One of my favourite recipes for weight loss, healing the gut, lowering cholesterol, and curbing the appetite is overnight chia and oats. Both chia and oats are high in nutritional fibre and together provide a powerful combo of omega-3s, antioxidants, flavonoids, plant-based protein, and work well together to create a balanced meal.
Chia seeds are tiny black seeds that come from a plant related to the mint family, and are a rich source of dietary fibre. The tiny, pinhead-sized seeds are a well known superfood and have been prized throughout history for their abundant plant-based nutrition. In fact, “chia” is the ancient Mayan word for “strength", and were used to feed the Mayan and Aztec warriors. Oats are also a rich source of dietary fibre, and very high in many essential vitamins and minerals. When pairing the two, you create a densely nutritious meal that can be easily be prepared totally raw.
Mathilda's Chia Pudding & Overnight Oat Recipes
Making overnight chia and oats is a staple in my kitchen. So when I stumbled across Mathilda's Instagram filled with the most beautifully presented chia pudding recipes, I just had to ask if I could share. The recipe creator and food photographer, takes the basic chia pudding recipe and truly makes it next level with her toppings and creative presentation. In fact, all of her plant-based recipes are just so beautifully presented, it makes me want to inhale her entire Instagram foodie feed!
#1 - Dreamy Vanilla Pudding & Blueberries
Chia seed pudding is ridiculously versatile (see basic recipe) and super fun for the kids to try themselves. You can literally mix it up a million ways to Tuesday and still come up with new nutritionally-dense and delicious recipes. I swear I could personally enjoy it every day for a whole week and not get bored with chia pudding. But it all depends on what you add to the mix and how you top your pudding.
Here, recipe creator Mathilda, has made a stunning snack pot with a fruity jam-compote, fresh blueberries, and edible pansy flowers. So yummy, so easy!
These overnight oat parfaits are one of my all-time favourite for Sunday breakfast! I love adding different toppings to mine, but I especially love making a fresh berry compote to drizzle over the top or through the mix. Here, Mathilda has deeply inspired me with her two parfait creations using banana, berries, coconut flakes and a drizzle of nut butter. Its a real trick to press the fruit up against the glass and it stay put, love it.
These plantbased overnight parfaits are super simple to whip up the night before and make quick work of meal prep. I highly recommend making a few batches up on a Saturday or Sunday night to have super healthy and nutritious meals for on-the-go the first few days of the school/work week.
While Mathilda's recipe calls for plantbased milk (which is also my pick being fully dairy-free), you could use cow or goat's milk, and Greek yoghurt. Just be choosy with yoghurts as there are often many hidden sugars and preservatives unless homemade. If you have never tried a plantabsed version, definitely give her recipe a go, its divine and gut-friendly.
Oh yes, you can combine the goodness of chia pudding with smoothies and nicecream for nutrient-rich main meal or dessert. Its delish! The flavour combinations and topping ideas are totally limitless, and present a real fun and easy way to create a delectable wholefood snack or meal, for the whole family or for your next dinner party.
This is one recipe you just have to try, especially if you've only ever had plain chia pudding. A heaping blob of nice cream or thicken smoothie to the top, adds a dessert-like piazzas you can enjoy absolutely guilt-free. Nice cream and smoothies are simply blended up fruits and veggies, and provide a super tasty way to up your fruit, vegetable and dietary fibre intake as well as increase the nutrient profile of a single meal.
Here's my own green smoothie recipe for you to try to dress up a plain chia seed pudding recipe. This one is always a hit with friends and super loaded with phytonutrients and plenty of greens. Feel welcome to swap around the greens; I've also made it with beetroot leaves, kale, mustard greens or romaine.
GREEN GODDESS SMOOTHIE
1/2 cup fresh, organic spinach
1/3 cup fresh watercress, organic
1 large banana, frozen is best
250ml almond milk, unsweetened
1/2 cup crushed ice
3 tsp spirulina powder (optional)
Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender and blitz on high until well combined. If you enjoy a very thick smoothie, add more ice to get the consistency you prefer.
To serve, add a 3-4 tablespoons of the chia pudding to a bowl, fancy glass or small 300ml mason jar. I love using these from Kmart, super cheap and makes a fabulous presentation you can screw a lid on and take on the go. Then, spoon a generous serving of the smoothie or nice cream to the top. Add a sprinkle of crunch with crushed nuts, coconut flakes, raw cacao nibs or whatever topping you think would compliment the smoothie flavour. So mouth-watering, you'll make this one again and again!
