This creamy and delicious pudding turned out way better than I ever dreamt it could, I love when that happens. This was another one of those kitchen creations that had me doing the “yum yum dance”. You know exactly what I am talking about, you take a bite before you even sit down, and with the spoon or fork still in your mouth, your hips and butt start swaying and without thinking, you start some version of a song where the only lyrics are “yum”, “mmmmm” and/or “ooooh”. I swear this is something we are born with, I have seen babies under a year do this dance. It’s the best!
I have been working on a recipe for a healthy gluten-free and vegan banana coconut cream pie and I had to take a detour when I thought of this tasty breakfast treat. Fear not though, the pie recipe is still in the works and I cannot wait to play around with it.
I had a serving of this for an after-yoga breakfast treat this morning and it kept me full for many hours, I love that. This perfectly and naturally sweetened pudding would also be great for a dessert or mid-day snack when you are craving something a little sweet. It’s amazing how wonderfully sweet this is without adding any sugar or sweetener besides the dates. I love that! The creaminess from the coconut milk, almond milk and bananas are all so amazing that most people wouldn’t believe there isn’t any dairy in this. It’s treats like this that keeps me from being intimidated about removing dairy from my diet. I would never miss dairy if I had this pudding once or twice a week.
This week has been a bit crazy and stressful and it’s only Thursday. Hubby had to take a quick and unexpected flight home to Kentucky to be with his Grandmother who is very ill. We have been working many evenings, so we’ve been eating a lot of quick dinners and we’ve been eating up leftovers, so I am starting to get that urge to cook and bake since it’s been a couple of days. We have a weekend full of work ahead of us, but I need to find time to attempt this banana coconut cream pie that I have created in my head. After making this pudding I am starting to think that ground-up chia seeds may be the perfect ingredient to make my pie filling thick and luscious. Hmmm… I can’t wait to get to experimenting.
How has your week been going? Have you had time to make meals this week? Do you have any cooking and baking plans for the weekend?
[print_this]Banana Cream Chia Pudding (gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free)
serves 2-4 – makes approximately 3 cups
1 cup lite coconut milk (the canned kind)
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
2 bananas
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 medjool dates, pits removed
2 tablespoons chia seeds
Puree everything but the chia seeds in a blender until smooth, combined and thick. You may see a few little bits of the dates still, it’s OK. Pour the mixture into a glass bowl or a mason jar, stir in the chia seeds. Make sure to stir well to combine. Cover the bowl or put the lid on the jar. Keep in the refrigerator overnight or for at least 4 hours.
Spoon or pour into bowls, top with fresh banana slices or banana chips, if you wish. Serve.
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49 Responses
Lol I just bought a pound of chia seeds(for the first time,with no clue what to use them for) and a bunch of medjool dates along with some unsweetened coconut flakes….stumbled upon your site and saw this recipe, talk about perfect timing. Thanks!!! Awesome blog, I’ll be checking you out often!
Jen – YAY! Sounds like you have everything you need. I hope you love this as much as I do! And yes, please do come back 🙂
Hello Beth, I just came across your blog and wonderful sounding recipe for banana cream pudding. Unfortuantely, chai seeds aren’t available where I live. Do you know of any possible substitute? Thanks, Frances
Frances – bummer you can’t get chia seeds. I would try to buy them online if you can. I don’t really know of a suitable replacement, you could try flax seeds, but I just don’t think you’ll get the same results. Let me know if you do find a replacement. Thanks.
Try Googling basil seeds, they have gelling qualities a lot like chia seeds. They are sold at a lot of asian markets for verrry cheap 🙂
I have been seeing chia see pudding recipes lately and am curious – I’m going to have to give it a try. Yours looks really good, plus I love dates and coconut milk. What a great combination. I’m glad to see another WNY food blogger, too!
Hi Amy – nice to “meet” you, I can’t wait to check out your blog, too. Thanks for stopping by.
