Making chia puddings for breakfast is something I have only recently discovered, but wish I’d started sooner! After seeing them on a number of café menus and in various magazines, I eventually gave them a try and was amazed at just how delicious they were. Chia seeds are magic little things that absorb liquid before your eyes, making them very fast to prepare and also rather fun. They are very mildly flavoured (if at all) so the flavour comes from the liquid or whatever toppings you use, making the possibilities endless!

Chia seeds also happen to be a nutritional powerhouse full of protein, minerals and essential omega 3 and 6 oils, making them the perfect breakfast food. I love them so much I actually tried to take one with me on our 7am flight the other week thinking it would be a much better breakfast option than what they offer on the plane, only to have it confiscated at customs. According to the officer it came into the liquid category, however I’m not so sure. If you have tried chia pudding, I’m sure you’ll agree that you definitely have to eat it with a spoon!

When thinking of new combinations for this fabulous new breakfast of ours, I decided adding oats would be a genius idea thus turning them into chia birchers. I thought I might have invented this new combination but on googling, turns out many people had got there before me. I’m not surprised, as it’s such a great combination.

These chia birchers require no cooking, simply stir the chia seeds and milk together and leave for 30 minutes to allow the liquid to be absorbed. The raspberry layer is simply frozen organic raspberries blended in a food processor with a little water and pure maple syrup. It is great layered in between the bircher as well as drizzled over the top. Finish with whatever fresh fruit you have in season, I used kiwifruit, banana and strawberries for the ones in the photos. And lastly, for a bit of crunch I add a spoonful of granola.

As these chia birchers are so easy and quick to prepare I often make them the night before so they are ready to go in the morning however, they are just as easy to prepare in the morning if you have a little more time. If you need your breakfast on the go, simply make them in a jar with a lid and you’re sorted. If oats aren’t your thing, simply leave them out and reduce the milk quantity by 1/2 cup. Equally you can adjust the consistency of the bircher by increasing or decreasing the milk quantity. Enjoy!  

Any comments or questions about this chia bircher recipe?

Leave me a comment below, I love to hear from you!

Chia Bircher with Tropical Fruit and Granola

Makes: 2 large or 4 small servings
Prep time: 10 minutes Chilling time: 30 minutes

2 1/2 cups fresh almond milk (or milk of your choice)
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup chia seeds (white or black)
1 Tbsp pure maple syrup
1/4 tsp cinnamon
Raspberry coulis (see recipe below)
Fresh fruit to serve e.g. kiwifruit, banana, strawberries

Place chia seeds, oats and cinnamon in a bowl and stir with a whisk to combine. Add the almond milk and agave and stir with a whisk for a few minutes until well combined and the chia has started to swell. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes. This allows the chia seeds and oats to absorb the milk. When the chia bircher mixture is ready removed from the fridge and give another good stir with the whisk to ensure no lumps.
Place a layer of chia bircher on the bottom of each jar/glass, spoon on some raspberry coulis, follow with another layer of chia bircher and finally a little more raspberry coulis. At this point you can cover the chia birchers and place them back into the fridge until you are ready to serve e.g. overnight.
When ready to serve, top the chia bircher’s with sliced fresh fruit of your choice, e.g. kiwifruit, banana, strawberries and a little grainola if you like a bit of crunch.
Keep covered in the fridge until ready to eat, these will last 2-3 days.

Fresh Raspberry Coulis

1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries
1 Tbsp filtered water
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as you go.

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