Chia seeds are great for your heart, digestion, and skin!

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I absolutely love to go out for breakfast. I also love to cook breakfast. I love breakfast for dinner… and lunch. But, I’m human, and sometimes there’s just not enough time in the morning to have an elaborate breakfast. OK, most days there’s not enough time. Except Sundays. Sundays are made for HUGE breakfasts. Anyway, this turmeric chia pudding is the perfect solution to those I-have-no-time-for-a-good-breakfast days.

Chia seeds are like magic beans. You take the sand-like substance out of the bag, add liquid, and you get a velvety, rice-pudding-like creamy pudding. Magic.

I have made chia pudding in every flavor imaginable. And, I’ve also experimented with some flavors that most sane people wouldn’t want to imagine… This turmeric chia pudding was a great experiment! It has a slight Chai flavor. And the goji berries in it give it great extra flavor and texture.

Have you made chia pudding before?

It’s the easiest! Put the ingredients in a jar, shake it up, put the jar in the fridge overnight. Eat it in the morning. Done. Cue smile on face. And, it’s sooooooo good for you!

If you don’t like the texture of rice pudding, or tapioca, feel free to put it in the blender in the morning to get a smoother pudding. But, I like mine with all the chia texture.

If you want to try another flavor of chia pudding, try my recipe for Matcha Chia Pudding.

Here are some of the amazing healing ingredients in this turmeric chia pudding:

Chia seeds are ancient seeds that got their name from the Mayan word for “strength”. These tiny seeds have the unique ability to turn liquid into a gel-like substance when making puddings and they are great added to smoothies and shakes. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids,and fiber. And, because they are so high in antioxidants, they help keep your skin looking younger. They help optimize both your digestive system and your cardiovascular system.

Turmeric is actually a Chinese herb (Jiang Huang). It is great for reducing inflammation throughout the body. If you suffer from aches and pains in your joints, try turmeric. It can help relieve menstrual pain and some other abdominal pains but, if you are pregnant, ask your doctor before you eat too much turmeric.

Cashews are really a multi-tasking nut. I use them all the time so I say it all the time: Cashews have a lower fat content than most other nuts. Most of the fat in cashews is unsaturated and is made up of oleic acid; this is the same acid that is found in olive oil, making these nuts a heart-healty choice. For this chia pudding, I used cashew milk.

Pure maple syrup contains antioxidants that help reduce inflammation in the body (think inflammatory bowel syndrome or heart disease). It also contains zinc, calcium, and magnesium. It’s much lower on the glycemic scale than traditional sugar. Whenever possible, use a darker (grade B) syrup because the nutritional composition is better than that of lighter syrups.

Cinnamon is one of the best herbs to warm the body. It’s great if you have a cold. If you are nauseous or have diarrhea, go for the cinnamon. It also gives you energy and helps with menstrual pain. Cinnamon is a Chinese herb: “gui zhi” is the cinnamon twig and “rou gui” is the cinnamon bark. Both are warming and are used for a variety of ailments. In the winter I add cinnamon to all sorts of foods. It helps with the common cold, swelling, various menstrual issues and some aches and pains. Be careful with it if you have a fever because it is so warming. Here’s an article about the benefits of cinnamon from Well-Being Secrets.

Goji berries are also a Chinese herb (Gou Qi Zi). They are great for your blood. I prescribe them to some people with chronic pain in the legs and lower back. They are also good for men experiencing impotence and can be used to treat some eye problems. Women who are pregnant and people with intestinal issues should be careful not to eat too many gojis, but the amount in this bark should be fine for anyone.