Lemon Chia Pudding

Creamy, zesty, and lightly sweetened, this lemon chia pudding is like sunshine in a jar! It’s made with just a few wholesome ingredients and makes for a bright, energizing start to your day—or a light treat anytime.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Diet Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 2

Resting time 30

Total Time 37

Servings servings

Calories 231kcal

Author Marly McMillen

Ingredients

1 medium fresh lemon

Chia Pudding

4 tablespoons ground chia seeds
2 teaspoons vanilla protein powder
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 cup almond milk (substitute oat or soy milk)

Creamy Layer

½ cup plant-based yogurt (plain, not sweetened)
1 tablespoon vanilla protein powder (if your protein powder is not sweetened, add a teaspoon or two of maple syrup)

Lemon Curd Topping

½ cup plant-based milk
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon cornstarch
pinch turmeric (for color)

Cups - Metric

Instructions

Prepare the Lemon:

Zest the lemon. You should get around 3 teaspoons of lemon zest. Then cut the lemon in half and juice it. The average lemon will create around 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Supplement with bottled lemon juice or juice a second lemon if you need more zest and/or juice for this recipe.

For the Chia Pudding:

Stir together the chia seeds, maple syrup, and 2 teaspoons lemon zest in a bowl. Pour in the milk and stir to combine. Set aside.

For the Creamy Layer

Combine yogurt with vanilla protein powder in a bowl. Add remaining lemon zest. Stir until combined.

For the Lemon Curd:

In a small saucepan, combine almond milk, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, syrup, cornstarch, and a small pinch of ground turmeric (for color). Stir until the mixture is combined and there are no lumps. It will start out pale in color and grow more vibrant as it cooks.
Turn the heat to medium. Cook and stir until the mixture begins to bubble. Once it thickens and bubbles, cook for another 10 seconds or so, then remove from heat. Allow the curd to cool slightly.

Assembly

Spoon equal amounts of the chia pudding into the bottom of three serving dishes. Top each with 1/3 of the creamy layer. Top each with equal amounts of the lemon curd. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.

For the Topping:

Add some lemon zest or fresh berries on top if you'd like and serve chilled.

Notes

If you'd rather not use dates, you can substitute 1 to 2 tablespoons of maple syrup.

Nutrition