Today’s post is a teaser for Friday’s “FAQ Friday” post. I’ll be discussing why it’s important to get more protein in your breakfast, and of course why it’s important to simply eat breakfast, period (you did see the latest news about men, breakfast, and heart disease, right?!). I saw today’s recipe on Marianne’s blog a while ago and knew I had to make it (starting the day with chocolate is never an issue for me, is it for you?). I made a few minor modifications, as I always do, and I’m pretty happy with how it turned out.
It took me a while to get into chia seeds, and in fact I’m still slightly hesitant to include them in my diet on a regular basis because I swear it’s no coincidence that when I started eating tiny seeds (chia and amaranth) I got my first cavity. Ok, maybe it is a coincidence, but I’m not certain (afterall, since starting to enjoy these tiny seeds I now have to carry floss with me wherever I go. No, I never did that before).
Chocolate Chia Pudding and Raspberry Parfait
Ingredients
3 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 Tbsp. hulled hemp seeds
1 Tbsp. chopped dark chocolate (any brand)
1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. chocolate whey powder (or vanilla)
2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. maple syrup
1/2 cup fresh raspberries
Directions
- Combine chia seeds, hemp seeds, chopped chocolate, cocoa powder, whey, almond milk, vanilla and maple syrup in a bowl. Allow to sit for 20 minutes for chia to absorb all of the liquid.
- In a parfait glass or other dish, alternate layers of chia pudding and raspberries (or simply put the raspberries on top of the pudding, without layering).
**NOTE: If you are following a low FODMAPS diet you will be happy to know that this is low FODMAPs!
I think this kept me full for about four hours. That’s a lot. Read below to see if you can figure out one of the reasons why I was full for so long……
Estimated nutrition facts for 1-serving
Source: CalorieCount.com
Nutrition Highlights: Under 400 calories, good source of protein and vitamin A, excellent source of FIBER (wowza! I think this explains my fullness), iron, vitamin C and calcium.
You can always cut down on the calories by omitting the maple syrup, but in all honestly a 400-calorie breakfast is pretty reasonable. In fact, I typically suggest making breakfast one of, if not the, largest meals of the day.
Truth be told, breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. It used to be the opposite, I despised breakfast! Do you remember when they used to serve breakfast for lunch in school? Yuck, I hated it. Pancakes, french toast sticks, I was just not a fan. I’m still not a huge fan of french toast sticks, and I really rarely eat pancakes, but overall the idea of having breakfast for lunch is much more appealing to me now (and even for dinner…who doesn’t like a big ol’ scrambled egg tortilla with salsa?!).
