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 offers you one thing recent 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 increase to each serving.
• Infinite 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 gasoline your muscle mass (your mind being the biggest one!) and just a little fats to offer you power to gasoline the day. From there, you’ll be able to take it in any course you need. Pile on recent berries, sprinkle in nuts, or change it up each week so it by no means feels repetitive. It’s simple, versatile, and one thing you’ll really look ahead to 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 choose 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 complete curd.
• Milk Of Selection: 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: Offers a clean sweetness. You may substitute with the identical quantity of honey or maple syrup.
• Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract provides the very best taste.
• Salt: Only a small pinch enhances the general taste.
• Chia Seeds: Be sure to make use of complete chia seeds, not floor. You may 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 finest right here. Frozen berries can be utilized, however thaw and drain first to keep away from additional liquid.
• Chopped Walnuts: I really like the crunch these add, plus they are surely essentially the most nourishing of the nuts. Pecans or sliced almonds can be utilized as effectively.

Taste Variations

Among the finest components about this recipe is how simple it’s to vary it up so it by no means will get outdated or boring. We’ve been consuming this in our family on daily basis for months and haven’t gotten bored but! Use what you will have, what’s in season, or no matter sounds good that week.

Tropical Vibes: Diced mango with a sprinkle of shredded coconut is at all times a favourite. You may 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 certainly one of my favourite components!

Apple Pecan: Diced apples with chopped pecans are so good, particularly whenever you need one thing just a little completely 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 recent proper earlier than serving. They brown shortly, so they don’t seem to be ideally suited for jars that can sit for just a few days. Bananas go effectively with both pecans or walnuts.

Different Concepts: You can even drizzle nut butter on prime, swirl in a spoonful of jam, or add mini chocolate chips if you wish to hold 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’d like a barely smaller portion.

Fill every jar about three-quarters full. Add fruit straight on prime of the pudding, then add nuts on the very prime. Preserving the nuts above the fruit helps them keep crunchy as a substitute of getting comfortable.

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

That is a type of small habits that makes an enormous 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 just a little texture, simply whisk every little thing collectively and depart the cottage cheese as is. You will notice small curds all through and that’s completely nice.

If you happen to choose it completely clean, 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 method within the fridge, so you actually can’t mess this up.

Adjusting Thickness

Chia pudding can differ barely relying in your milk and the chia seeds you utilize.

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.