Blood Orange Chia Seed Pudding

It's Blood Orange Season.  I scored a bag at Walmart.  I know. Big bad box store.

Honestly, if you think that the only place you should shop is Whole Foods, you need to realize that most of America is still small towns.

Small towns usually only have a Walmart...even smaller towns don't even have one.

Of course I'm thinking of Junction, Texas, where I went to graduate school.  There was one stop light in town, the local grocery store was Super S Foods. The closest Walmart is 50 miles away.

I like to think that anyone who wants to try to eat clean, eat paleo, or dip into the Whole30 has a chance, even when you are in a small town.  So I shop at Walmart to know what the possibilities and challenges are for eating healthy.

Another great option for getting your clean eating products is Thrive Market.  I love Thrive.  They have some of the best prices out there, and they sponsor free memberships to low-income American families. They are committed to sustainability and social justice projects.  The part of me that earned my Master's of Art Education is jumping for joy at the social justice aspect.



I digress.

Blood Orange Chia Seed Pudding - Requires Overnight or 8-10 Hours Refrigeration
Paleo, Vegan, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free

Ingredients:

4 Blood Oranges
1 can of Unsweetened Coconut Milk (or 13.5oz of Almond or other Nut Milk)
1/2 C Chia Seeds
1/4 C Honey or Maple Syrup
1t Vanilla
Spray olive or coconut oil
Dang Gluten Free Toasted Coconut Chips, Caramel Sea Salt

Supplies:

Very Sharp Pairing Knife
Chef's Knife
Cutting Board
Blender
2 - 4 Jars
Measuring Cups and Spoons

This made 28-30 oz of pudding so I filled up two wide mouth 16 oz Mason Jars. You could split it into four servings easily.

Get it done:

If your pairing knife isn't sharp do yourself a favor and sharpen it quickly.

Using your chef's knife cut the oranges into quarters, and then cut each quarter in half.  You should end up with 8 pieces per orange x 4 oranges = 32 pieces. Remove any seeds you spy and discard while slicing.

Here I am slicing regular oranges using the same technique.
Press down and through to the other side away from your hand.

Now for the fun part. If you are like me and have trouble standing, bring the oranges, cutting board, blender, and pairing knife to your table and sit down.

Take a slice of orange and hold down one of the tipped edges with of your finger. Now take your pairing knife and cut in between the pith and the fruit slightly to get it started.

Then pressing down firmly, slide the knife across the orange AWAY from your hand in one smooth motion.

This is why you want a very sharp pairing knife.  It should easily separate the fruit from the peel. Drop the orange in the blender and discard the peel.

Don't obsess about getting everything off the peel, life it too short and you'll go crazy.

Finish off the rest of the oranges dumping all of them in the blender, throw away the peel or compost them if you are into that sort of thing.

Now shake the can of coconut milk.  Open and dump into blender.

Measure out your honey. PRO TIP: Spray your 1/4 measuring cup with your olive spray, or coat with coconut oil, to make the honey come out easier, it will not alter the taste of what you are making.

Add vanilla to the blender, cover and blend.

After fruit has been thoroughly blended and mixed, stop the blender and add the chia seeds. Turn the blender on a few moments to mix the chia seeds in.

Pour into your containers. Cover and chill overnight or at least 8 hours for the seeds to develop fully.

I topped mine with Dang Gluten Free Toasted Coconut Chips, Caramel Sea Salt for a little extra crunch and kick!  They were a super yummy addition.


Done! Now go Treat Yo Self!