RECIPE: GREEN CHIA MORNING PUDDING

This is basically a green smoothie packed with black chia seeds. Why chia seeds and why throw "morning" in the title? Once you've stretched out of your bed, your body is wondering what the hell you're going to put in it after 8 hours of rest. In translation, it's at its peak for nutrient absorption.

It is not a hearty dinner but a hearty breakfast that is essential to an energized and productive day, so you want to make sure you start out with the good stuff. Chia seeds boast a laundry list of health benefits including omega-3, antioxidants, and calcium, so a little goes a very long way. Because of its versatility (ground or raw), incorporating it into your daily consumption is simply monkey work.

I love eating a cup of this morning pudding with a side of tofu scramble and grains. It takes minutes to prep the night before consumption, and there are many ways you can customize and personalize this. The recipe I'm providing is a fail-proof combination, but feel free to tailor it to your preference or what you have sitting in your kitchen. It's a great solution to saving your overripe produce from going to waste. You can freeze leftover for future consumption, but honestly you'll wipe this batch clean by day 3.

|| Green Chia Morning Pudding

ingredients
1 c frozen strawberries (about 5-6 individual pieces)
1 1/2 c of ripe pineapples, chopped
1 small apple (or 1/2 large), chopped
1 ripe banana
juice of 1/2 grapefruit
1 TBSP grated ginger
handful of chopped spinach
handful of chopped green kale
3/4 c almond milk
3/4 c chia seeds
water to soak chia seeds
bee pollen (optional)

instructions
1| Soak chia seeds in a small bowl. Add enough water to cover the seeds but don't exceed. Set aside and let it soak for at least 10 minutes.
2| Add (in order) pineapple, strawberries, banana, apple, ginger, almond milk, and grapefruit into the blender. Blend until smooth.
3| add spinach and kale to the blended mix. Blend until the smooth and the mix turns a bright green color.
4| empty the content into a medium-size container. Removing excess water, add the soaked chia to the mix. Refrigerate overnight then serve. Top with a fruit wedge of choice and bee pollen.

Makes 3-4 servings.

NOTE: great additions to the morning pudding, if you have any around, would be young coconut meat and water. Super hydrating and nourishing, it's a combo treat special for hotter days. Natural/healthy grocery markets will sell them to you for $3-5 dollars, but if you go to Asian/specialty markets you can get them for as low as $1.50 each. They tend to disappear from the shelves fast, so If you see any around I highly suggest stocking up!