I’m so excited that strawberry season is finally here! The little patch in our garden is merrily flowering (which reminds me, I must put netting over them before the birds start eyeing them up) so today I started the day with a rosy glow, thanks to this strawberry macadamia chia parfait (with a lopsided but well-intended heart..!) This is a nutrient-dense & delicious blend, which is hearty enough to be breakfast. The chia & nuts give it protein power & density, and if you add coconut milk, the healthy fats will keep you satiated longer. It’s like a healthy strawberry thickshake with a bonus hit of vanilla chia pudding at the bottom.
This recipe is enough for two short or one long smoothie parfait.
For the smoothie
5 or 6 fresh strawberries
1 banana (you might only need half if it’s ripe & sweet)
a good handful of macadamias (or swap for cashew pieces, almonds)
1 tsp maca (optional superfood boost!)
1 tsp nut butter (I’ve tried cashew & almond, both awesome)
¾ cup milk (I used a mix of coconut & almond)
For the chia * (see note below)
½ cup chia seeds
1 ½ cups milk – I use half coconut, half rice or almond
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup (if fructose-free, use rice malt syrup)
1 tsp pure vanilla essence (or scrape out roughly ½ a pod)
* this will yield more chia pudding than you need for one smoothie/parfait, but it’s always great having chia pud ready to go in your fridge. It’ll last several days. Chop fruit through it, sprinkle nuts on it, chuck frozen berries in it to keep it cold in your lunchbox…
To make the chia pudding: I use a plastic container with a lid to make and store this pudding, so I can scoop out spoonfuls as needed. Add all the ingredients to your container and stir, stir, stir. You could also shake up all the ingredients in a jar. The little chia seeds will become increasingly gelatinous as they absorb the liquid, creating a thick, goopy, soft pud. I usually put the pudding into the fridge to set. Thirty minutes does the trick.
For the smoothie: blitz all ingredients in a bullet or high speed blender until smooth and rosy.
To serve: plop some chia pudding in the bottom of your glass & pour the luscious thick smoothie on top. It’s a treat to spoon out the smoothie-infused chia when you reach the bottom.
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