August 6th, 2024 – This post was has been updated to include some superpowered, upleveling ingredients. Check the recipe below!
As I type this, I’m squeezing in a bit of me-time, the house is finally falling quiet, and the ladies of RedBull Formation are turning in + passing out after a long day of digging in the desert. We’ve been together for four full-on days now and it’s been glorious.
The schedule is a bit brutal for everyone; early wake-ups, go all day and conk out each night. My mornings have been starting at 4:00 am to squeeze in a bit of breathing + movement practice before diving into a day of placing orders, prepping, cooking, meeting with athletes, hiking around the venue with popsicles, and so much more. In years past, this kind of all-systems-go work — where I literally don’t stop moving/thinking/doing all day would have put me under. And by that I mean exhaustion, constipation, irritation, scattered brain, beat-up-body. But this year, the strategies I’m holding in place are making me feel like a superhero. I’m still tired – don’t get me wrong, but blissfully so. That little breathing and movement practice is one of them. And this Essential Chia Pudding is another.
It’s a simple recipe (or really, more of a formula) that I’ve been thriving on for the past two months or so – since spring started to arrive in Colorado. As winter finally falls away, and spring starts to descend, I do my best to help my body shed the heavy blanket of winter by migrating away from heavy dense foods that feel like they weigh me down; oatmeal, big pancake breakfasts, so-many-slices of toast. Ya know, the dense, heavy stuff. Like increases like, but opposites balance….so lighter breakfasts that nourish, hydrate, cleanse + fortify are my jam. And this chia pudding is IT.
I first got the inspiration from my friend Lauren Gernardy, she’s the teaching assistant from my Ayurvedic program at Kripalu. Lauren + I have never met in person, but over the course of the past 18 months, we’ve spent a LOT of time over Zoom in Ayurveda School. Lauren shared her recipe for “Squirrel Food” a couple of months back + after a few personal tweaks, I’ve grown completely addicted to the flavorful, satisfying, delicious pudding that travels well, keeps my digestive system ecstatic as I travel, and keeps me feeling on top of my game, no matter where I am. And more importantly, helps me GO wherever I go. I’ve woven it into our breakfast menu here at RedBull Formation + the girls are quickly becoming converts. I have a feeling you’re going to love leaning on it too.
Chia is one of those wacky foods that has popped up in the superfood realm and has been touted for their beneficial omega-3’s but they do so much more than that.
Chia seeds come from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, a member of the mint family. Salvia hispanica seed often is sold under its common name “chia” as well as several trademarked names. Its origin is believed to be in Central America where the seed was a staple in the ancient Aztec diet. The seeds of a related plant, Salvia columbariae (golden chia), were used primarily by Native Americans in the southwestern United States.
Over the past 10 years or so, chia has garnered attention as an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids. They also are an excellent source of dietary fiber at 10 grams per ounce (about 2 tablespoons), and contain protein and minerals including iron, calcium, magnesium and zinc – all critical minerals that many (ALL) of us could use much more of. (Read: the dietary fiber present in chia helps to soothe the digestive tract all while helping to eliminate toxins, which is really helpful in this season of transition.) And so, I’ve been loving this chia porridge because it’s highly seasonally appropriate, and is certainly helping my body to harness that seasonal power but it’s also helping me to stay balanced and, um, regular as I travel.
Why does this make sense? I’m so glad you asked.
The digestive system is like a fire – a literal fire that breaks down our food into nourishment. And, just like a fire, when you blow too much air on the flames, they roar, rage + create an overabundance of heat that can lead to burning down the tranquil forest. Our digestive systems are the fire, and our lives are the wind. We spend all day talking, thinking, moving, acting, exercising, absorbing, looking, hearing…all of these actions are governed by vata (the energies of wind and ether.) The more we DO, the more wind we’re blowing on our digestive systems, and this is particularly potent if we have a high digestive fire or a lot of fire in our personalities as it is.
When we travel, or keep quite busy, the wind almost never stops. And truly – flying in a plane at 400 miles an hour is SO MUCH WIND, and it takes a toll on the digestive system. This is why digestive issues rear their ugly heads when we hop on a plane, or leave our routines at home. The routines are more than nice – they’re necessary for keeping the body and being grounded and when new lose those routines, the body can start to go up in flames. But chia helps to cool it all down. As a member of the mint family – a plant that is sweet, but also cooling and soothing – chia calms the wind, helps the digestive system to get a grip, stay regular and keep doing its job through our storms of life. It’s pretty incredible just how powerful these little seeds can be. Capable of absorbing over 3x their weight in water, they help the digestive system to catch and eliminate wastes…literally keeping us regular as we trot around the globe.
In a nutshell, in addition to giving us a healthy dump of all sorts of great nutrients that help our bodies to keep their balance, this chia pudding also helps our digestion to keep its balance because it acts like a soothing balm for a digestive system that’s been put through the wringer. It’s literally the snack you want to take with you anywhere you want to GO (and not have to worry about feeling crummy, constipated, sluggish or stagnant.)
Aside from the wellness benefits of this sweet little breakfast, I love it so much because it’s so so easy + fast to make anywhere I go. I carry a little jar of the chia mix with me when I travel (or put it into little Stasher bags in individual servings,) then just add hot water wherever I am. I add hot water because it helps to bloom the spices, which unlocks their energetic benefits + makes them bioavailable. (Cold chia pudding won’t do the same thing!) Then, I top it with whatever I have around – usually I make sure to have the Strawberry + Chia Jam I shared in last weeks newsletter (remember? It was stuffed into the jam bars?) as well as some of the Fennel-Raspberry Granola you have the recipe for, AND some whole-fat greek yogurt, fresh ginger and a pinch of flaky salt.
If this sounds like a pain in the butt, let me say…it’s not. But it won’t happen without some intention. Just like feeling regular, balanced and healthy when traveling like a crazy person won’t happen without some intention! ; ) A little packet of chia pudding came with me to Las Vegas where I woke up, went to the Starbucks to get two cups – one with hot water, and one empty. I dumped my chia pudding mix in, added the hot water, stirred. Then walked over to the restaurant and ordered a bowl of granola, yogurt + fruit. I added the chia pudding to the top and enjoyed. My body responded in all the right ways, allowing me to get on my flight home feeling like a smooth operating rock star.
I’ve been making the same breakfast in the van, in the airport, at home. Even the ladies here at Formation are reporting feeling more grounded, more regular, more at ease…and I think we have chia porridge to thank for all of that!
To make it, I simply take a quart jar and shake together the ingredients (listed below,) then portion out smaller little quantities into a baggie. When I can, I bring a spoon + a mug to mix it up with. When it’s time to eat, I simply add water, any toppings I can find + enjoy.
The recipe below is more of a formula than a strict recipe and it outlines the ratios of ingredients and how to mix up a big batch, as well as a small single bowl AND how to make some little fun swaps to keep things interesting.
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