Healthy kiwi chia pots

These vibrant chia pudding pots are a fuss-free healthy breakfast

Make room, Bircher – there’s a new breakfast in town. Made from only a handful of ingredients, chia pots have everything you need for a wholesome start. Also known as chia seed pudding, these pots are packed with fibre and protein and are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These chia breakfast pots are also gluten and wheat free and are a tasty way of getting your morning energy boost. The little chia seeds soak up the almond milk, creating a pudding-like consistency interspersed with little pops of jelly-like bubbles. With no cooking and only 10 minutes prep, this chia pot recipe can be prepared the night before. Top it with a dollop of yoghurt and fruit, and there you have it: a breakfast you can almost make with your eyes closed!

How to make chia pudding

Making chia pudding with almond milk is super simple. All you really need is a few ingredients, a fridge, and time. Black or white chia seeds are added to the liquid of your choice, in this case almond milk, and stirred until well combined. The mixture is then transferred to little pots for the seeds to slowly soak up the milk. Chia seeds expand to at least 10 times their weight, so the longer they soak, the plumper they become. Three hours is enough for the milk to thicken, but overnight ensures the seeds have swollen to their full capacity.

What ingredients go into breakfast chia pots?

Having chia pots for breakfast is an excellent way to begin your day. Unlike other healthy seeds that are also high in antioxidants like flax or hemp, soaked chia seeds become a natural thickener. We top our pots with a combination of kiwi and blueberries. Kiwifruit is high in fibre and rich in vitamin C. When buying kiwifruit, look for ones that are free of wrinkles and soft spots and yield slightly when gently squeezed. If they are rock hard, they are underripe. We’ve peeled our kiwifruit as some people don’t like its fuzzy texture, but the skin is perfectly safe to eat and contains even more nutrients. To peel your kiwifruit, use a sharp knife to remove both ends. Stand it on one of the flat ends and then run a knife down the sides, removing the peel as you go. Blueberries are packed with vitamins and minerals and are rich in antioxidants. Look for blueberries that are smooth and even. If they look a bit soggy or wrinkled, they are past their prime.

How to customise your chia seed pots

We’ve worked out that 1/3 of a cup of chia seeds to 1 1/4 cups of liquid is the perfect chia pudding ratio. Keeping this in mind, you can start playing around with the liquids and toppings. Make your chia pot vegan by topping it with a non-dairy yoghurt. We use almond milk, but you can easily swap it for oat, coconut or even dairy milk if your diet allows it. Top the puddings with toasted nuts or play around with different fruits like berries or stone fruits. Our chia pudding with almond milk is equally enjoyable for dessert. Stir in a teaspoon of vanilla extract and serve with a drizzle of sugar-free maple syrup.

What else can I do with chia seeds?

Apart from appearing in this blueberry chia pudding recipe, chia seeds can be eaten raw, sprinkled over cereal, rice, yoghurt or vegetables or baked into homemade breads and cakes. They also provide a great thickening agent in a strawberry jam and add extra protein to a smoothie.