Cottage Cheese Chia Pudding

Welcome to your new weekly grab-and-go routine! This chia pudding is simple to stir collectively, made with actual substances, and provides you one thing contemporary and engaging to seize from the fridge everytime you want it: Whether or not you take pleasure in it very first thing within the morning or as a day snack, it’s the sort of recipe that helps you’re feeling nourished and prepared for regardless of the day brings.

Why My Recipe

• Cottage cheese provides a naturally excessive protein enhance to each serving.
• Limitless topping choices so it by no means will get boring.
• Straightforward to prep forward for fast breakfasts or snacks all week.

What makes this chia pudding particular is the cottage cheese. For me, it’s about having the protein to gas your muscular tissues (your mind being the most important one!) and a bit of fats to present you vitality to gas the day. From there, you’ll be able to take it in any route you need. Pile on contemporary berries, sprinkle in nuts, or change it up each week so it by no means feels repetitive. It’s straightforward, versatile, and one thing you’ll truly sit up for consuming. We’re sort of obsessed!

Ingredient Notes

• Cottage Cheese: Use full-fat, low-fat, or fat-free based mostly in your choice. If you happen to favor a smoother texture, mix it earlier than mixing. Small curd blends extra simply than giant curd. I personally just like the chunk and nourishment of the full-fat entire curd.
• Milk Of Alternative: Dairy milk works nice, however almond, coconut, soy, or oat milk can all be utilized in the identical quantity. If utilizing canned coconut milk, ensure that it’s effectively stirred earlier than measuring.
• Agave Syrup: Gives a easy sweetness. You’ll be able to substitute with the identical quantity of honey or maple syrup.
• Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract offers one of the best taste.
• Salt: Only a small pinch enhances the general taste.
• Chia Seeds: Be sure that to make use of entire chia seeds, not floor. You’ll be able to often discover them close to the oats, well being meals part, or baking aisle.
• Recent Berries: Strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or raspberries all work. Use about 1/3 cup per serving. Recent is greatest right here. Frozen berries can be utilized, however thaw and drain first to keep away from further liquid.
• Chopped Walnuts: I like the crunch these add, plus they are surely probably the most nourishing of the nuts. Pecans or sliced almonds can be utilized as effectively.

Taste Variations

The most effective components about this recipe is how straightforward it’s to vary it up so it by no means will get previous or boring. We’ve been consuming this in our family every single day for months and haven’t gotten bored but! Use what you could have, what’s in season, or no matter sounds good that week.

Tropical Vibes: Diced mango with a sprinkle of shredded coconut is all the time a favourite. You’ll be able to swap the mango for diced pineapple too for a similar tropical vibes.

Blueberry Pomegranate: Blueberries and pomegranate arils are a traditional combo for a purpose. End with sliced almonds or chopped walnuts for crunch. The crunch is considered one of my favourite components!

Apple Pecan: Diced apples with chopped pecans are so good, particularly whenever you need one thing a bit of totally different. In case you are prepping forward, soak the diced apples in a bowl of water with a squeeze of lemon juice for about 3 to five minutes. Drain and pat dry earlier than including so they don’t brown within the fridge.

Banana Lovers: Bananas are nice right here, however solely add them contemporary proper earlier than serving. They brown shortly, so they don’t seem to be best for jars that can sit for a couple of days. Bananas go effectively with both pecans or walnuts.

Different Concepts: You may as well drizzle nut butter on prime, swirl in a spoonful of jam, or add mini chocolate chips if you wish to preserve issues attention-grabbing.

Prep Forward for the Week

In case you are making an attempt to make mornings simpler, that is such a easy solution to do it. They’re nice for breakfast or for a high-protein snack.

Divide the combination into 12-ounce jars. That’s my private favourite dimension as a result of it leaves sufficient room for toppings with out overflowing. Ten-ounce jars additionally work if you would like a barely smaller portion.

Fill every jar about three-quarters full. Add fruit immediately on prime of the pudding, then add nuts on the very prime. Retaining the nuts above the fruit helps them keep crunchy as an alternative of getting tender.

They’ll final roughly 4 days within the fridge. I often make a batch on Sunday to get us by the week. In actuality, we like them a lot that I typically make one other batch midweek so we’ve them for the weekend too.

That is a kind of small habits that makes a giant distinction. When one thing good is already ready within the fridge, you’re more likely to seize it.

Chunky or Easy

This one is completely as much as you. If you happen to like a bit of texture, simply whisk every part collectively and depart the cottage cheese as is. You will notice small curds all through and that’s completely high quality.

If you happen to favor it completely easy, mix the cottage cheese, milk, agave, vanilla, and salt first. Then stir within the chia seeds. It turns right into a extra traditional pudding texture as soon as it chills.

Each variations thicken the identical approach within the fridge, so you actually can not mess this up.

Adjusting Thickness

Chia pudding can range barely relying in your milk and the chia seeds you employ.

If it feels too thick after chilling, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk till it reaches the consistency you want.

If it feels too skinny, stir in 1 tablespoon of chia seeds and let it sit within the fridge for one more half-hour.