Spiced Pumpkin Chia Pudding

It’s fall, so that obviously means pumpkin in everything! I love fall and I find fall foods deeply comforting and grounding. I can eat pumpkin and squash soups for days, but sometimes I crave a sweet treat and since I can’t do ice cream I have to get a little creative. Chia pudding is ridiculously easy to make and it’s pretty healthy too (although I suppose that is determined by what goodies you add). Here is my fall take on chia pudding: Spiced Pumpkin Chia Pudding

Why should you eat pumpkin chia pudding? Pumpkin is an excellent source of vitamins, including Vitamin A, C, E, and K. It is also high in iron, magnesium, potassium, copper, manganese and dietary fiber. Boom! That’s a lot of goodness packed into one veg. Chia seeds are an excellent source of healthy fat and dietary fiber and provide calcium, phosphorus and manganese. Coconut milk, if you’re buying the pre-packaged beverage kind, like Silk Brand, it is fortified with other vitamins and minerals. If you’re going with the natural stuff, perhaps you’re hardcore and make it yourself or are blessed enough to have fresh coconuts at your disposal, your coconut milk won’t be fortified with vitamins and minerals, but it still remains a healthy source of fat. Remember that not all fats are bad for you. Our brains need fat to function.

Ingredients for Spiced Pumpkin Chia Pudding

Serves 2.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 Tablespoons chia seeds
• 3/4 cup coconut milk beverage (not the canned stuff… it’s way too high in fat)
• 1/2 cup organic canned pumpkin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons maple syrup (or 1 teaspoon maple syrup and one Medjool date pitted and minced)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice blend or make your own (ground cinnamon, ground ginger, nutmeg and cloves)

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, combine your chia seeds and coconut milk. Allow the chia seeds to soak 5-10 minutes.
2. With an immersion blender, give them a quick spin.
3. Add your pumpkin, maple syrup (and date if you’re using one), vanilla and spices. Spin again.
4. If your impatient, you can eat it now, but it’s best after it has had a chance to set in the fridge for 30+ minutes.

**If you’re kapha, cut your coconut milk with water or extra pumpkin.