Orange Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

Have you tried chia seeds? They are nutrition powerhouses! Not only do they provide omega-3 fatty acids, but these little guys are also packed with fiber, iron and calcium. When I say packed with fiber, I mean PACKED with fiber! There’s an incredible 8 g in a 2 Tablespoon serving!

You can sprinkle chia seeds on your yogurt or oatmeal, mix them in a smoothie, or use them in breads or muffins. The most popular way to use them though, seems to be chia seed pudding. I personally didn’t like chia seed pudding the first time I made it as it seemed soupy and strange. I played with the chia seed to milk ratio a lot to make this recipe thicker and more pudding-like than some others. No more chia soup!

Now, I had to put a little personal pizazz into my recipe. I have always liked orange chocolate, but when I moved within walking distance of Platter’s Chocolates, I began to really fall in love with it. They have orange chocolate everything! This recipe lets you enjoy the orange chocolate flavor with still getting some great nutrition in as well.

When it comes to the orange juice, feel free to use store bought orange juice, or use fresh squeezed juice from the orange you are zesting. A navel orange will give you that classic orange taste, but you can use a clementine in a pinch as well!

Ingredients:

1 cup skim milk

⅓ cup chia seeds

2 Tbsp maple syrup

¼ cup cocoa powder

1 Tbsp orange juice

½ tsp orange zest

Directions:

1. Whisk all ingredients together in large bowl

2. Let mixture set for 15 minutes and whisk again

3. Refrigerate overnight before serving

Servings: 3

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

Calories: 185

Fat: 7g

Sat Fat: 0.5g

Cholesterol: 0mg

Sodium: 38mg

Carbs: 27g

Fiber: 10g

Sugar: 12g

Protein: 6g

Vitamin D: 1mcg (5% DV)

Calcium: 257mg (20% DV)

Iron: 4mg (22% DV)

Potassium: 350mg (7% DV)