Creamy Orange Chia Pudding (vegan & gluten free)

I never really understood how mornings could be so hectic for people with kids before I had them myself. I mean, how busy could it get? The answer, as I discovered, is REALLY busy. Pure crazy some mornings to be honest! I can read the looks on moms’ faces as I drop Charlie off to school. It’s that ‘our-morning-was-crazy-too’ look.

If you have kids you know what I mean. As it turns out we are all in this together!  Enter easy, healthy and made-in-advance breakfasts to save the day like this yummy Creamy Orange Chia Pudding that is also gluten free and vegan.

Of course, as a Registered Dietitian and mom it’s really important for me to get something healthy in all of our bellies before we leave the house to conquer the day regardless of how rushed we are. And the one thing that I have learned is that you simply need to plan ahead.  As far as breakfast is concerned there are a few ideas that I really love including:

• • Use your slow cooker to make a batch of overnight slow-cooked oats and prepare the family’s favourite toppings in little covered bowls the night before so they can create their own personalized version!
  • Freeze leftover smoothie from breakfast in popsicle molds. These are awesome in the summer for kids to eat for breakfast and they feel like they are little rebels. It’s a win-win!
  • Go for tried-and-true scrambled eggs with whole grain toast. It’s an easy breakfast that takes minutes to make, and if you pair it with a cup of Florida Orange Juice you get potassium, folate and 100 per cent of your daily quota of vitamin C.
  • Prepare chia pudding, muesli or fruit and granola parfaits the night before (you can even use frozen fruit on the parfaits that will thaw overnight).

   

  One of my kitchen staples includes Florida Orange Juice: I love how versatile it is!  100 per cent orange juice contains no added sugar and provides many key nutrients such as vitamin C (for healthy skin and bones), potassium (for muscle function) and folate (a B-vitamin needed to build red blood cells, and if you’re pregnant, folate supports the development of your baby’s brain and spinal cord.) Additionally, fortified orange juice is an excellent source of calcium and can serve as a lactose-free alternative to dairy foods and beverages. Many calcium-fortified juices also contain vitamin D. I use it as a natural sweetener in both sweet and savoury dishes – we add it to our morning green smoothies nearly every day!

  This recipe, packed with chia seeds for that boost of protein, omega-3 fats and fibre, is so incredibly simple to make and is so yummy!   In fact, it’s so easy that I recommend getting the kids involved in making it the day before, they will love the way the chia seeds thicken AND when kids help make their own food they are far more likely to try new things!

  

  Prep time: 5 minutes

  Setting time: 4-24 hours

  Serves 6
  

 

• Ingredients:
  • 1 ¼ c. Florida Orange Juice
  • 3 c. vanilla unsweetened almond milk
  • 1 c. white chia seeds
  • 3 Tbsp. maple syrup
  • 1 tsp. grated orange zest
  • ¼ tsp. vanilla
  • thinly sliced orange or orange zest for garnish (optional)

   

  Directions:

  1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl using a whisk, let it sit for 10 minutes, and whisk again.
  2. Cover the bowl, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Dish it up and serve!  You can garnish it with some fresh orange slices if desired.

   

  Thank you to the Florida Department of Citrus for sponsoring this post.

All opinions are my own!