As I mentioned in my last post, a simple 4th of July staple is this red, white and blue fruit salad.
Then, with that fruit salad, make any bowl of oatmeal, pancake, waffle, toast, granola, or smoothie bowl patriotic. Here, we’re making Lemon Berry Chia Pudding with it.
When recipe testing this, I asked my husband, “Would you want to eat this for breakfast on the 4th of July?”
His reply, “I’d love to eat this for breakfast every day.” Testimonials like that aren’t necessarily common! The lemon really sings and makes this chia pudding super zesty and refreshing.
If you’re new to chia pudding, I’ll explain. Chia seeds are nutrient-packed little black seeds that swell when exposed to liquid, creating a thick, seedy pudding without any sugar or pectin needed for it to thicken. They are very high in fiber, protein, omega-3’s, and antioxidants. They also have anti-cancer lignans (although flax seeds have 3 times as many lignans as chia seeds). (source)
Who knew something that’s whole food plant-based, no salt, low-fat could taste so delicious? I’m excited for you to try this one!
If you like lemon-flavored breakfasts, check out my Lemon Berry Baked Oatmeal , Lemon Poppyseed Steel Cut Oats, or Lemon Zucchini Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup.
Use red, white, and blue fruits for a patriotic spin, or just enjoy this lemon chia pudding by itself. Refreshing and zesty! Make it the night before for best results.
- 2 cups plant milk (such as almond, soy, coconut)
- 3-4 lemons (for 2 tsp lemon zest and 1/3 cup lemon juice)
- 4 TBSP maple syrup
- 1/2 cup chia seeds
- blueberries, red berries, bananas (or any other fruit)
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Using a fine grater or zester, zest the lemons until you have 2 teaspoons lemon zest.
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Cut the lemons and juice them to get 1/3 cup lemon juice.
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Stir the lemon juice, lemon zest, milk, maple syrup and chia seeds. Let sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight.
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To serve, spoon the chia pudding over berries or simply put berries on top.
I made this recipe the night before a planned 3-hour bike ride through the country. I took it, along with spoons, with us. At the halfway point, when we were ready for something to eat, I pulled this out and we devoured it. It was delicious! It made me happy to think of all those little seeds, citrus juice, and berries nourishing my cells. I was sweet enough for me, but my husband wished it were a little sweeter. It would be easy to pack in zip-top bags, and then cut the corner off and drink it. It would eliminate the need for spoons, and you wouldn’t have a rigid plastic container to tote around. I think next time I make it, I’ll use date syrup (just dates and water blenderized until smooth).
I found this recipe a big success! Such great flavors and textures. I added a hint of vanilla to it and thought it just right. Thanks Faith.
Awesome! So glad you liked it. Thank you for coming back to comment and help others find good recipes.