Mango and coconut chia pudding

I love mangoes! I was recently in Queensland (where I’m from and where my family live) and my dad has about 6 mango trees near his house. They are owned by a local fruit shop owner and they’ve given dad permission to pick them. So we picked them straight from the tree with dad’s handmade mango picker. One person had to catch them while the other hooked the mango and pulled it free from the tree. It was lots of fun and we shared our bags of mangoes with the rest of the family when we saw them over the Christmas break. That was the first time I had picked mangoes!

Summer fruit is one of the many things I enjoy about the warmer weather. Summer dishes can be fresh, easy and refreshing and there are so many delicious and easy recipes you can make at home. Chia pudding is one of them! When I go out for breakfast, chia pudding and porridge are two of the dishes that I rarely order. I just can’t justify ordering them because they are so easy to make at home.

So I thought I would share my quick and easy recipe for mango and coconut chia puddings with you. That way you can choose something else from the menu if you always go for the chia pudding! If you’re not a fan of mango (Hi Mr Eat Canberra) you can leave it out. See the notes at the end of the recipe for substitutes.

Mango and coconut chia pudding (makes 4)

Ingredients

2 cups of coconut milk

1/2 cup chia seeds

2 mangoes ( 1 diced and one pureed)

3 tbsp of coconut sugar or pure maple syrup (I used coconut sugar because I had it in the cupboard but you can use a natural sweetener of your choice)

Extra fruit, granola or coconut for garnish

What now?

1. Mix the chia seeds, coconut milk and sweetener of choice in a bowl and stir with a whisk until well combined. If the mixture becomes too thick then add some more coconut milk.
2. Puree one of the mangoes in a food processor (a smaller one with a stick blender is best) and set aside.
3. Layer the chia pudding and mango puree in ramekins or nice glasses of your choice if you want to see the layers.
4. To serve, divide the mixture into 4 ramekins or nice glasses if you want to see the layers. Start with the chia pudding on the bottom, add a layer of the mango puree and finish with more chia pudding. Place in the fridge for 2-3 hours or overnight. Top with diced mango and coconut (if you have any in the cupboard). Enjoy!

NOTES:

• You can make these the day before you eat them (or at least a few hours to let them set) and they will last in the fridge for 2-3 days. Just make sure you cover them well. You can also substitute the coconut milk for almond milk.
• Add a tbsp of matcha powder or 2 tbsp cacao powder to the mixture if you want to make matcha or chocolate chia puddings. Leave the mango out if you add either of the powders and just serve with fresh berries and coconut.
• If you don’t like mango just use any fresh fruit of your choice.
• Add homemade granola for extra texture and deliciousness.
• Double the recipe if you want to make more. I usually make about 8 at a time and that’s breakfast for two for the week ahead!