This chocolate pudding tastes decadent, but is actually quite healthy! You’ll never guess what’s in it…

… chia seeds!

I’ve heard for years that chia seeds are good for you — they’re rich in omega-3 fatty acids and once soaked in water they can help with hydration. While David drinks a cup full every morning, I have never been able to get past their texture… until now!

David added his own spin to this chia seeds chocolate pudding recipe I found on Pinterest, adding a banana to the mix and blending the chia mixture in the Vitamix to create a smooth texture.

Here’s how to make this rich tasting, yet healthy dessert:

In a medium sized bowl, add 1/4 cup chia seeds, 3/4 cup milk, 1 heaping tablespoon of cocoa powder, and a splash of vanilla extract (optional):

Thoroughly stir the mixture, then allow it to sit for at least 10 minutes so the chia seeds can absorb the chocolate milk. Look how it thickens during that time:

Add this mixture to your blender with a banana, sweetener of your choice (we used 2 tablespoons of maple syrup since our banana was barely ripe), and enough milk to thin the mixture so it moves freely in your blender (we used about 1/2 a cup):

Blend on high until smooth:

Serve and enjoy!

Yum!

We hope you have a wonderful day full of love! In our house, we’re appreciating friends, family, and good food today!

Yes, I anticipate there will be chocolate involved.

To make these gluten-free oatmeal raisin cookies, we dressed up this fabulous healthy cookie recipe (pin) (containing no gluten, processed sugar, butter or egg) with dark chocolate chips and baked it in a heart shaped silicone pan.

We doubled the amount of almond flour (by grinding whole almonds in 15 second increments in our Vitamix blender) to add a bit more protein to offset the added sugar in the chocolate chips.

Indulgent, but not too indulgent…

Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup of almond meal
1 cup dried fruit (we used 3/4 cup raisins and 1/4 cup dried cranberries)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice

3 ripe bananas
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 oz chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If you are using a baking sheet, line it with parchment paper; otherwise, grab your silicone baking mold and place it within an easy reach.

In a large bowl, combine oats, coconut, and almond meal. Add salt, cinnamon, and allspice and stir until evenly mixed. Add dried fruit and stir until well combined, checking to ensure that the dried fruit does not stick together in big clumps.

In another bowl, mash bananas with the back of a fork, then add canola oil and vanilla extract; thoroughly mix. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then add the chocolate chips and thoroughly combine.

Press the batter into the silicone mold or place spoonfuls of batter on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool and then enjoy!

Have any left over? Save them for the next morning. We really like eating these cookies for breakfast! They taste better and are more healthy than grabbing a granola bar on your way out the door.

Happy Valentine’s Day!