Even though I’ve had a bag of chia seeds in my freezer for well over a year, I couldn’t bring myself to use them in anything until yesterday. It’s not that I don’t enjoy chia seeds, because even though when suspended in liquid and placed in your mouth, they remind me of tiny fish eggs, I still have an odd attraction to them. Nor is it their flavour, which can only be described as virtually impossible to detect. Forced to make something up, I’d say it is very subtle and similar to poppy seeds.

The main reason I haven’t used them in anything is because I rather like the idea of using them as thickener but I just couldn’t figure out a way to use them. Do you grind them fine and add to breads and pastries?  Although I have made chia seed pudding before, this has to be the best one yet. I have to give the credit to the Silk Creamy Cashew here though, as it really does deliver on it’s promises of being, well, creamy. I’ve made cashew based recipes myself before, as well as cashew milk, but nothing beats the convenience and price of buying it ready made. I’m not sure about the US, where everything seems to be half the price of Canada, but cashews (organic, unroasted) here are CRAZY expensive. It would cost me the same or more to make my own carton of cashew milk. Besides that fact, I know most people just do not want to make their own nut milks, either because they are intimidated by the process or don’t have a blender that they trust. Ready made “milks” often have all sorts of added things I don’t want to consume, but Silk is probably one of the best brands around. The ingredients for the Original Silk Cashew Milk are: Cashewmilk (Filtered Water, Cashews), Cane Sugar, Sea Salt, Almond Butter, Locust Bean Gum, Sunflower Lecithin, Gellan Gum, Natural Flavor, plus a bunch of vitamins and minerals to fortify it. No Carageenan! 

If you can’t consume dairy, but miss the creamy consistency of it, then cashew milk might be your new very best friend and Silk Creamy Cashew comes in both sweetened and unsweetened varieties. (yay!) It also has 33% fewer calories than skim milk and just as much calcium. Unfortunately, for now anyway, Silk Creamy Cashew is only available in Canada (find out where). Which is weird, we never get anything first!

In any case, a great way to try this new product is with something simple. Silk says it is great for creamy recipes, such as mashed potatoes or ice cream (I’d like to try that one actually) and I would have to agree. Almond milk can be kind of watery and flavourless, which makes it fine for liquids that are only there for general purpose, like blending a smoothie but not always awesome as a dairy milk replacer in say, a bowl of cereal. This cashew milk, on the hand, would make a perfect replacement in anything requiring a hint of creaminess without the calories or dairy.

So this Chocolate Chia Pudding is perfect breakfast food for those in a rush, just prepare it the night before and have a delicious, healthy chocolate pudding to have before you tackle that big meeting. Or eat it after your workout for a great hit of carbs and protein!

One year ago: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Two years ago: Chocolate Caramel Brownie Cups
Three years ago: Healthified Banana Bread
Four years ago: Pumpkin Carrot Bread
Five years ago: Greek Lamb Burgers

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.