This week has really gotten away from me- January is already off to a sprinting start! With kicking the remnants of my cold, not sleeping well, a lot of changes (TBA), and not having very much time to cook at home this week, I wasn't able to post earlier this week for you guys. Next week, I plan to be back on my usual routine and focus in a bit more, I promise. 

I figured with the new year and everyone trying to step their health game up, you all would appreciate a recipe for an easy, nutrient-rich breakfast you can make the night before to save time in the morning. Just like my overnight oats, this is so easy to make and take for those of you on the go.

Chia seeds are very possibly one of my favorite staples in my pantry. While I usually can't help but gently roll my eyes at trendy labels like "superfoods," this one really does deserve that title. 

Few quick nutritional stats for you on this magical little seed:

• 1 oz (~2 tbsp)= 137 calories, 9g of fat, 12g carb (11g fiber!), and 4g protein.

• For a plant-source protein, it packs in 4915mg of essential Omega-3 fatty acids. Our bodies don't make Omega-3's on their own, so we need to make sure we're getting them from our food.

• Awesome source of antioxidants, manganese, and magnesium (30% of the recommended daily intake for the latter two)

• Fun fact: it's said that the Aztecs and Mayas used chia seeds for energy and performance back in the day.

This recipe also uses organic, raw rolled oats which add in some more fiber, healthy carbs, and protein. The texture of the oats help give a bit more substance to this pudding than some plain chia puddings can. The creamy texture of this pudding really makes it taste like a dessert- I actually saved my leftovers from making this for breakfast, and ate it after dinner that day because I wanted something creamy and rich for dessert. 

I've also been on a roll with matcha tea lately, ever since I got this pretty little matcha tea bamboo whisk over Christmas. I've always loved green tea- flavored foods growing up around it, whether it be green tea rice cakes used in both sweet and savory dishes, green tea ice cream, or what have you. 

As the recipe stands, this matcha chia pudding is gluten-free and vegan. However, for those of you who eat dairy, I would totally suggest throwing a bit of greek yogurt in there to up the protein content!

Matcha Chia Pudding

*Vegan, gluten-free. Serves 1 large portion

Ingredients

2 tbsp Chia Seeds
1 cup unsweetened milk of your choice
1 tbsp raw rolled Oats (GF certified if need be)
1/2 tsp organic Matcha powder (I love this one for this recipe)
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
*optional: 1 tbsp of sweetener like maple syrup, honey, or agave

Recipe

1. In a blender, combine 1 tbsp of the chia seeds, hemp (or other) milk, oats, lemon juice, matcha powder, and sweetener if you are using one. Blend for about 15 seconds. 

2. Pour mixture into a bowl, and then stir the remaining tablespoon of chia seeds into the mixture. Cover the bowl with saran wrap, for at least 3-4 hours or overnight to set. You can also use a mason jar for this!