Introduction: Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding
Serves 4 to 6
Step 1: Ingredients
¼ cup chia seed
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (Coconut Dream brand coconut milk in the cartoon or Trader Joes also has a version.)
5 to 6 medjool dates, seeds removed
2 to 3 tablespoons cocoa powder (depends on the intensity of your particular cocoa powder - I use a Valrhona chocolate powder which is quite intense so 2 ½ tablespoons is enough)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon espresso powder (optional, but I think it brings out the chocolate flavor) pinch of sea salt
Special equipment - Vitamix blender or another high-powered blender like Blendtec
Step 2: Method
Put chia seed in bottom of blender and add ½ cup of coconut milk. Allow chia seed to soak up coconut milk and become gelatinous, at least 45 minutes, but you could also leave soaking longer.
After chia seed has soaked in coconut milk, add to the blender the remaining ½ cup coconut milk, dates, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, espresso powder and sea salt. Blend, gradually increasing speed until the mixture is smooth and the chia and dates have been processed, about 3 minutes of blending total. Spoon mixture out into desired number of serving dishes and refrigerate until cool, about 45 minutes. Serve with fresh strawberries or on its own and enjoy!