Chocolate Caramel Chia Seed Pudding Parfait
Before I began my health and wellness journey, dessert to me meant indulgence. When I thought of dessert I immediately thought of heavily sweetened foods that would make me gain weight and feel like crap. When I began establishing healthy eating practice and making homemade desserts and snacks, I began to realize that they can be made healthier and guilt free. Enjoying an occasional dessert or a fun midday snack shouldn’t disrupt your health and wellness progress. It also shouldn’t leave you feeling badly.
This sweet and delicious dessert/snack idea is low in sugar and only sweetened with dates. I love this dessert because it contains chia seeds which are filled with good fats, protein and fiber to promote satiety and fullness. I love the addition of chia seeds because they are great for digestion and help to promote blood sugar regulation.
For this recipe, I used a plant-based coconut yogurt. Feel free to use any yogurt you prefer! I’ve only tried this with Coco June and Harmless Harvest yogurts, though.
I also made my own chocolate shell using just cacao powder, salt and coconut oil/butter to keep this added sugar free. However, you can use any chocolate bar or chips that you have on hand and just melt it with a little coconut oil. I love this dark chocolate here.
This recipe does require letting the chia seed pudding set in the fridge for a few hours to thicken. I recommend prepping the chia pudding in the morning so you can enjoy later in the day.
What you need (makes 1 serving):
1/3 cup coconut yogurt
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 1/2 tbsp almond butter
1 1/2 tbsp date syrup (option to sub maple syrup if needed)
2 tbsp cacao powder
2 tbsp coconut oil or coconut butter
A couple pinches of salt
Directions: Combine the coconut yogurt and chia seeds in a glass jar or bowl. Whisk till smooth. Cover and store in the fridge for about 3 hours or overnight. Combine the almond butter and date syrup with a pinch of salt in a bowl and whisk till smooth and thick. Pour over the chia seed pudding and spread evenly. In a saucepan over low heat melt the cacao powder and coconut oil/butter with a pinch of salt. Whisk continuously till melted and smooth. Pour on top of the caramel layer. Add your favorite toppings like chopped nuts, seeds, cacao nibs, coconut flakes or a combination of a few. Place in the freezer to set for 10 minutes. Remove from the freezer. Use a spoon to crack the shell and enjoy!