Mango & Kiwi Chia Seed Pudding Parfait

by Maria Luci, editor at Maria's Farm Country Kitchen and Rodale's

Chia seeds, shiny glass jars, and tropical fruits in the summer and spring... These are a few of our favorite things!

Chia seeds are teeny-tiny nutritional powerhouses. They pack a big punch in even a small handful. In fact, just two tablespoons of these little black seeds contains 2.3 grams (g) of protein, 5 g of fiber, and 3 g of omega-3 fatty acids--not to mention the vitamins and minerals they include, such as vitamin B1, copper, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium.

Many love to punch up their morning yogurt or oatmeal with a couple of spoonfuls of chia seeds--and that's a perfectly acceptable way to add some extra nutrients to your breakfast. But our personal favorite way to reap the health benefits of chia seeds is in spoonfuls of chia seed pudding parfait.

When you enjoy this chia seed-rich treat, you get all the health benefits of the seeds along with an added boost of nutrients from antioxidant-rich fruits, coconut milk, almond milk, and Greek yogurt. Plus, it tastes amazing!

One taste, and you'll want to make and enjoy these all summer long.

Mango & Kiwi Chia Seed Pudding Parfait

Serves 4

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 4 Tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• ¼ cup chia seeds
• 2 cups mango
• 2 kiwis
• ½ banana
• 8 ounces coconut milk
• Slivered almonds (for garnish, optional)
• Fresh coconut (for garnish, optional)

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the almond milk, Greek yogurt, honey, vanilla, and pinch of salt. Mix until well combined. Add in the chia seeds and whisk until well blended. Let sit for 30 minutes, whisking when necessary to evenly distribute the chia seeds.
2. Spoon mixture into glass jars, leaving a 1/3 of each jar unfilled. Refrigerate overnight.
3. Once the chia seed pudding is ready, place the mango, kiwis, banana, and coconut milk in a blender and blend together. Pour a scoop of the fruit mixture on top of the chia seed pudding in each glass jar, and top with pieces of fresh fruit, slivered almonds, and/or coconut.
4. Enjoy!

Maria Luci is the manager and editor at Maria's Farm Country Kitchen and content creator and editor at Rodale's. She grew up in Virginia, but now lives just outside Philadelphia with her husband, a black cat, and a giant Aloe plant named Big Al. When not writing and editing, she's usually cooking up organic recipes or running--or eating when she should be running.

For more from Maria Rodale, visit www.mariasfarmcountrykitchen.com