Are you looking for the perfect all-in-one superfood meal that is super-tasty and an easy way to sneak more essential nutrients into your (or your kids) diet?
This matcha chia seed pudding is the perfect simple snack, dessert, pre-workout fuel, or afternoon pick-me-up! It’s quick to whip up and packed full of healthy nutrients. You’ll love how easy and delicious this simple vegan dish is.
Chia seed matcha pudding recipe — every ingredient has a long-list of health benefits:
Chia seeds were a staple in the Aztec diet, and chia means “strength.” For a good reason! This seed is a powerhouse of nutrients. Chia seeds are high in ALA, which is a necessary Omega-3. They also contain protein, fiber, calcium, magnesium, and zinc.
Matcha green tea powder doesn’t just taste delicious; it does incredible things for our body and is chock-full of nutrients. What more could you ask for? Matcha contains an amino acid known as L-theanine, which is known for giving relaxed alertness. We all agree we need more of that in our lives, right?!
Matcha also contains a massive amount of antioxidants. Matcha has 100x more antioxidants than green tea. Antioxidants are important because they neutralize free radicals. Free radicals may play a role in diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s and damage DNA and fatty tissues. This chia seed pudding is an excellent way to up your dose of antioxidants and help keep some of these common chronic conditions at bay.
But wait, there’s more…..topping your matcha chia seed pudding with blueberries, walnuts, and ginger really takes this healthy and sweet snack to a whole other superfood food level.
Blueberries contain high amounts of antioxidants and are an excellent source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is a crucial player in keeping our immune systems functioning properly.
Walnuts are also an excellent source of ALA and contain healthy fats, which will keep you fueled throughout the day.
Finally, ginger is yet another source of antioxidants and also has antibacterial properties. So go ahead and eat up!
Ingredients you will need:
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Three tablespoons of chia seeds
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½ teaspoon matcha
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One cup almond milk
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One tablespoon of simple ginger syrup
4 Steps to preparing matcha chia seed pudding:
1) Whisk almond milk and matcha together in a bowl or in an individual jar until it’s clump free.
2) Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. Let sit for about 5-10 minutes, and then stir again to ensure chia seeds aren’t clumping.
3) Taste test and adjust based on whether you want more sweetener.
Set in the fridge covered for about 4 hours.
4) Remove from fridge and top with candied ginger, walnuts, and blueberries. Enjoy!
What milk works best for matcha chia seed pudding?
Any milk you like would work well with this recipe. While this recipe uses almond milk and falls under a vegan recipe, you could easily swap this out for cow, coconut, oat, or soy milk. Use what you have on hand and enjoy! You can also quickly adapt this recipe by switching out the toppings. Some other ideas to try are pistachios, coconut flakes, or even cacao nibs.
3 Step Ginger Simple Syrup Recipe:
1) To begin making your ginger simple syrup from scratch, grate a 2” piece of ginger, leaving the peel on.
2)Then add ½ cup water, ½ cup sugar, and fresh ginger to a small saucepan over medium heat.
3) Heat until the sugar has completely dissolved, then turn the stove off and allow the flavors to mingle for at least 10 minutes.
Pro tip: The longer you allow it to sit, the more robust ginger flavor you’ll have. Pour mixture through a fine strainer.
The bottom line:
We’re all about keeping things easy here — and this recipe is about as easy as it gets! The matcha adds a unique twist to this standard recipe and a delicious earthy flavor.
The spice complements the matcha from the ginger and truly creates a perfect pairing!
References:
Bode AM, Dong Z. The Amazing and Mighty Ginger. In: Benzie IFF, Wachtel-Galor S, editors. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press/Taylor & Francis; 2011. Chapter 7. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK92775/
Knez Hrnčič, M., Ivanovski, M., Cör, D., & Knez, Ž. (2019). Chia Seeds (Salvia hispanica L.): An Overview-Phytochemical Profile, Isolation Methods, and Application. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 25(1), 11. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25010011
Kochman, J., Jakubczyk, K., Antoniewicz, J., Mruk, H., & Janda, K. (2020). Health Benefits and Chemical Composition of Matcha Green Tea: A Review. Molecules (Basel, Switzerland), 26(1), 85. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26010085
