Chocolate and raspberries are just one of those combos that go perfectly together and this recipe is the perfect example of that.
It makes a delicious breakfast, but you can also serve this as a snack or dessert. Although it tastes incredibly light it packs a serious nutritional punch being a great source of fiber, protein, antioxidants, and omega-3 fatty acids.
And of course…its delicious!
Ideally it is best made with homemade cashew milk which makes it super creamy and tastes so much better than if made with a traditional store-bought nut milk. Cashew is my favorite because unlike other nuts, such as almonds, it doesn't need to be strained after it is blended. Since the nuts blend entirely into the water, no nuts go to waste in the process. Not only is it the easiest to make and creamiest of all the nut milks but since no straining is required the cashew milk retains all of it’s fiber and nutrients!
Chocolate Raspberry Chia Pudding
Naturally sweetened, creamy and delicious. Loaded with nutrients and perfect for breakfast, a snack or dessert!
Active Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours and 20 minutes
Servings : 5 (1/2 cup each)
INGREDIENTS
Homemade Cashew Milk
½ cup raw unsalted cashews, soaked in hot water for an hour then rinsed and drained OR soaked overnight, rinsed and drained
2 cups water, plus more for soaking
4 medjool dates
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch sea salt
Chocolate Chia Pudding
1 cup cashew milk
2- 3 Tbsp cacao powder (depending on how you like it)
¼ cup chia seeds
Raspberry Chia Pudding
I cup cashew milk
1 cup raspberries
1/4 cup chia seeds
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the Cashew Milk: Soak the cashews in water an hour in hot water if making that day or in cold water overnight in the refrigerator if making the next day. Drain the cashews and rinse. Add the cashews to the water in a blender. I use a Nutribullet so I just start that bad boy up BUT if you have a traditional blender start on a low setting and increase the speed to high. I let it run for at least a minute until the cashews are totally blended, smooth and creamy.
Make the Raspberry Pudding: Blend half of the cashew milk, raspberries and dates in a blender until smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl and whisk in chia seeds until combined. Cover and place in the fridge for atleast 2 hours.
Make the Chocolate Pudding: Blend the other half of cashew milk, cocoa powder, dates and vanilla extract in a blender until smooth. Pour the mixture into a different bowl than the raspberry pudding and whisk in the chia seeds until combined. Cover and place in the fridge for atleast 2 hours.
Before serving, stir both puddings to break up any clumps of chia seeds. Put the chocolate pudding in whatever container/containers you decide to use. Then layer the raspberry pudding on top. Serve with raspberries or toppings of choice *see notes.
Store any leftover pudding in the fridge for up to 5 days.
NOTES:
*The beauty of chia pudding is once you get the chia to liquid ratio right, the flavor possibilities are endless.
*Each date can be substituted for maple syrup.
*I love to top these off with some fresh raspberries and cacao nibs, but they’d be great with some shredded coconut and homemade granola. If I am making this into a more indulgent dessert rather than breakfast option-- Alter Eco Organic Dark Chocolate Cherry and Almond Butter Coconut Clusters are my go to.
*The ratio of water to cashews is 4 to 1 in this recipe which yields milk that is about the consistency of whole milk in terms of creaminess. The nut milk recipe can be made separately and used for whatever you want. This is the way I make it for most recipes and if I want to just pour it over my granola--I think it’s just right, but you can use less water for even creamier results or more water for a little less creaminess.
* Chia seeds are the highest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids (after flax), an excellent source of minerals and antioxidants. But their best party trick is how they thicken any liquid they are added to always creating a luscious consistency. They are great for intestinal health, and they don’t need to be ground like flax to make their nutrients available to the body.
* Cocoa can be substituted for the Cacao in this recipe. The nutrition of cocoa and cacao are different as they are processed differently. Cacao is raw meaning it retains all of it’s original nutrition, powerful antioxidants, and fragile enzymes. The heating and processing of cocoa makes it lower in nutrients. However cocoa still has a significant amount of nutrition and is far cheaper.