Chia seed pudding with fruit and nuts

Breakfast has always been at the top of my daily food agenda and I've never been one who could skip it. This may have stemmed from my childhood, for my mother took care to ensure that the family left the house, for work or school, with satiated bellies. Our day would begin with a serving of mum's semolina or rice pudding, or perhaps some French toast; or scrambled or coddled eggs. And there was always some fresh fruit, spritzer water and mum's cooked caffè latte on the table.

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The tradition continues at The Blue House. My Peter loves his breakfast and, like me, could never start the day without it. When we're travelling, we will either seek out a cafè that offers a decent, reasonably-priced breakfast, or we look for a health-food store that sells ready-to-go breakfast goods, such as chia pudding or bircher muesli. 

Chia is an ancient grain which was grown as a staple food by the Mayans, Aztecs and Southwest Native Americans. 
Chia or Salvia hispanica is a member of the mint family and grows as an annual herb. The seeds readily absorb liquid, making them perfect for jelly-like puddings, such as the one I'm sharing here. 

Chia is well recognised as a 'super food', but is chia really as good as it sounds? Let's ask an expert! My friend and colleague, award-winning nutritionist, writer, Foodwatch blogger, and food commentator, Catherine Saxelby, notes the following about chia seeds:

• 'Like all seeds, chia seeds are high in fat especially the "good" fats. At around 30 per cent fat, they're lower than sesame seeds (50 per cent) or nuts, but make up for this with an extraordinarily high level of omega-3, which is unusual in the plant world.
• They have 18 per cent of the plant form of omega-3 called ALA, which is around the same as linseeds (flaxseeds) at 22 per cent, making them one of the richest sources of ALA.
• Omega-3 is important for heart health and brain function. We usually get this from fish and meat, but plant sources are useful for counter-balancing the omega-6 that we tend to overdo.
• Their next biggest asset is their fibre content. At 37 per cent fibre, they are an outstanding source of fibre, in particular soluble fibre. They have the ability to absorb a high volume of liquid and become thick and gelatinous, thanks to some mucilages. This, coupled with their low level of available carbohydrate, makes them slowly absorbed.
• Like almonds and sesame seeds, they have a surprisingly high content of calcium(255mg per 100g compared to 120mg for milk), but how well this is absorbed is debatable. Don't believe all you read on the Chia marketing sites about how much better Chia is than milk. The same can be said for their magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper.
• To my thinking, Chia have the crunch and appearance of poppy seeds with the omega-3 of flaxseeds.'
  

Well, it sounds as though chia is a healthy breakfast choice. So, now for my recipe, which I have adapted from Christine Wittich's (V-Spot Cafè) version of chia pudding:

CHIA SEED PUDDING WITH FRUIT AND NUTS
30g chia seeds
1/8 teaspoon ground vanilla bean
1 plump medjool date, chopped
3/4 cup rice milk or low fat dairy milk

To serve: 
1 tablespoon reduced fat coconut milk (less if preferred, or use Greek yoghurt)
1 tablespoon shredded coconut, lightly toasted
1 tablespoon mixed dried fruit, nuts and seeds
(or fresh fruit, if preferred)

Place the chia seeds, vanilla bean powder and chopped dates into a serving glass. Pour over the milk and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. When you are ready to serve, spoon the coconut milk over the top of the chia pudding, then top with the toasted shredded coconut and the fruit and nuts (or fresh fruit). This makes one (hearty, Peter-type) serve.

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Tell me dear readers, what do you do about breakfast when you're travelling? Do you eat at your hotel? Do you take and make your own breakfast cereal, or do you find an eatery in the area? Or do you skip breakfast altogether?

Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and comment. I love to hear your opinions. Happy cooking xox.