Chocolate Coconut Parfait

Oh my days! This morning’s breakfast was *sings* AMAZING! Healthy, nutritious and filling it makes the perfect fuelling breakfast but would be equally satisfying as a snack or even dessert.

Chia seeds soaked overnight in coconut milk form the base pudding mixture. Simple and quick this is a great source of healthy fats and nutrients (see my previous post on chia seeds and their benefits). You could even leave it there! This timesaving pudding is tasty and nutritious enough to eat on its own and keep you energised. I would make it in a Tupperware container and perhaps top with some fresh berries; the whole thing can then be taken for breakfast on the go!

As it’s Hump Day however…and as I can’t leave well alone, I decided to make a very loose rift on the ‘Bounty’ bar combining my coconut chia pudding with a decadent raw cacao smoothie. Raw cacao is loaded with antioxidants but can be a little bitter so for a touch of natural sweetness I added some blueberries to the mix. Bonus: blueberries are naturally high in pectin so if you can leave your smoothie to stand for a short while before tucking in it will thicken and turn more mousse-y in texture! So good!

Finally, I used a raw, vegan chocolate protein powder to bulk out this smoothie and ensure it was satiating enough to fill me up for the morning. I’ve been eating pretty carb heavy the last few days - which isn’t necessarily a bad thing – so I wanted to lean it up a bit without losing out.

Chocolate Coconut Chia Pudding Parfait

Serves 1

For the chia pudding

1.5 tbsp chia seeds

1-2 tsp unsweetened desiccated coconut

150ml coconut milk

For the chocolate smoothie

75g blueberries (fresh or frozen)

75ml almond milk

A small handful of spinach

1 tsp raw cacao powder

1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I used Neat Nutrition’s vegan variety)

Make the chia pudding the night before; simply mix the chia seeds, desiccated coconut and coconut milk together in a suitable contain and chill in the fridge

In the morning blitz all of your smoothie ingredients together

Pour the smoothie onto the chia pudding and leave to stand, for at least 5 minutes in the fridge, to thicken then enjoy a guilt-free dessert for breakfast

* If using frozen blueberries you may need to add a little more almond milk to create the desired texture