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Chocolate Banana Coconut Chia Pudding

in Breakfast, Desserts, Recipes, Snacks

The perfect vegan, Whole 30-compliant breakfast that does not involve eggs.  This Chocolate Banana Coconut Chia Pudding is just as great as a snack or dessert as it is for breakfast!

chocolate_banana_coconut_chia_puddingLong time no talk, eh?

chocolate_banana_coconut_chia_puddingIt has been about a week since I last posted.  But to be honest, this more sporadic posting schedule has honestly been a long time coming.  A few weeks ago, I was finally able to admit to myself that trying to be a full-time blogger while working a 40-hour per week job and attempting to keep a social life is just not possible for me at this time in my life.  Work is crazy busy.  I am in the middle of planning a wedding.  And I am loving spending the majority of my free time with the people in my life, rather than sitting behind a camera, phone, or computer screen.

Not to mention the stress.  I never started blogging be the best, gain tons of followers, and make a crap ton of money.  I started blogging because I had a passion for food and writing and figured, “why not combine the two?”  That passion has grown into a love for photography, a love for my blogging friends, and has resulted in a ton of personal growth.  But the intense “need” to post on a consistent schedule (lately I have been averaging at least four to five posts per week), has left me stressed and feeling like blogging is more of a job than a love.  Of course making a small income from blogging is necessary to keep CEVG up and running, but I don’t want it to become all about that.

chocolate_banana_coconut_chia_puddingI must admit that I actually had a bit of a “freak out” moment a month ago.  I was all but ready to throw my hands up and quit posting for good.  It is no secret that I have been dealing with health issues over the past couple of years, and the stress of it all had just become too much.  But after taking a day or two to breathe, I realized that leaving blogging altogether was not the option.  I would miss recipe creation and food photography too much.  I would also be lost without the ability to keep a “virtual scrapbook” of big life events and an online record of my favorite recipes.  I would miss blogging and the blogging community.

At that moment it dawned on me that I was being a bit too dramatic.  I did not need to quit blogging altogether, I just needed to approach it in a less structured way.  This is hard for somebody who is incredibly type-A, but I knew it would be best for my stress-levels, personal life, and health.  And so, I am here to tell you that I will no longer be blogging on a schedule.  I will not have post ideas planned out a month in advance <– yes, I seriously did that.  I will not succumb to the pressure to “need” to post a certain thing at a certain time.  I want to approach blogging in a more free and organic way.  If I feel like posting three times a week, I will.  If I can only get the inspiration and time to post once, that will do!  Regardless of when I am posting, I want to always provide you with quality content, and I want that content to be about topics I have a passion for.  Other than my posting schedule, not a lot will change.  You’ll still see delicious and healthy recipes, updates on my diet/health, life posts, and a few sponsored posts sprinkled here and there.  Mostly, we will talk about and look at pretty food.

chocolate_banana_coconut_chia_puddingNow let’s get to that food part.

chocolate_banana_coconut_chia_puddingToday officially marks Day 30 of the Whole 30 (more updates on that below)!  About three weeks in, I started getting a little bored of eating eggs for breakfast.  Was I tired of eggs?  No.  But I just wasn’t craving them every. single. day. in the a.m.  So I decided to give chia pudding another go.  I had made it several times in the past, but had yet to find a recipe that I absolutely love, love, LOVED.  It was always good.  But never amazing.  That is until I discovered the “musts” for making chia seed pudding.  Ever since, I have been hooked.  And lucky for you, I’m sharing the recipe with y’all today!

chocolate_banana_coconut_chia_puddingChocolate Banana Coconut Chia Pudding
Gluten-Free, Vegan, Whole 30, Paleo

Serves 1

Ingredients

1/3 cup of full-fat coconut milk (check to ensure the ingredients are Whole 30-compliant)
2/3 cup of cold water
1 ripe banana, cut in half
1 TB of cacao powder (cocoa powder is fine if not doing the Whole 30)
a dash of cinnamon
3 TB of whole chia seeds
desired toppings (nut/seed butter, fruit, nuts, cacao nibs, etc.)

Directions

1. Combine coconut milk, water, half of the banana, cacao powder, and cinnamon in a blender.  I used my Vitamix <– affiliate link.  Blend for 30 seconds, or until smooth.

2. Place chia seeds in a pint-sized mason jar.  Pour chocolate banana coconut milk into the jar.  Shake until well-combined.

3. Refrigerate overnight, or for at least four hours.  I always make mine the night before I plan to eat it.

4. Leave the chia pudding in the jar or pour into a bowl.*  Top with your favorite toppings.  I selected sunflower seed butter, the other half of the banana (sliced), and cacao nibs.

