Glitter & Grace

Oatmeal is my go-to breakfast, and I love the warm, nourishing dish on a cold morning. This past winter, I enjoyed a bowl of oatmeal with nut butter and some fresh fruit pretty much every morning. It was simple, easy to prepare, and the perfect remedy to the rain and dark days. Now that the weather is warming up and the sun is shining, however, I’ve been craving lighter breakfasts with more variety.

Earlier this spring I started experimenting with smoothies, and found my favorite combination of banana, frozen blueberries, and greens. I’ve also been baking up various breakfast treats to enjoy, including these banana muffins and these scones. Of course, you can’t go wrong with a bowl of homemade granola topped with cold almond milk, either. Finally, I’ve been rotating between various variations of chia seed pudding. This chocolate and raspberry version is my current favorite!

I love this dish for the summer months because it’s super cool and refreshing. This pudding chills in the fridge overnight to thicken, so it’s nice and cold by morning. The base of almond milk is perfectly light (unlike a delicious, albeit thicker, traditional pudding) and the chia seeds add texture without weighing the pudding down.

This particular recipe features the classic flavor duo of chocolate and raspberries. I decided to use unsweetened cocoa powder in the pudding rather than a sweet form of chocolate. This is a great choice because it allows us to control the amount of sugar we add. I used about two tablespoons of maple syrup, since I was planning to enjoy this dish for breakfast, but feel free to include a little more if you’re looking for a sweeter dessert. Of course, fresh raspberries and a few chocolate chips are a delicious garnish. This chia seed pudding is perfect for a sweet breakfast or light dessert during the warm summer months!

Chocolate Raspberry Chia Seed Pudding

Adapted from The Minimalist Baker

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raspberries
• 2 cups almond milk
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• raspberries and chocolate chips, for garnish

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, mash raspberries. Stir in almond milk, cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt.
2. Add chia seeds and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate.
3. After about ten minutes, give the pudding a good stir. Cover and refrigerate until thick, four hours or overnight.
4. Divide pudding between four bowls and top with more raspberries and chocolate chips.

*Let me know in the comments: what have you been eating for breakfast recently? What’s your favorite dish for summer mornings?*