Vegan blueberry and vanilla chia seed pudding


I had always wondered what chia seeds were good for, apart from being fantastically high in fibre - there's only so much raw seed you can sprinkle over food, after all. But then I discovered chia seed pudding, and have become slightly obsessed by it. Here's my take on it - thanks to its long soaking time it ends up gorgeously thick, while the warm blueberry sauce at the bottom provides the perfect contrast.

Serves 2

2 tbsp chia seeds
250ml coconut drink (dairy alternative to milk)
2 tbsp dairy-free coconut yogurt
1/4tsp vanilla extract
1/2tsp maple syrup
50g blueberries

You need at least 24 hours for the seeds to plump up properly, so this is a dessert that needs a bit of planning. Start it one or two days before you want it. Whisk the chia seeds, coconut drink, coconut yogurt, vanilla extract and maple syrup together. Leave or overnight in the fridge, then whisk again. Give them another 12 hours or so, then whisk just before you want to serve.
Just before serving, crush the blueberries in a small cup and microwave for a minute to release the juice. Add the warm berries to the bottom of two dessert glasses, then distribute the chia seed mix on top. Serve.
(By the way, oat milk works really well in place of the coconut dairy alternative, if you can have oats.)

Intro

What's WIDE CIRCLE COOKING about?
Recipes about gluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free, egg-free, alcohol-free and vegan cooking.

By the way - don't forget to ask all your guests if they have an allergy (because the recipes use some unusual combinations and they may not expect to find citrus and soya in a chocolate cake, for example).
pps.if you are cooking for someone with an allergy, please read my allergy post first.