You can absolutely get creative with your toppings choices.  Any nut or seed butter should work, and both berries and peaches/nectarines make for great additions.  I would absolutely not be opposed to dark chocolate chips when not on the Whole 30, too!

*If you cannot get past the texture of chia pudding, you can absolutely blend it into a smooth pudding using a high-powdered blender.  Be sure to do this before you add your toppings.

chocolate_banana_coconut_chia_puddingBefore I leave you for a bit, I want to update you on my Whole 30 adventure.  Unfortunately, I have yet to find relief for my chronic joint/muscle pain and GERD.  About three weeks in, I took things a step further and cut out all nightshades (white potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, all peppers, and spices like cayenne pepper, paprika, and curry powder).  They are known to be inflammatory to the body, so I figured I would give it a try.  My fingers are crossed for some results!

Once today is over, I have plans to continue on with a mostly Paleo lifestyle and will continue to eliminate nightshades.  I’ll be keeping things grain-free, legume-free, dairy-free, night-shade-free, and refined sugar-free for the time being.  I will, however, enable myself to make things like Paleo pancakes, banana soft-serve, and smoothies.  Man, have I missed smoothies!  I may also allow myself the occasional glass of red wine, too.  I have got to say that I have missed having a drink now and then.

That is about as far as I have gotten with my food planning at this point.  I am going to play it by ear and will decide later whether or not I think I need to try the AIP elimination diet.  I have also been toying with the idea of trying acupuncture and/or chiropractic care.  We’ll just see where life takes me!

chocolate_banana_coconut_chia_puddingThank you for your kind ears (or I guess eyes?) today.  I appreciate every one of you and your support.  Now go try some chia seed pudding!

Dessert for breakfast: Chocolate Banana Coconut Chia Pudding #Whole30 #vegan Click To Tweet

What types of posts do you love seeing most on CEVG?
Have you tried chia seed pudding before?  If so, what are you favorite recipes and toppings?

