Sweet treats
Mango and coconut chia pudding recipe
A chia pudding is packed with protein and omega-3 fatty acids and is a great way to start the day. And best of all, this one is free of refined sugar.
This recipe comes from pastry chef Henrietta Inman. Here, she’s added mango, mint and coconut milk to make a smooth, creamy and delicious pudding that’s fresh and fragrant. It’s a real winner.
Henrietta, author of Clean Cakes, has also included goji berries, which are antioxidant rich. These berries have a strong sweetness and slight sharpness and they’re great sprinkled on breakfast cereals, added to salads, cakes, muffins or raw chocolate.
Vary your chia pudding
You can also use other fruits in place of mango in your chia pudding. Papaya, kiwi fruit, berries or ripe stoned fruit (when in season) all make tasty variations.
In place of goji berries, Inca berries (also known as golden or Aztec berries) are a good choice. While sour, these berries contain many B vitamins, as well as vitamins A and C.
White mulberries are another option. These have a very sweet, grape-like flavour and are packed with iron, calcium, fibre and anthocyanins.
Photo credit: Lisa Linder
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Wellbeing Wisdom
Baobab powder is made from the ground seeds of the baobab fruit. It has a nutient-dense profile and is high in fibre and rich in vitamin C, calcium, potassium and thiamin. It also has one of the highest antioxidant capacities of any fruit in the world.
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp milled flax seeds
- 180ml coconut milk, plus extra to drizzle, optional
- 50ml juice from 1-2 limes
- 250g mango flesh (about 1 mango) plus extra for serving
- 10 medium-large mint leaves
- Pinch of Himalayan pink salt
- Generous pinch ground cardamom
- 1 tsp baobab powder, optional
- 50g ice cubes
Toppings (all optional)
- Natural yoghurt
- Bee pollen
- Goji berries, soaked for 10 minutes in warm water to soften
- Fresh mint leaves
- Fresh or dried coconut
Method
1. Combine the chia seeds and milled flax seeds with the coconut milk. Stir well and leave for at least 15 minutes to swell up, or make the night before and leave to swell in the fridge until the next day.
2. Put the soaked seeds in a blender with the rest of the ingredients, and baobab powder if using, leaving the ice cubes until last. Blend until completely smooth, then add the ice cubes for extra freshness. Blend once more until completely smooth. Pour out into the glasses and layer with cubes of fresh mango if desired.
3. Finish with your preferred toppings, drizzle with a little extra coconut milk, if you wish, and serve immediately.
4. This will keep well in the fridge for at least three days, so make a large batch at the beginning of the week. Enjoy it on its own for breakfast, or add extras like homemade granola, seeds, nuts and fresh fruit.
