Recipes for Bad Bellies: Fructose Friendly Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

I have recently been experimenting with making chia seed puddings, and making them fructose friendly. In today’s post I will share these experiences with you and give you my favourite recipe so far – Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding.

Chia seeds come from the flower Salvia hispanica (see photo below), and originated in Central America. There is a good reason that chia seeds are called a “superfood” – they are high in dietary fibre, omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, manganese, phosphorus, and protein, and low in cholesterol. They are also gluten free and low in FODMAPs, and therefore fructose friendly! However note that some people with IBS can have trouble with chia seeds – perhaps because of the fibre.

The below recipe for Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding is adapted from this recipe by Minimalist Baker.

Ingredients

1/3 cup chia seeds

1 cup milk

½ cup cream

1/4 cup cocoa powder

2 tbsp maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

• Mix milk, cream, cocoa powder, maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla extract in a bowl. Add chia seeds and stir well.
• Immediately pour the mixture into a mason jar, and place in the fridge to set overnight. It will be very runny at first, but will be thick and almost jelly-like once it has set.

I usually like eating this pudding with strawberries on the side, and it also lasts 2-3 days as it is quite filling!

Enjoy!