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pumpkin chia pudding to curb your cravings and soothe your sweet tooth

 


I have been experimenting with chia puddings lately.  I find that having a few in the fridge when life gets hectic is a great way to ensure that I won’t fall off the wagon and find myself grabbing the first sugary bar or bag of chips that might have snuck into my kitchen cupboards.  

Sometimes I will grab one of these for breakfast, but more often, I have one as an afternoon pick-me-up, when I might be craving a little something sweet.

I’m on my annual pumpkin kick right now.  I have an entire Pinterest board dedicated to all things pumpkin, and a special section in my recipe binder just for pumpkin desserts.  It’s funny, because although I love to think about pumpkin, smell pumpkin, and look at pumpkin pictures, I’m very picky about what I’ll actually eat.  And if you get right down to it, it’s really the pumpkin spice that does it for me. I like a lot of spice, so if it's too much for you, please adjust to taste.

benefits of pumpkin

I will often add pumpkin spice to my vanilla chia pudding, and chocolate chia pudding, but last week I decided to try a whole new variation and add pureed pumpkin, as well.  OMG.  The coconut cream and pumpkin complement each other in a way I hadn’t expected, and adding a few coconut flakes, cacao nibs, and pecan pieces, add to the satisfaction factor, as well.  

I don't usually add banana to mine, since one banana has more sugar than I try to eat in a day, but if you find that this isn't sweet enough for you, by all means, add a half a banana.  We're all on our own journey, and either way, you're probably eating a lot less sugar with this treat than with most!  I also like a lot of pumpkin spice, so if it's too much for you, please adjust to taste.

Lately I've been adding a little flaxseed to my pudding for the omega 3's and fiber.  Just make sure it's freshly ground.  Our digestive systems can't get through the hard little shells without some help.  It does make the pudding pretty thick, though, so if you don't like the consistency, leave it out and eat your flaxseed elsewhere. :)

Chia seeds are great sources of fiber, as well.  They contain magnesium, calcium, and protein, and are often labelled one of the new "super-foods." (Although I'm not sure exactly what the criteria for that particular label are!)

Cinnamon helps control blood sugar, and coconut has healthy fats and anti-microbial properties.  All this in one little bowl of pudding!

I wish I knew how to make pin-able recipes that you could add to your Pinterest boards, but that’s still one of my tech goals for 2022.  For now, feel free to print this off or pin the blog site to your board.  And if you want the PDF of all my recipes, follow the link to get all the goods.  I promise I won’t spam you, I will just send you my weekly blog update with tips on healthy eating and habit forming.



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