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!
Long time no talk, eh?
It 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.
I 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.
Now let’s get to that food part.
Today 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 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.
Before 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!
Thank 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!
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?
