Cashewgurt, Chia Pudding with Granola

Mindful eating starts early in the morning with breakfast. A foundational element for me is a homemade vegetarian yogurt, which is far easier to produce than imagined. Well, that’s provided you soak the nuts overnight. To make the dairy-free yogurt, no lengthy fermentation is necessary. Without a doubt, a creamy and easy cashew+yogurt, or “cashewgurt” in short, is readily accessible as well as a superb alternative to its dairy counterpart. It’s something we can whip up in no time in a high-speed blender. I make the cashewgurt as the base for the chia pudding.

Cashewgurt: Blend soaked cashew to make vegan yogurt

Speaking about chia seeds, they are filled with protein, omega 3 fatty acid and calcium, have a very mild flavor and are incredible at binding liquids. Perfect as egg replacement in baking recipes or for breakfast such as this.

For the chia pudding, combine the cashewgurt with half of the chia seeds gel, dates, and cinnamon in the Vitamix. (To make the gel, soak 1/4 cup chia seeds in 1 1/2 cup of water or coconut milk at 1:6 ratio for 20 minutes.) Blend until smooth. Next, stir in the rest of the chia seeds gel. Layering, if you like rather than stirring, to combine the pudding also works. The job is now complete with the chia pudding. Well, it takes more time to write the instructions for the pudding than the actual making of it. It’s that simple—and infinitely healthy-ish.

Homemade granola is what I always have on hand. I like roasting all kinds of raw nuts, seeds (almond, pistachio, walnut, hazelnut, pumpkin seeds, etc) and, sometimes oats, in a separate step. Then combine them at the last minute with oil, maple syrup and dry fruits (the flavor components). That way, I can extend the shelf life and versatility of the mixed nuts for salads or just snacking. I call them my “purist” granola.

In the Half-Baked Harvest’s recipe, you can go one step further and make the grain-free granola. There is really no limit how we can approach health and wellness! Just start with the first meal and stay the course for the rest of the day.

Chia seeds, chia gel, cashew nuts, fruit and granola

Print Recipe

Chia Pudding with Grain Free Granola

Ingredients

• CASHEWGURT:
• 2/3 cup raw cashews soaked in water overnight and drained*
• 5 tbsp water
• 1 dates pitted
• 1 tbsp of lemon, more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• pinch of salt
• CHIA PUDDING:
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 1/2 cups nut milk or water (I use coconut milk)
• 2/3 cup cashewgurt (see recipe above)
• 5 dates pitted
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• fresh fruit for topping
• GRAIN FREE GRANOLA:
• 1 1/2 cups raw almonds
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1 cup pecans chopped
• 1 cup raw brazil nuts chopped (can also use cashews)
• 1 cup shelled sunflower seeds
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of sea salt
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup raw honey or maple syrup
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla
• 1 cup dried apricots
• 1/2 cup chopped dried cherries or cranberries

Instructions

1

BLEND THE CASHEW-YOGURT:

2

Place soaked cashew nuts in a high speed blender (or in a bowl and use an immersion hand blender). Add water, dates, lemon juice, vanilla and sea salt and blend until completely smooth. Scoop into serving bowls or glasses, chill in the fridge for 10 minutes. (You may serve it with granola and fresh fruit and skip the next step in combining it with the chia seeds gel to make the pudding.)

3

MIX THE CHIA PUDDING:

4

In a small bowl, combine the chia seeds and water (or milk); set aside until the mixture forms a gel, about 20 minutes.

5

Combine the cashewsgurt, dates, cinnamon, and half of the chia gel in a high-speed blender. Puree until smooth. Transfer the pureed mixture to a medium bowl and stir in the remaining chia gel.

6

Serve immediately or keep stored in the fridge until ready to eat. Top with granola or the grain-free granola (recipe below) and fresh berries.

7

ROAST THE GRAIN FREE GRANOLA:

8

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

9

In a large bowl, combine the almonds, coconut, pecans, Brazil nuts (or cashews), sunflower seeds, cinnamon, and salt.

10

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, water, and almond extract. Add the wet ingredients to the nut mixture and toss to coat.

11

Spread the granola on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring halfway through. Remove the granola from the oven and stir in the dried apricots and cherries (or cranberries).

12

Set aside to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Notes

https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/chia-pudding-grain-free-granola/