First of all, I just wanted to say what a CUTE blog you have! Love it. Secondly, this recipe is right up my alley. I am totally digging chia seed pudding lately and I typically top it with bananas so I *must* try this! Oh, and that tasty dance? I do more of a stretch…to prepare for my victory lap around the house 🙂 ha
Thanks so so much Cara, I really am obsessed with this pudding, it’s amazing! I am loving Leanne’s guest posts and how it is bringing even more of us bloggers together, I was so happy to have found your blog.
Thanks for sharing such a great recipe on Allergy-Free Wednesdays! Be sure to check back next week for reader favorites and hostess picks.
Be Well,
–Amber
Amber – thank YOU guys! Such a great idea to host these, now I just need to remember to come over and share my recipes. Thanks again.
Hi, love your recipes. I haven’t seen chia seeds either. Also, I’m going to try and replace the almond milk (daughter with nut allergies) with soy or will that ruin it?
Amanda – I usually find chia seeds in the grocery store where you would find flax seeds, or you can try a specialty health food store. Worst case scenario you could definitely buy them online. This is the brand I use: http://www.amazon.com/Spectrum-Chia-Seed-Omega-3-Fiber/dp/B003GT5TBW/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1329760928&sr=8-11
Soy milk will not ruin it at all, any milk will work perfectly, I just tend to prefer almond milk, myself. Let me know how this comes out if you make it with soy.
Hi Beth, thanks so much for linking up to Allergy-Free Wednesdays. Your recipe looks delicious 🙂
Thank you Janelle! I love that you guys are doing this every week, I am so excited to be a part of it.
Hi Beth, I just came across your blog from Healthful Pursuit!
I love love love chia pudding…and bananas…and coconut milk….I better stop talking and just make this already.
Yay Alex – thanks for making your way over here! I am with you – these are so many of my favorite flavors together, I think that is why I am so obsessed with this pudding. I feel like I always need to have this in my fridge!
I have hilarious memories of a friend and I trying to make banana cream pie in high school… To say the least it was a disaster! This looks much easier… and tastier.
Ha, I love how kitchen disaster memories will always stay with you. You just don’t forget that stuff. Hopefully if you make this, it will be smooth sailing 🙂
as you probably noticed on instagram, someone has requested that i make this for him this weekend…. happily i will oblige 🙂 xoxoxo TY!
[…] Vegan Banana Cream Chia Pudding […]
I have to make this right now! I think I have everything that I need. Now we’ll just have to see if I can wait to try it in the morning or if I’ll be eating it at 10:00 tonight! I love your site. I’m helping host a baby shower this Sunday and I can’t decide if I want to make your Citrus Quinoa Salad or Sprouted Quinoa Salad with mango, black bean and avacado. They both look delish!
[…] the way to prepare it, I will reffer you to Tasty Yummies. Check here the directions for this delicious Banana Cream Chia […]
WOHOOOOOO guess what im having for breakfast! Didnt have any dates and I have a slight obsession with cinnamon soooo added it in….May have gobbled some up before it even made it to the fridge. yumidy yum yum yuuuuuum!!
Corinne
Yay! The cinnamon sounds like a great addition! I hear ya, I always end up eating so much of that kind of thing before it is “ready”. haha
Hope you enjoyed it just as much, when it was fully ready. 🙂 Thanks so much.
Hi Beth! I have been looking for a recipe just like this and am so excited to try it! Just one question – do you have an approximate calorie count for 1 serving of this pudding? And what would you consider a serving? A cup, or so?
Thanks : )
Hi Chera thanks for writing, I am so happy you found me. I actually don’t have an approximate calorie count, I am sorry. But yes, I would say a serving is approx 1 cup or so, give or take depending on how hungry you are 🙂
Oh boy, I made this pudding and am now addicted to it. So, so yummy. Love the texture and flavor. Almost tastes like banana bread batter. Can’t wait to try your other recipes!
Let’s just say my kids were licking their bowls and begging for more. 😉 Yum!
