Pumpkin Chia Pudding

Pumpkin chia pudding is a lightly sweetened, incredibly nourishing, healthy snack with the flavors of pumpkin pie. Full of fiber and nutrients, this healthy snack can even work for breakfast or dessert, too!

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Welcome to pumpkin week here on NTF! Aka pumpkin palooza! While there are a few pumpkin recipes on NTF already (like my favorite pumpkin spice buckwheat granola made with real pumpkin), I'm bringing you three brand new pumpkin recipes this week, along with a deep dive into all things pumpkin nutrition and a fun post on ways to use up that open can of pumpkin. We're kicking things off today with this super simple and nourishing pumpkin chia pudding!

Nutritional Highlights

This pumpkin chia pudding is flavorful but also nourishing enough you could totally enjoy it for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert. It's packed with fiber (6 grams per snack portion!), sure to keep you satisfied for a while! Check out nutrition specifics of the two main ingredients:

• Pumpkin: Providing a high amount of vitamins A, K, and pantothenic acid, pumpkin is a high fiber, lower calorie plant. It supports heart health, eye health, bone health, boosts immunity, and can support improved digestion and weight maintenance.
• Chia Seeds: Full of fiber, chia seeds are also a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, iron, and calcium. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential because they help raise HDL cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol), which can help promote heart health, including protecting against heart attacks and strokes. Being high in fiber, they also support even blood glucose regulation, improved digestion, and weight maintenance.

How to Make Pumpkin Chia Pudding

This chia pudding couldn't be simpler to make. The primary ingredients are listed above - just be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree and not the canned pumpkin pie filling! Additional ingredients you'll need are a milk of choice, pumpkin pie spice, and maple syrup.

Notes on ingredient substitutions:

• Use whichever milk or milk substitute you prefer or need. Cow's milk or soy milk will add more protein, whereas something like coconut milk will affect the flavor and unsweetened almond milk will be a lower calorie option.
• You can substitute another sweetener (like honey) or non-nutritive sweetener, like stevia or monk fruit extract. Your preference! I prefer mine more lightly sweetened, but again, you can add more or less to fit your needs and preferences.
• If you don't have (or aren't partial to) pumpkin pie spice, you can certainly just use cinnamon as well.

To make any chia pudding, chia seeds are soaked in a liquid. Chia seeds are hydrophilic and will absorb up to ten times their size in liquid, giving a gelatinous, pudding-like texture.

I prefer a thicker chia pudding that resembles the texture of pudding. I know others like a thinner chia pudding though, so feel free to add additional liquid if that's your preference.

To create your liquid base, blend your milk of choice with the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice. Pour it into a container that has an airtight lid, then stir the chia seeds in. Cover and refrigerate, allowing the chia seeds to gelatinize and absorb liquid for a couple hours to overnight.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to a few days.

Turn it From a Snack into a Full Meal

To turn your pumpkin chia pudding into a full meal, I would recommend doubling it and adding some toppings, like banana slices, hemp seeds, toasted coconut, nuts or nut butter, etc. You also could mix it with Greek yogurt for a protein boost. Alternatively, you could blend your favorite protein powder or collagen peptides into the liquid before adding chia seeds (this may require slightly more liquid - add to your preferred thickness).

More Pumpkin Recipes

For more pumpkin fun, check out these additional pumpkin recipes:

• Healthier Pumpkin Muffins (coming later this week!)
• Pumpkin Pasta Sauce (coming later this week!)
• Pumpkin Spice Buckwheat Granola
• Collagen Pumpkin Protein Balls
• Pumpkin Pie Crumble Bars
• Pumpkin Falafel
• Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal

If you like this recipe be sure to comment and rate it below and share on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. Live well!