I realize this may not be true for everyone, but for me, one of the gifts of switching to a balanced, plant-based diet has been no longer worrying too much about my weight.
That said, I was pretty stoked to learn that for those times when I do overindulge (travel, eating out too much, etc.), chia seeds consumed as a powder—as in this Skinny Vegan Chocolate Chia Powder Pudding—have been shown to help with weight loss!
Why I Love this Skinny Vegan Chocolate Chia Powder Recipe
You’re probably thinking, Yeah right, like a hundred other ‘miracle foods’ that promise to melt away my belly-fat! I don’t blame you, I never believe this stuff either. So I put a link to the research study from NutritionFacts.org at the bottom of this post. 🙂
Besides, this is dessert, people! What better way to get your chia on than a creamy, chocolate mint chia pudding? Top it with some aquafaba whipped cream, and dig in!
What makes this skinny chocolate mint chia powder recipe SO yummy and healthy? It’s FULL of fiber, plus it’s made with good-for-you ingredients, like fresh mint leaves (extract? bleh!), cocoa powder (with more fiber in a single tablespoon than an entire bowl of oatmeal!), Medjool dates (for natural sweetness) and of course—chia powder.
Even if you’re not watching your weight, this is one of the easiest desserts, EVER. It has just five ingredients (plus salt), and you can whip up a quick batch with a few spare minutes and a blender. Ideally, your pudding should then set for a few hours in the fridge, though I’ve been known to eat it sooner. Like after 20 minutes. Which I don’t necessarily recommend, but I’m just saying. It can be done.
How to Make Your Own Chia Powder
You can buy chia powder or make your own by grinding it in a blender. (A food processor, spice grinder or coffee mill would probably work, too.) If you’re like me and always have chia seeds on hand, it’s simple to throw a handful in the blender when you want the benefits of chia, without their seedy/gel-ly texture.
Looking for a legit excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast? This is it!
Check out the NutritionFacts.org video Do chia seeds help with belly fat?
If you like this whole food plant-based recipe, you might also like:
- Skinny Matcha Pudding
- Skinny Pumpkin Spice Pudding
- Cacao Smoothie
- Baked Tortilla Vegan Cannolis
- Vegan Key Lime Pie Mini Tarts
- Flourless Sweet Potato Brownies with Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chunks
- Healthy Brownies with Peppermint Frosting
📖 Recipe
Skinny Vegan Chocolate Chia Powder Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups plain non-dairy milk (use sweetened/vanilla for a sweeter pudding)
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 5 Medjool dates, pitted and chopped (use 1-2 more dates for a sweeter pudding, see notes below)
- ¼ cup loosely packed, chopped fresh mint leaves
- ⅓ cup chia powder
- Optional: pinch of sea salt
Instructions
- Add non-dairy milk, cocoa powder, dates, mint leaves, chia powder and salt to a Vitamix or other high speed blender, and process until smooth (when you can no longer see pieces of mint leaves or dates).
- Pour the pudding into a container (or divide into 4 serving dishes), and refrigerate overnight or for at least 5 hours.
Del Puyear
thanks object of sharing
Elizabeth Shah
You're welcome!
Choclette
Ooh, I do like the idea of chia powder for puddings. I'm not too keen on the texture of the whole seeds as a dessert. Had never thought to grind my own before - doh!
elizabeth
Thanks for the review, Choclette! My husband feels the same way about chia seeds--which is how this pudding was invented. No gel-ly seedy texture, just pudding!
Vandana
This looks so delicious. I recently bought two huge jars of chia seeds from a deal and was now struggling to finish them off before the expiry date. Now I know how I want to finish them off.
elizabeth
Thanks so much! Glad this is going to help you use up those chia seeds. I've never tried, but I wonder if you can freeze the extra to preserve freshness? Just a thought. Enjoy!
Jan
Just came across this recipe in search of a quick pudding. I love it and will be making it again I’m sure. I wasn’t going to add the mint at first but I’m so glad I did. My first time blending chia seeds , love that too. Thank you and yeah , I went with 7 ....5 was nice too though.
Elizabeth Shah
Thanks for the feedback Jan, so nice to hear you enjoyed this pudding. Mint is amazing--adds such a fresh note to both sweet and savory dishes too!
elizabeth
Thanks so much Jacqueline! I'm a bit of a mint fanatic. I love it with chocolate, in salads, and I even put in in baba ganoush. It's so versatile and I feel like it adds that bit of unexpected freshness to both savory and sweet dishes. I've never tried tofu chocolate mousse, but that sounds amazing! Will definitely give it a go. Thanks for your feedback.