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{ 49 comments… add one }
  • Erin @ Her Heartland Soul August 4, 2015, 12:22 am
    This looks delicious!! And your post showed up for me in Bloglovin! Yay!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 4, 2015, 8:24 am
      Yay!! That makes me so happy to hear :)
  • Becky @ Olives n Wine August 4, 2015, 2:30 am
    Boo to Bloglovin'! I will notice that I'll see nothing from a blogger for a week or so and then 10 of their posts will pop up - so frustrating. With that being said, I'm glad you're sticking around. Life gets busy and it's okay to post only when you have something important to write about (I'm impressed with your monthly schedule though!) and to only comment when you have time. I hope you find some relief for your joints. I've only done acupuncture a few times (it's darn expensive) but the results are always amazing. Becky @ Olives n Wine recently posted...#99 Treat Yourself TuesdayMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 4, 2015, 8:25 am
      Apparently Bloglovin' is now working... so YES to that! And thanks so much for your support and kind words. It is always nice to hear. The one thing that is holding me back from acupuncture is the cost... I wish my insurance covered it! :(
  • Kate August 4, 2015, 6:19 am
    I did miss seeing your posts, but I am glad to read that your putting quality of life first. This pudding looks delicious and I will be trying it soon! Kate recently posted...Currently: August 2014My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 4, 2015, 8:26 am
      Thanks so much Kate for your kind words. I SO appreciate it!
  • Kelly @ Hidden Fruits and Veggies August 4, 2015, 6:49 am
    This post was on bloglovin, so hopefully your problems are fixed with that. I've been soooo MIA with posts this summer. There's just a lot to do and you can't make up for all the things you end up missing in the real world, but you can always photograph a recipe tomorrow :) Kelly @ Hidden Fruits and Veggies recently posted...Chocolate Mint Iced TeaMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 4, 2015, 8:27 am
      YES and YES!! It took me a long time to realize it, but there are so many things more important than this blog. As much as I love it, it can wait when it needs to wait!
  • Lesq August 4, 2015, 7:06 am
    I have suffered from very similar symptoms for several years till it got so uncomfortable and painful I went to a very well known holistic MD who is a heart surgeon by profession, but practices interventional medicine now. People come from all over to treat with him. I took the journey you are now on and found that it did not cure me because everything in small moderation is often necessary. I was a vegetarian for years, then a pescaterian( ended up with Mercury just from wild salmon purchased at whole foods weekly), then paleo, gluten free, dairy free, went to the celeiac disease center here in NYC at Columbia Presbitarian--don't ask and am finding that we need to take smart baby steps and not be influenced by what works for others. We were in Italy and France about a month ago and they live and eat very differently. Happy and healthy and live very long lives. We travel in Europe a lot and I find the same thing no matter what country we go to. You are young, smart and beautiful--the answers for you are all right in front of you. Ask people who have suffered with like problems and ignore every different diet put forth because everyone has different issues and different insides. Denying your body if certain nutrients only leads to depleted levels inside us that can cause long term damage. You are very young now but it does catch up with us. Your blog is light and enjoyable. Blog when YOU feel is good for your schedule. Your readers are always happy to see your creative recipes, artistic photographs and catch up on what you have been doing. Enjoy the week.
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 4, 2015, 8:28 am
      Thanks so much for your input and support. I believe that if I make it through these diet eliminations with no luck, I will absolutely go back to a life of everything in moderation. Maybe that will be the key for me? :)
  • Alli O August 4, 2015, 7:07 am
    My chia puddings are always so bland, but this one sounds delicious, I'll have to give it a try. I feel you on the health troubles, I pretty much went through all the steps you're talking about without much success either :( I've been doing chiropractic care for about 2 years which feels good but I don't think it helps with my chronic issues. I did recently start acupuncture and it's the first thing that I think actually made a difference. I still struggle A LOT but it is a huge stress reliever for me, which is obviously an important piece of the puzzle. If you have any questions or just need to rant a little bit (I know how frustrating restrictive diets can be), feel free to reach out! Hope you start to feel better soon, and I'm glad you'll still be posting! I LOVE your recipes!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 4, 2015, 8:41 am
      That is so reassuring to here, Alli. It definitely makes me want to try acupuncture more. I at least want to try everything that I possibly can to know that I did whatever I could to get better. Thanks so much for your kind words about my recipes too! I SO appreciate it. I hope you give this chia pudding a try. It is definitely not bland!
  • Chrissy @ Snacking in Sneakers August 4, 2015, 7:46 am
    I've never done a chia pudding before, partially because I'm not sure that I'd love the texture. But your photos of this one look so delicious! I think I'll have to give it a try. I like your idea of using a high powered blender to address the texture issue if needed. Chrissy @ Snacking in Sneakers recently posted...Can peppermint essential oil improve your exercise performance?My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 4, 2015, 8:51 am
      The texture thing definitely bothered me the first time that I tried it. So I would say give it several tries before you decide if you like it or not. Or.. just go the blended route. No texture issues there!
  • Ashley August 4, 2015, 7:47 am
    First, I really truly hope that you start to feel better soon and figure out something that works! Thinking of you! Second, I think it's awesome that you're deciding what's best for you and not sticking to some schedule just because. I have a total type-A personality and struggle with the same things!! It's finding the happy medium that's the challenge for me! haha I tend to be overly dramatic and see things in black or white when really there is that happy grey area in the middle! Ashley recently posted...Fresh Corn and Tomato Open-Faced SandwichMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 4, 2015, 8:52 am
