I've got a case of the Mondays. This recipe comes to you from our bazillion year old laptop that warns me that the startup disk is full when I try to save something and has a noticeable ding just below the keyboard from that time the corner of my iPhone 3 dove into my once-brand new computer (yes, iPhone 3 - that's how old this computer is). The heavy aluminum dinosaur came out of retirement while my younger, slimmer, faster Macbook Pro got shipped off to the doctor first thing this morning. Sniff Sniff.
Imagine an arthritic old man remotely taking control of your mouse. I'd tell the cursor to open Photoshop, but instead it'd shake a bit before darting across the screen to open up a game of Chess. This willy-nilly behavior went on for three days until last night when the trackpad stopped responding to me entirely and began erratically acting like an Ouija Board instead. After an hour wait to see a genius, my most pathetic "but I'm writing my dissertation" plea wouldn't speed up the 3-5 day repair. Monday's trying its darndest to win today.
Luckily I've got this trusty dessert to cheer me up. One spoonful of this coconut mango chia pudding whisks me away to a tropical dreamland without a care in the world. Not even the rainbow spinning pinwheel wait cursor taunting me every time I open a new document on my old laptop can take me out of my happy place. Shovels more pudding in my face. Check mate, Monday.
This treat is like a grown-up pudding snack cup, except with whole ingredients! When you're using dessert to ward off stress, wholesome dessert is always the way to go. Else you wind up in a never-ending cycle of feeling crappy and stressed about how much junk you just ate, eating more, then feeling crappier, then eating more. Welcome to my life. My friend Nicole put it best, "trying to write and I just want to EAT EVERYTHING!!!"
A fortune cookie used to hang from our fridge: "dessert two nights a week is OK." I think it was trying to be optimistic, but every time I saw it I was like "Pssshhht, dessert 7 nights a week is more like it." Especially when you swap out nightly scoops for a cup of this tropical mango chia pudding. Rather than loads of sugar, these pudding cups get their sweetness from ripe mango purée and a drizzle of honey. Hello, new favorite nightly dessert.
You can easily adapt this pudding using whatever fruit you fancy. This version pops of coconut, cinnamon, and a hint of cardamom to balance out the sweet mango purée. Mix in some cocoa powder and layer with strawberry purée if you like. Try swapping out the coconut milk for almond milk. Maybe you prefer roasted peaches and cinnamon? Limitless options.
When soaked in liquid, chia seeds puff up to take on the texture of a pudding-gelatin hybrid. For the same reason I'm obsessed with mochi, this chia seed pudding has a unique texture I can't put down. A smooth jelly with a the occasional ever-so-slight crunch.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2-¼ cups + 2 tablespoons plain coconut milk from the refrigerated section, coconut milk beverage
- ¾ cup chia seeds
- Seeds from 1 vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ tablespoons honey, or maple syrup for vegan adaptation
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened shredded coconut, see note below
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of cardamom
- 1 large mango, peeled and cut off the seed
- 2½ tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut, see note below
- 2 tablespoons shaved coconut, toasted
INSTRUCTIONS
Chia pudding
- Whisk together the coconut milk, chia seeds, vanilla bean seeds (or extract), honey, grated coconut, cinnamon, and cardamom in a medium bowl.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight (or for at least 4 hours). In a pinch, you can freeze it for an hour, whisk it again, then refrigerate for an hour.
Coconut mango purée
- Combine the mango, honey, and grated coconut in a food processor and mix until smooth.
- Refrigerate until cold, at least an hour.
The pudding cups
- Starting with mango purée, layer about 1 tablespoon each of mango purée and chia seed pudding among 6 dessert cups, repeating until all the purée and pudding has been divided. I've used champagne flutes, mason jars, small cups, etc.
- Sprinkle toasted coconut shavings on top of each cup.
- Refrigerate until serving.
Notes
Lilli @ Sugar and Cinnamon -
I love the presentation and photos! So beautiful. You make chia pudding look so decadent and tasty!
