You guys. This recipe is not only refreshing and tasty it’s extremely EASY. It really couldn’t be easier. I mean unless you had a robot to do it for you, but we are a few years out from that I think…
Springtime in Colorado has left a lot to be desired. We are used to rainy Springs, but this year we had lots of snow and rain. It’s been pretty gloomy the last couple of weeks so I really needed something sweet and summery to cheer me up.
Yesterday I was having a conversation about where coconut milk has been all of our lives. Seriously. Even five years ago I don’t remember seeing it anywhere! Mind you I didn’t frequent Thai restaurants where I know it’s a popular ingredient, but still. No one was talking about it or using it. Today, however it’s grown into a dairy substitute that is just as popular as milk!
So let’s learn a little about coconut milk and why it’s so great, shall we?
Coconut milk comes from the grated meat of a brown coconut, it is mixed with a small amount of the coconut water to create a milk. The best type of coconut milk to buy is canned, organic, FULL FAT (ain’t nobody got time for that “lite” coconut milk!) and BPA free because they are the most likely to only have coconut milk in the ingredients. The other types can have added preservatives, etc that you don’t need. Check your labels! BPA is definitely something people should be aware of and you can learn more about it here. Finding BPA free coconut milk isn’t impossible but it’s not everywhere. Personally I usually buy Simple Truth Organic coconut milk from King Soopers (or Kroger depending on your location). At this point in time, I don’t eat a lot of canned food so my exposure to BPA is very limited.
Coconut milk is high in saturated fatty acids and medium-chain triglycerides which are both easily burned as fuel by the body. Coconut milk can be used as a sub for regular milk in almost all recipes, except probably baking. Baking is so sensitive that you have to be careful with substitutions. But it’s great for smoothies, sauces, whipped cream, pies, dressings, pudding (duh!) and on and on…
Coconut Milk is my favorite non-dairy staple. I always buy at least a can or two when I’m out at the grocery store, and always keep one in the refrigerator. There’s nothing worse than being caught without it!
Mango Chia Seed Pudding
Ingredients
- 1 can Full fat coconut milk,
- 2 cups Mango *(about 2 mangoes) 1/2 cup extra to top for serving if wanted
- 1/2 tablespoon Honey *more if mangoes aren't as sweet
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 5 tablespoons Chia Seeds
Instructions
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Add coconut milk, mango, honey and vanilla extract to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
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You can add the chia seeds two different ways- add into blender and pulse a couple of times to mix- OR mix in by hand for a couple minutes to ensure they don't stick together. Keeping them whole gives you more of the gooey little chunks in the pudding, whereas blending them makes it a little less chunky.
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Place pudding in a sealed container and refrigerate overnight. If you don't have that much time you can refrigerate for about four hours or until it is set to your desired consistency.
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Dish up and top with extra mango, other fruit, coconut flakes, etc...