      Yes!! I think when you are very type-A it is so hard to not see things as black and white.... when in actuality, the gray area is probably very likely the "happy place" for most of us!
  • Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine August 4, 2015, 9:13 am
    Yesterday I went on an investigation to see if Bloglovin was being an asshole like usual and not updating you feed (like it does for some other bloggers I have on there). But then I saw no...you just hadn't posted. :( But all is good! Post when you can! Especially in this crappy summer slump when people barely blog and read blogs anyway :P
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 4, 2015, 3:49 pm
      Yes! It was actually a good time for Bloglovin' to stop working for me since I wasn't posting anyways ;)
  • Wendy August 4, 2015, 10:46 am
    I know this might be super personal, so feel free to not respond. It popped in my head the other day that my friend experienced something like you - tons of joint pain, actually thought she had arthris at age 32. Well after tons of research, she found out she had a silicone allergy and her mirena was to blame. It's a very rare side effect, her rheum and obgyn had never even heard of it, but if you google search it does come up. It's a long shot, but thought I would mention it to you.
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 4, 2015, 3:53 pm
      Thanks so much for bringing it up! I do not use Mirena, so that obviously wouldn't be the case for me. It was worth a shot though ;)
  • Liz @ I Heart Vegetables August 4, 2015, 11:42 am
    Not only do I love the looks of this recipe but I LOVE What you said about keeping up with blogging. I've been feeling the same way lately, like it's "work" except that it's NOT my job, haha. I love the community so much that I don't want to stop all together but I think I need to just rearrange my priorities! Liz @ I Heart Vegetables recently posted...Black Bean and Quinoa Slow Cooker ChiliMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 4, 2015, 3:54 pm
      It is a really hard thing to admit and actually DO something about, but once you do it is so freeing and SO worth it. I definitely thinking sticking with blogging is right for me right now.. but with a more limited scope and committment.
  • Kim@Kim's Cravings August 4, 2015, 12:30 pm
    I need to give this a try because it looks delish and, like you, I have yet to find a chia pudding recipe I really enjoy. Yay, for completing the Whole 30 and I hope you find some relief soon!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 4, 2015, 3:55 pm
      Thanks so much, Kim! I hope you give this one a try. I happen to think it is quite delicious ;)
  • Ashlee August 4, 2015, 1:38 pm
    This looks amazing! Definitely going to try it :) please keep us updated on how eliminating night shades works for you..I might try that bc I eat a lot of those foods and do have some pain too. I hope everything works out for you:) do you think you will do whole 30 again?
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 4, 2015, 4:35 pm
      Thanks so much, Ashlee! I haven't noticed any difference with the no nightshades yet, but it has only been about a week. My fingers are crossed! I would definitely do another Whole 30, and I am sure that I will before the year is up!
  • Kayla @ Blondes Have More Run August 4, 2015, 1:46 pm
    You certainly do have a lot going on right now! I don't know how you do it all, minus the blogging! I would just commit to a once a week post on the blog and keep it consistent :) As for the chia pudding, yum. Get in my belly. :)
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 4, 2015, 4:36 pm
      Haha, thanks Kayla! I definitely feel less stressed knowing that I have given myself permission to post whenever is best for me! And I promise to keep the recipes coming :)
  • lindsay August 5, 2015, 10:08 pm
    planning a wedding is 40hr work week in itself! No stress about blogging. we will be here whenever you post to drool over your recipes and talk nutrition. <3 YOU!
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 6, 2015, 12:37 pm
      Aw, thanks so much Lindsay!! I so appreciate that :)
  • Dani @ Dani California Cooks August 6, 2015, 2:54 pm
    I was feeling a bit handcuffed to my blog recently, with so much going on at work and at home, and I felt frustrated when I couldn't dedicate as much time to my blog as I had wanted to! I'm still figuring out what my approach is going to be for it... Dani @ Dani California Cooks recently posted...One-Pan Baked Fish Tenders and Vegetables (gluten free)My Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 7, 2015, 11:48 am
      Sometimes I think we feel like we NEED or have to do it all... and that makes us stressed and more busy than we need to be! You will find your own balance. The most important is doing what is best for you.
  • Jen@jpabstfitness August 10, 2015, 1:38 pm
    Looks amazing! Jen@jpabstfitness recently posted...Thinking Out LoudMy Profile
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 11, 2015, 8:17 am
      Thank you, Jen! I think it is... though I'm probably biased ;)
  • Michelle August 19, 2015, 5:08 pm
    I was wondering if the chia seeds are necessary? I'm trying to be on a stricter, auto-immune diet that doesn't allow any seeds. Would it still turn out without the chia seeds. Normally I would love it, they are so good for you :).
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 20, 2015, 8:48 am
      I don't think it would exactly turn out because the chia seeds are what absorb a lot of the liquid in order to give it more of a "pudding" texture. With that said, maybe you could try making a pudding using more coconut milk/banana and less water. You might also try blending in avocado. It sounds weird, but I have heard of people using it to make puddings. Regardless, I hope you experiment and try it out. I have toyed with the idea of doing the AIP diet, so I'd love to hear how it goes!
  • Jean August 5, 2016, 12:10 pm
    Thanks for a chia pudding recipe that is lower in chia seeds than most recipes. When looking at the fat content of chia seeds, I was concerned with other recipes of high ratios of chia seeds to everything else. I am not good with portion control so I am very cogznizant of it. I am going to experiment and try to get the amount of chia seeds as low as possible. Jean
    • ClnEatingVegGrl August 5, 2016, 1:04 pm
      I'm so glad you think this recipe is a great fit for you. I happen to find it to be QUITE delicious! And don't forget... chia seeds actually contain healthy fats that are really good for you, so don't fear them too much. Sugar is what is really the beast :)
  • Foysal January 22, 2024, 11:09 am
    "Indulging in this divine chocolate banana is a moment of pure joy
  • Foysal January 22, 2024, 11:12 am
    "In a world full of choices, this good chocolate stands out as a true flavor masterpiece!

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