Beth, yum!!!! Thanks for this recipe. Delicious, creamy, wholesome… I did add a bit more chia seed than your ratios called for to ensure adequate thickness.
Can’t wait to make this for friends as a dairy-free desert!!!
-Lil
Hi! Made this and wondering why it didn’t thicken at all? More chia seeds? I followed exactly but wondering if chia seeds can vary by brand? It tasted great, just never thickened?
Thanks for any help!
Aimee, gosh I am not sure why it wouldn’t thicken, I have made it a couple of times and it has always thickened. You did let it sit overnight, right? Hmm maybe it does matter by brand or something. I am sorry it didn’t work for you, I would say next time maybe add a bit more chia then. Thanks for the feedback.
[…] Banana Cream Chia Pudding (gluten-free, vegan, refined sugar-free). […]
I’m making a modified batch of this now and hoping it turns out well.
I used :
1c Almond Milk
1 tsp Vanilla
1Banana
1.5 tbsp Chia Seeds
a touch of honey
Even if it doesn’t thicken properly it smells and tastes delicious, and I’ll have to grab the remaining ingredients and try out the real thing.
Thanks!
Well, to follow up I tried the recipe as above, and kind of failed, it didn’t thicken up and the final product was quite runny and goopy, but as expected delicious and nutritious. A great way to start your day, thanks again Beth.
Hi, I tried this recipe the other day, but didn’t have coconut milk, so I thought I would use coconut cream. The cream was really thick and therefore causing the dessert to, what looked like, curdle. That didn’t bother me, because the flavour was absolutely AMAZING!!!! I serve 1/2 cup with a tablespoon of cashew, almond and brazil nut spread on top and have it with my pre-workout for morning Gym. I like having my big breakfasts after the gym, so this is the perfect bowl of energy I need to get me going of a morning. I will definitely use coconut milk next time. A jar of this needs to stay in my fridge at all times in case of dessert attacks too. Thanks again 🙂
Tried the recipe again with coconut cream, but used a 100% coconut cream and it turned out so thick and creamy, it was AWESOME!!! I think the reason the first batch “curdled” was because the coconut cream I used was too thick, due to stabilisers. Thanks again 🙂
Hello, about the chia seeds…..do you “activate” them
This sounds so very yummy!!! I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for a wonderful recipe idea.
I blended all the ingredients and gave it a quick taste. It can make a great smoothie in itself by adding more ice. Now just letting my chia seeds soak. Can’t wait to try it in the morning!
It is so good just on it’s own!! I hope you enjoy it after it has soaked!! Thanks!
[…] chia seeds and looked for a interesting tasty recipe and found another sugar free, sweet treat from tasty yummies blog. It’s simple, delicious and […]
OH MY GOSH this recipe is to die for. I finally made it after a month of thinking about it constantly, and I must say its a favourite. Its not sweet its healthy and best of all I can have it being dairy and gluten intolerant. The only thing I didn’t do was put dates in the recipe since I didn’t have them but still turned out amazing despite. Thanks for this post I will be making it constantly since its extremely easy to make!
[…] Banana Cream Chia Pudding: A creamy and delicious pudding which keeps you full for many hours (via Tasty Yummies, […]
Mine did not turn out thick or creamy at all. It’s a liquid runny mess. I did no substitutions and followed directions as stated.
Hmm I have made this recipe several times and never had that happen, it’s always thick and creamy. I would say in the future, maybe you need to add more chia seeds? I am sorry it didn’t work for you.
This looks delicious! I’ve been hunting for recipes with chia seeds and will definitely be trying this out!
I made this too and thought it would be yummy but it was runny as well. Never thickened like a pudding. I followed exactly. May have to try again. Looks so good!
I don’t know if there are differences in chia seeds producing less thick or more thick results or what. I would say in the future, if you use the same chia seeds again, either add more chia seeds or take down the liquid. Sorry it didn’t come out as thick as it should. That’s a bummer 🙁