanna know something short, sweet and awesome? 

Ahem.

The amount of time it takes to prepare this scrumptious breakfast. 

I was always under the illusion a chia pudding required hours of soaking the seeds, or bleary eyed preparation before bed in anticipation of breakfast. Nur-ur. Oh how wrong I was! 

For once, this breakfast doesn't require a fancy recipe. 

1. Simply pour as little or much chia seeds into a tall narrow glass. Then cover the chia seeds with a plant based milk. Leave it to sit for 10-15 minutes in the fridge et voila, it's done. 

Tips: 

- If you pour too much in and it's too runny, then simply add some oats and a little more chia seeds to bulk it up. Let it sit for another 5 minutes until it absorbs. 

- I love to use coconut milk, simply because it's my absolute favourite milk. I also enjoy adding some flaxseeds, a few tablespoons of porridge oats and a squirt of agave to sweeten. 

- Top your pudding with some crunchy granola for a truly decadent finish. I also love to throw in a few goji berries as well as fruit to pack a good nutritious punch. 

Ps. What's the random stone about?

It's nondescript. Boring. Bland. Basically, it's a stone but it's a special one. I went for a long walk along the beach in Australia, alone with my thoughts and so genuinely happy in my heart it was a really warming sort of walk. The sort of one where your mind is in the clouds and ascends all the more as your feet carry you miles: it was so so lovely. 

As the sun sparkled against the freshwater I waded through I saw a stone lying. Yes: boring, bland and nondescript but it almost begged for me to pick it up, and that I did. 

Today it sits on my table in front of me each day as I write. It serves as a reminder of precious memories, emotions and my thought process when I was travelling. That boring stone puts a smile on my face and sparks my desire to search, seek and create. 

Oh thank you lil stone!