Polyphenol Chia Pudding

(Vegan, GF, low FODMAP). Serves 4.

This simple recipe for chia seed pudding is yummy, healthy and will help to keep you gut healthy and happy. It’s gluten free, vegan and low FODMAP, and the polyphenols will give the good bugs in your gut a lovely supportive boost, especially if eaten regularly. It’s super quick and easy to make, just needs a bit of setting time in the refrigerator before serving, ideally 1-2 hours.

Ingredients

1/4 cup chia seeds

1 cup plant-based milk (soy, almond, oat etc)

1 cups of berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries etc or a combination, fresh or frozen is fine). Save some berries (preferably fresh) for the topping.

Nuts and seeds (for topping, ie. chopped hazelnuts, almonds, ground flax seeds)

Spice mix for topping (I use equal parts cinnamon, ginger and turmeric powder)

Sweetener to taste, optional (ie. maple syrup is low FODMAP)

Method

1. Put the berries, milk and maple syrup (if using) in a high-powered blender and blend until smooth.

2. Pour the blended mix over your chia seeds and give the chia seed pudding a very good mix, breaking apart any clumps. It is normal for it to have clumps, but once you give it a good stir, it will become a pudding texture.

3. Pour into clean mason jars and place in the refrigerator for a few hours to set.

4. At serving time - top with your favourite berries, nuts and seeds, and a sprinkle of the spice mix (I like to use blueberries, blueberries, ground flax seed, a bit of tahini and some chopped mixed nuts).

NOTE: If you are taking any, you can add your prebiotics and probiotics at the blender stage for an extra special gut boost. Also, if you are the creative type, play around with adding additional yummy flavours such as fresh grated ginger or lemon/orange zest. You can also play around with adding some polyphenol rich fruit powders such as pomegranate fruit, red dragon fruit, blackcurrant and blueberry powder etc for an added polyphenol powerhouse for your microbes (aka gut bugs)