Today marks day 6 of my 3 week sugar free challenge.
I’m actually very surprised at how easy it’s been so far. I don’t even feel like I’ve been sacrificing anything at all!
I’m even thinking of creating entirely sugar free muffins or breakfast bakes…
I’m thinking Buckwheat, Apple and Sharp Cheddar… or Plantain, Blueberry and Coconut.
Don’t know about you, but they sure sound yummy to me!
And believe it or not, I’ve had a very nice stack of entirely sugar free buttermilk pancakes after my bike ride on Saturday and they were simply to.die.for.
Unfortunately, I was WAYYYY too hungry to take pictures. In fact, I think I was even too hungry to make my pancakes picture worthy.
No, they weren’t pretty. In fact, they were ugly. As hell.
Trust me, after doing 105km on my bike, I just wanted to get a whole bunch of carbs in my system. The good kind, of course. And that’s what those pancakes were all about.
Don’t worry though, I promise I will make them again, and this time, I WILL make them pretty and share with you.
But enough with the pancakes already, for this is not what this post is about.
This post is about a super simple yet extremely delicious, light and refreshing overnight chia seed pudding that you can make real quickly before you go to bed at night and have it ready and waiting for you in the fridge as soon as you wake up in the morning.
Think about it! You could have breakfast ready before coffee is even made! How wonderful! 
Now, I have to be honest, I didn’t come up with that one. I made it after I saw this absolutely mouth watering photo on Pinterest. After I saw it, I sort of became obsessed with this beauty and had but one thing in mind: get it inside my tummy!
Of course, you have to like the “funky” texture of chia seeds to appreciate that one.
If you’ve never had chia before, you really oughta give it a try. It’s really special, I tell you!
This curious (and super healthy might I add) little seeds form a gelatinous coating that makes them swell to 3-4 times their original size when they’re exposed to liquid for an extended amount of time. I find their texture to be very similar to that of tapioca, but with a little bit of a crunch.
In fact, I think I like it even better than tapioca. Heck, you don’t even need to cook it for the magic to happen!
This pudding right here definitely beats any tapioca pudding if you ask me. Hey, it’s got coconut in it!
COCONUT!
Coconut, mango and blueberries. You can’t go wrong with that, now, can you?
When I made this pudding, my challenge hadn’t started yet, so I didn’t make it sugar free. I added vanilla flavored whey protein to it, which contains stevia. However, it would be very easy to make it sugar free by using plain whey protein powder instead and maybe adding a splash of pure vanilla extract for a little touch of added sweetness.
Of course, if you don’t really care for the added protein, you could just skip the “custard” altogether and enjoy the pudding in its “naked” form.
But you know me, I’m all for boosting my protein intake, so I basically add it every occasion I get! And I have to admit that the custard adds a certain amount of creaminess to this pudding as well as making it that much more filling and satisfying.
Oh, and one more thing!
If you’re looking for an easy breakfast that you can bring to work with you, this one is just perfect for that! Just divide the chia seeds mixture between 2 Mason jars, give them a good shake and in the morning you have a glorious breakfast all ready to take with you.
Isn’t that awesome?
Yeah…
I think that’s awesome!
INGREDIENTS
- 1 cup coconut water
- ½ cup almond milk (I used home made)
- 1 tbsp coconut butter, softened
- 2 tbsp black chia seeds
- 140g mango chunks (frozen or fresh)
- ¼ cup fresh blueberries
- 2 tbsp fat free plain Greek yogurt
- 1 scoop vanilla flavored whey protein
- 1 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut
INSTRUCTIONS
- The previous night, add coconut water, almond milk, coconut butter, chia seeds, mango chunks and blueberries in a container with fitting lid.
- Mix until well incorporated and leave to rest overnight or at least 6 hours.
- When you are ready to serve the pudding, mix plain yogurt together with whey protein powder. It might look like there is too much powder at first, but it will come together eventually. Same goes for the "lumpy" feeling. Just let the "custard" rest for about a minute and it will become nice and smooth.
- Divide chia seeds pudding between 2 serving bowls and top with yogurt "custard"
- Garnish with shredded coconut and serve immediately.
