Ube Blueberry Chia Pudding

Ingredients

• 2 cups Unsweetened Almond Milk, Or any milk you like; light coconut milk makes it richer
• 0.5 cup Plain Greek Yogurt, Use coconut yogurt to keep it dairy-free
• 3 tbsp Ube Powder, Sifted to avoid clumps
• 1 cup Blueberries, Fresh or thawed frozen; divided, half blended and half for topping
• 2 tbsp Pure Maple Syrup, Add more to taste after blending
• 0.5 tsp Ube Extract, A clear extract keeps the color true
• 1 pinch Fine Sea Salt, Brings out the ube flavor
• 0.5 cup Chia Seeds, Black or white both work
• 0.25 cup Toasted Cashews, Roughly chopped, for topping
• 2 tbsp Toasted Coconut Flakes, For topping
• 1 tsp Bee Pollen, Optional, for topping; skip it for a vegan version

Instructions

1. Blend the Ube Base Add the almond milk, Greek yogurt, sifted ube powder, half the blueberries, maple syrup, ube extract, and salt to a blender. Blend on high for 30-45 seconds until completely smooth and evenly violet. Taste and add a little more maple syrup if you like it sweeter, since it's harder to adjust once the chia sets.
2. Stir in the Chia Pour the base into a large bowl or a 1-quart jar and whisk in the chia seeds. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then whisk again thoroughly to break up any clumps of seeds that have stuck together.
3. Chill Until Set Divide the pudding among 4 jars or glasses, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, until thick and spoonable.
4. Top and Serve Just before serving, top each jar with the remaining blueberries, chopped toasted cashews, toasted coconut flakes, and a sprinkle of bee pollen, if using. Add the toppings at the last minute so the nuts and coconut stay crunchy.

Pro Tips

• Whisk twice. Chia seeds clump in the first few minutes, and a second whisk after 5 minutes is what gives you an even, smooth pudding instead of a gel with dry pockets of seeds.
• Blending the base before adding chia is the key step. It dissolves the ube powder completely and gives you an even purple color, rather than a pale pudding with streaks of berry.
• The ratio is 1/2 cup chia to about 2 1/2 cups liquid. If you like it looser, add a splash more milk when you serve it; if you like it thicker, add an extra tablespoon of chia.

Variations

• Vegan Version: Use coconut yogurt instead of Greek yogurt and leave off the bee pollen. Maple syrup is already plant-based.
• Halaya Swirl: Spoon a tablespoon of ube halaya into the bottom of each jar before adding the pudding for a richer, more dessert-like layer.
• Higher Protein: Blend a scoop of unflavored or vanilla protein powder into the base with an extra 1/4 cup of milk, and use a 2% or whole-milk Greek yogurt.

Nutrition (estimated, per serving)

292 calories · 32g carbs · 9g protein · 14g fat · 11g sugar · 11g fiber

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does ube chia pudding keep in the fridge?

Covered, it keeps for 4 days in the refrigerator, which makes it a good Sunday meal-prep recipe. Store the toppings separately and add them just before eating so the cashews and coconut stay crisp.

Can I use ube halaya instead of ube powder?

Yes. Blend in 1/3 cup of ube halaya in place of the ube powder and cut the maple syrup down to 1 tablespoon, because halaya is already sweetened. The pudding will be slightly less thick, so you may want an extra tablespoon of chia.

Why did my pudding turn grayish instead of purple?

Blueberry skins can look blue-gray when blended with dairy, and some ube powders are paler than others. Adding another tablespoon of ube powder, using wild blueberries, or swapping in a few blackberries will push the color back toward violet.

Recommended Ingredient

Halo Pantry Natural Ube Flavoring Extract (2 oz) — read our review.

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