Chia pudding

 I've been wondering about chia pudding for a while - seems like it would be healthful, but what does it taste like?  What is the texture?  It usually looks like a mound of white bubbles with a hint of a black seed at the center of each one.  I knew it was some combination of chia seeds and milk, so I decided to give it a try and came up with the following recipe.  I'll be making it again to try to decide what I'd really like it to taste like.  Since pumpkin season is upon us, I did use some Pumpkin Pie Spice, but also numerous other ingredients. I'm going to try it a few different ways before it's ready for prime time!  

My first preparation ended up looking more like oatmeal than chia pudding.  It was a bit dark due to the spices and maple syrup.  Perhaps practice will make perfect?! 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup chia seeds

1.5 cups non-dairy milk (I used cashew-almond)

1 tsp cardamom

1 tsp orange zest

1/2 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

1) Start by layering the chia seeds either in one bowl, or in 4 ramekins.

2) Cover with 3 times that amount of milk.  Stir immediately to get any lumps out.  

3) Add the remaining ingredients and mix.  Put in the refrigerator, with a reminder set to stir the pudding again in 1-2 hours.  Otherwise, hard areas form and are later difficult to break up.  Taste and consider more of any of the ingredients, or a sprinkle of Pumpkin Pie Spice, or another spice of your choosing.