This banana bread chia pudding is creamy treat and it’s packed with banana flavor without any added sugars.
Sometimes recipes on the blog come from an inspiration in my daily life or adventures, other times they come from a “holy crap I have a ton of chia seeds what should I do with them?” kinda situations. Can you guess which situation this recipe came from?
“Holy crap I have a ton of chia seeds what should I do with them?” Is kind of an awesome situation really. Chia seeds, like sweet potatoes, bananas, eggs and spinach are one of those super foods that are so damn versatile.
These magic little gems absorb up to 3 times their size in water and create a “gel” that can be a fantastic texture in things like overnight oats, smoothies, protein bards and yes, puddings. Chia, aside from being super versatile boasts a variety of health benefits like 11g of fiber per ounce, 4g of plant protein, plus they contain antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids.
I’ll be honest, the first chia pudding I had looked like the inside of what I imagine a brain might look like and tasted the same. But like a lot of things, first impressions can be deceiving. I’ve found over many a-recipe-test, that when these little seeds are ground or blended the jell texture mixes better and tastes well, less “gooey,” without loosing its thickening qualities. I’ve used this technique before in the almond joy chia pudding with great success and it’s probably one of my favorite ways to enjoy chia.
For this recipe instead of adding any extra sugars I rely on the natural sweetness of a ripe banana, which is brought out by the healthy fats in the almond butter. And of course, if you’re feeling festive you can always add a couple chocolate chips.
I’ve been enjoying this pudding as a breakfast with a scoop of granola, as a snack or even as dessert.
Banana Bread Chia Pudding
- 1 Ripe Banana
- 2 Cups of Almond Milk
- 1 Scoop (2 tbsp) of Vanilla Protein Powder
- 1 Tablespoon of Almond Butter
- 3 Tablespoons of Chia Seeds
- Optional
- 2 Tablespoons of Chocolate Chips
- In a blender, food processor or magic bullet, blend together all ingredients until smooth – chill in the fridge for at least an hour before serving
- Optional
- Top with chocolate chips
Save this recipe for later – Pin it
If you’re looking for more chia-spiration you might like:
Overnight Oats
Chia Jam
Almond Joy Chia Pudding
Chia Pudding Parfait
Your Turn:
- Do you every cook/bake with chia seeds? What’s your favorite way to use them?
I usually don’t bake with chia seeds often, particularly in vegan recipes. I prefer to use flax! I’ve had chia seeds in my smoothies before but those bad boys get all stuck in my teeth! Haha
I’m pretty sure I am set for life with chia seeds haha. I rarely use them and I have about 6 large bags of them! I can’t believe that I have only made chia pudding 2 times with all of the chia seeds I have. Time to change that and use up some of the namers I have. Great recipe Georgie 🙂
Mind. Blown. I’ve NEVER considered blending those little chia babies up!! Looks SO much more like “regular” pudding….YUM!
I love love love chia seeds! I add them to almost all my breakfasts…I have never baked with them, but would definitely up for trying it! 🙂
I have a banana everyday so I can’t wait to try this! I’ve never made a chia pudding but it’s on my list. I finally did my first set of overnight oats this week 🙂
I had high hopes when I first tried chia pudding, but I think I am just not a fan of chia seeds because I don’t like slimy/un-chewy foods. I’m not a smoothie or milkshake girl. Give me ice cream, give me juice, but not the in between. The photos of this recipe make me want to reconsider though…
Oh gosh girl! You had me at Banana and you totally won me over with chia!
Gotta give this one a try 🙂
#BGBCommunity
I love chia seeds and I put them in nearly everything! Also, banana bread is such a classic!!
cha cha cha chia! So must nutrition in one little seed. I’m add for adding a little “healthy” to my dessert so I love this idea.
I”ve never tried chia pudding before! I love adding chia seeds to energy bites. I love how long a bag of them lasts!
Thanks for sharing! Sometimes I don’t enjoy the texture of chia pudding, but I’ll definitely give this a try because it looks so good. Have a great weekend!
Sam
Holy crap, I have SO many chia seeds and now I know what to do with them! Seriously though, I find them on sale and suddenly I find myself with like 6 packs! I was thinking I’d never be able to use them all, but I got some soaking to do!
A million times less! I love that there’s no added sugar in here – it’s amazing how sweet those damn bananas can get.
I get my recipe inspiration from a similar place, and I’ve been stuck in a “holy crap I have too much jam” situation for a while now. Blending the chia seeds sounds like a great idea, and I love how it’s naturally sweetened.