Notes
_Slightly adapted from SkinnyTaste_
Grab bowl of pudding…
Set it on pedestal…
Admire for a few seconds!
Dig in…
And savor the moment!
I love this combo! I make mango blueberry coconut chia pudding a lot, though. It makes me feel like I’m on vacation
You got that one right, Alex. This pudding almost makes you feel like you’re sitting right on the beach!
This is such a pretty dish!! I am really intrigued now and wonder how this tastes. I have never had chia seeds, but I just looked the up and my god they are healthy!! I’m gonna try to get my hands on some so I can create a pretty pudding like you
Right on! Glad this one piqued your curiosity! I really hope that you do give it a try, Edith. Chia seeds are truly unique and have the most interesting texture. The seeds themselves don’t have much of a taste, so they blend in really well with whatever ingredients you mix them with. Make sure to share your impressions with me if you do give them a try!
This looks great! And I’m loving the fiber-licious berries! And those bowls are super funky – love it!
So that’s what chia seeds look like once cooked… I had only seen pictures of them in their uncooked state, but these are pretty! I had to search long and wide for chia seeds as they are nowhere to be found in any store around here (or at least none that I could spot) but I found an online source, so will definitely be buying a bag of those. Looks delicious. And well done you for going without sugar for already 3 weeks. After having suffered today from a sugar overdose (bleeggghh) I sort of feel I might have to do the same. We had leftovers from a photoshoot and well, you know me… never can say no.. Hate it when that happens. Sorry didn’t mean to get of on a rant here… Love your chia seed pudding! Bikeride tomorrow morning… Too bad I can’t make this for myself!
Actually, Simone, the chia seeds aren’t cooked, they are simply soaked overnight. Even easier that way!
And for real? You can’t find chia seeds anywhere in stores where you are? They are getting really popular here (YAY!) so they can be found in pretty much all grocery stores and food markets. Can’t complain. Hopefully, their popularity will have them come down in price eventually also.
And 3 weeks without sugar isn’t as bad as it sounds. I was really scared at first, but I’m now one week in and am seriously considering making this permanent. Well, not 100%, but like I do with grains and red meat. Enjoy it once in a while, but not have it be a part of my regular diet.
Enjoy the bike ride, it sure will help rid your body of all that marshmallowy sugar!
And make sure you share your thoughts on that pudding if you try it! 
I would love this for breakfast! I am always looking for new quick and healthy options!
This one sure fits the bill, Jessica. Hope you try it!
I just discovered your blog and I LOVE it! Also, I’ve recently been introduced to chia seeds, mostly just with putting them in my oatmeal. But this looks so good, I know what I’ll be making with those seeds next! Beautiful pictures!
Thanks much Elana! Love your blog also! Very nice… you found a new follower in me!
I sure hope you like (and post) this pudding if you end up giving it a try!
Wow, 3 weeks of no sugar!! I think I will go comatose with a no sugar diet. I love sugar too much
granted I have decreased my intake but going without it would be a HUGE sacrifice for me, so kudos to you!! 105km in the bike? You must have some nice muscular legs 
By the way I really like those bowls, very funky looking!!
It’s not as bad as I thought it would be, really… I’m not even making a conscious effort, to be honest. It’s almost too easy, something must be wrong with my brains!
Thanks a bunch for all the kind words, you’re a gem! =D
p.s. the legs are getting there… it’s a work in progress!
Mmmm, I love chia seed puddings! This looks so good to me
I like your heart ring, by the way 
Awww, thanks Heidi. Way to make me feel good. I had mixed feelings about the ring and thought maybe I should’ve removed it because it’s distracting the eye. Now I’m glad I kept it on!
I love chia, especially for overnight breakfasts! Yum!
Doesn’t it have the coolest texture? Plus, it’s so fresh tasting and super pretty! I love it too!
I made this today… 2 tbs of Chia seeds seemed a little short for the amount of liquid used. After 9 hours I had to throw and additional seeds in the clump things up.
Strange… I don’t know what to say, really. 2 tablespoons did the trick for me! Real sorry to hear it didn’t work for you, Melissa…