chia seed pudding

As a child I did not enjoy eating breakfast. The cereal was either too soggy, the syrup already soaked into the pancakes, the eggs cold, or the toast wet with jelly. Of course this was not my mother's fault. You see, I was not an easy child in the mornings; my mother would come in and cheerfully wake me up by telling me breakfast would be ready in a minute. By the time I dragged myself out of bed, got dressed and sat  down, the breakfast was ruined.

Although breakfast is still not my favorite meal, I have learned to tolerate it. One particular breakfast I now enjoy is chia seed pudding. It is creamy, rich in omega-3s, and not too sweet. This pudding takes minutes to make, can be made the night before, and requires no morning preparation. This dish may turn even me into a breakfast lover.

                                                             chia seed pudding
                                                                  adapted from
                                                       Giada's FEEL GOOD FOOD
                                                             Giada de Laurentiis

Ingredients
1 cup vanilla - flavored unsweetened almond milk
1 cup plain low-fat (2%) Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup , plus 4 teaspoons for serving
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 pint strawberries,  hulled and diced
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

In a medium bowl, gently whisk the almond milk, yogurt,  the 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, vanilla, and salt just until blended. Whisk in the chia seeds. Let stand for 30 minutes. Stir to distribute the seeds if they have settled. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, in a medium bowl, toss the berries with the remaining 4 tablespoons maple syrup. Mix in the almonds.

Spoon the pudding into 4 bowls or stemmed pudding glasses, mound the berry mixture on top, and serve.

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