Who would of thought raw granola was a thing, but it most certainly is. I first heard of it from Gena of The Full Helping fame; she makes her recipe using a dehydrator, click here. I've tried it and its super easy, definitely yummy but if I am going to make rawnola, I go for the full raw deal using a 5-minute Raw-nola recipe by Minimalist Baker. Both are a real treat, and being that I'm gluten-free, I love basing the recipe on other non-gluten ingredients so I can enjoy them.
To make the perfect chia parfait, in my opinion, you always need to add some deliciousness to the toppings. Here, Mathilda has create another dessert-like recipe with fresh and puree fruit in her version of a rawnola parfait. As she says, recipe testing requires lots of secret ingredients and flavourful combinations. I think its safe to say, this one came out an absolute winner.
Edible flowers are a mainstay in my kitchen and I positively love how Mathilda has used them here to garnish the perfect Sunday breakfast, chia pudding. The subtle blue-purple tones of petals combined with pinky-red strawberries of this topping create a gorgeous effect and would be a stunning treat for those lazy Sunday mornings.
Do you ever use edible flowers? As an ex landscape designer, a kitchen garden planted with edible flowers is just as normal peas, carrots and tomatoes to me. In many cases, edible flowers work two-fold helping to keep the bugs off your veggies and delicate herbs, while also providing a showy nutritional addition to your recipes.
Most edible flowers are best eaten freshly picked and just require a quick inspection for bugs. Always rinse in cold, filtered water and leave to dry on a paper towel. Typically, flowers taste their best immediately after the blossoms have opened, so keep an eye out and pick them at their best. There are really only two other important things to remember about edible flowers:
Not Every Flower Is Edible
There is really only small list of safe edible blossoms to eat, while most others can be harmful or poisonous. As a rule, stick with flowers listed below. If you are unsure, do your own research to be 100% certain which are edible or not. Safe edible flowers include blossoms such as citrus blossom, clover, chamomile daisies, dandelions, hibiscus, honeysuckle, lavender, lilac, nasturtium, pansies, roses, sunflowers and violets. Only the petals of some flowers such as rose, calendula, tulip, and lavender are edible.
Always Use Organic Flowers
The second caution is to always use organic blossoms and ensure that your harvest is free from insecticides, fungicides or herbicides. Dandelions can only be used if from an organic lawn or garden, same with roses. Florist blossoms are not edible, so please do not even think about using store bought flowers. These are almost always forced to bloom with many chemical enhancements, colour fillers and of course pesticides to get them to market.
Can you image being served this? Oh, yes please! Overnight oats with chia seeds are probably one of the cheapest wholefood meals you can ever make. No excuses that eating healthy is too expensive, its now a myth busted. Yes, you can nourish your body with the good stuff on a tight budget, and overnight oats is top of the recipe list.
What makes this recipe extra special is the scoop of berry jam used to flavour the 'pudding'. Now, as a health practitioner, you know I am going to tell you jam is not a healthy option as its often teaming with sugar, sugar, sugar, and you're already sweet enough. However, a simple recipe I love to suggest to clients who love their jam, is one made from, you guessed it, chia seeds.
Usually jam relies on fruits high in pectin. With Chia Seed Jam, in lieu of pectin, the chia acts as a natural thickener forming a gel-like texture when its activated. Chia is a super healthy swap and doesn’t require sugar to set the jam, making it an effective way to make low-sugar jams that still have that nice, thick texture. I highly recommend you only make small batches though, as without a lot of sugar to act as a preservative, chia jam does not have a a very long shelf life.
CHIA SEED DESERRT JAM RECIPE
4 tbsp chia seeds
2 cups of raspberries, fresh or frozen
1/2 tsp Dutch cinnamon, ground
1-2 tbsp maple syrup or agave sweetener
1-2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
In a small to medium saucepan, add the fruit, lemon juice, and sweetener, and then stir over medium heat until the berries begin to soften. Add the cinnamon and vanilla next. When the berries have softened to the point that they're starting to fall apart, use a potato masher to mash them up. Bring the mixture to a slow boil and add the chia seeds. Stir well to combine the mixture and keep on a boil for 8-10 minutes.. Let the jam cool and add to sealable mason jars Must be stored in the fridge, and lasts 3-5 days.
The Healthy Breakfast To Pretty To Eat
I hope that together Mathilda of Healthy Holistic View and I have inspired you to give chia pudding and overnight oats a quick go; I'm salivating already. Adding these two dessert-like recipes to your weekly menu will do you a world of good. You'll be feed your gut microbe as much you will satisfying your appetite with the above recipes. Don't be afraid to get creative and add this and that to you own recipe.
So, join me in getting inspired with six of her most delicious and beautiful recipes that really are almost too pretty to eat. Which ones will you try and recreate?!
Healthy + happiness,
Emma Lisa xx
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