Sarah Menanix -
Thank you, Lilli!
Kelly - Life Made Sweeter -
Love this tropical chia pudding Sarah! The layers are so pretty and I love anything with coconut and mango - sounds delicious!
Sarah Menanix -
Thanks, Kelly! I'm totally a mango fanatic too. I don't know why my childhood self hated coconut so much - I can't get enough these days.
Pamela @ Brooklyn Farm Girl -
Not only does this sound delicious and like I'm on a tropical vacation but it's beautiful too!
Sarah Menanix -
Thanks, Pamela! Sometimes I wish I were on a tropical vacation where my only care in the world was dessert. :)
Kelly - A Side of Sweet -
These are too pretty! You're lucky your laptop has held out this long. I hope you're reunited soon!
Sarah Menanix -
The broken laptop was only a few months old! We're back together now though - PHEW!
Thanks, lady!
Kristi @ Inspiration Kitchen -
This is such a festive looking dessert! And, so yummy - I love chia! And I LOL'd at your fortune cookie - "dessert two nights a week is OK". I agree with that, but I like your version better - 7 days a weeks is fine with me!
Sarah Menanix -
Ha - glad someone else knows what I'm talking about - I could definitely eat dessert with every meal of the day.
Chris @ Shared Appetite -
Sarah, this pudding is absolutely stunning! Beautiful photos :)
And so sorry about your laptop! Hopefully it's back even sooner than expected :)
Sarah Menanix -
Thanks, Chris! Sigh - still waiting on the computer...I keep going to open files and then realizing that I'm not on my computer. Keeping my fingers crossed I get the call today!
Maryanne @ the little epicurean -
Sorry you had a terrible Monday. Luckily the weekend is almost here!
This looks gorgeous! (Almost too pretty to eat.) I'm going to have to try out that peach and cinnamon combo. I have a TON of peaches that need to be eaten soon.
Sarah Menanix -
Haha - what time is it okay to start saying TGIF? ;)
Aww- thank you! Still so hot here that I'm not quite ready to say goodbye to summer either, but the cinnamon & peach combo is pushing me from summer into fall.
Lila Smyth -
This looks ridiculously amazing. Yum. Another one I can't wait to try. Hope your computer comes back like a spry youth again :) Love your writing as always!
Sarah Menanix -
Thanks, girl! This chunk of metal just isn't cutting it - I'm ready for my youthful sleek machine again:)
erin {yummy supper} -
Good luck with your computer problems! I just went through the same thing recently... My old laptop died. I bought a new one and spilled water on it within the first two weeks, totalling the new one. Unbelievable!
Well, I know those tasty mango chia puddings could make everything better!
xo
Erin
Sarah Menanix -
Oh no!! That's the worst. With the cost of computers these days, we really should get accidental insurance on them - I'm more scared about totaling my computer than I am my car! Going to go eat an extra pudding in honor of your computers now. ;)
Just got a text that your cookbook will be delivered on my doorstep tomorrow - can't wait!
Tracy | PeanutButter and Onion -
I just the way this looks. Yay for yummy and guilt free!
Sarah Menanix -
Thanks, Tracy! I think guilt free recipes mean you can eat more than 1 serving, right? ;)
Sheri Nix -
Yum! I can even eat this on my new food plan!! :)
Sarah Menanix -
Yup! And trade in for whatever other fruits you can eat to mix things up a bit!
Carla (@charliesue) -
YUM! I'm sure I have many, many ch ch ch CHIA pets in my belly! (Clearly we're scientists...) :)
Sarah Menanix -
Duh. That's just common sense, right?
Liz @ Floating Kitchen -
Ack.....computer issues are the worst. It always makes me feel so helpless. These chai pudding parfaits are the perfect pick me up!
Sarah Menanix -
You hit the nail on the head! I can fix most problems in life, but I'm not about to open up my computer and start poking around. I really can't stand when I have to WAIT on someone else to fix my problems.