Cashew Chia Cacao Nib Pudding

This cashew chia cacao nib pudding is paleo, gluten-free, and easily made vegan. It's also a snap to make and surprisingly satisfying!

Happy fourth of July weekend! I made you a healthy dessert packed with superfoods: chia seeds, cacao nibs, honey, and cashews. Well, I am not totally sure that honey and cashews are superfoods, but they're not bad, right? I think this pudding would be a welcome change on a weekend when desserts are often pumped full of artificial colors and flavors. (Although, if you do need something naturally red, white, and blue, may I suggest my pico de gallo de frutas? Just use blueberries instead of kiwis.)

Since this pudding is a make-ahead dessert, it's perfect for having guests over. While you're out grilling lamb burgers and mixing drinks (agua fresca, perhaps?) these perfectly-sized treats will just be gelling in the fridge.

This was my first time using chia seeds and cacao nibs, and I loved them both. I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the cacao nibs since they're unsweetened chocolate, but while I wouldn't necessarily eat a handful plain, they were perfect in this pudding. Some of the cacao nibs are blended with the cashew and chia base to deepen the chocolate flavors of the entire pudding, and some are sprinkled whole on top. This gives each bite of cashew chia pudding this craveworthy chocolatey crunch. It's so good!

I ordered the cacao nibs and chia seeds from Thrive Market, which is my new favorite place to shop. It's a membership site, kind of like a virtual Costco, but it's worth it because they have so many paleo-friendly ingredients and snacks at significantly reduced prices. (The links to Thrive in this paragraph are my referral links, which means I'll get some free merchandise from them if you sign up using my link. They also give away a free membership to a family in need for every paid member that signs up!) Thrive often sends out great discount codes to use on their already discounted products--I got my whole first haul at 30% off (see it on Insta here). I highly recommend checking out Thrive if you haven't already!

What are you making for the 4th? I still haven't totally finalized my menu, so I'd love to hear your ideas in the comments!

Cashew Chia Cacao Nib Pudding
Yield: 4 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus 4 hours soaking and chilling time
Cook time: None

Ingredients: 

1 cup raw cashews
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons honey (replace with more maple syrup for a vegan version)
2 tablespoons cocoa
3 tablespoons cacao nibs, plus more for serving
3 tablespoons chia seeds
Pinch of sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Soak the cashews in cool water for at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Drain and rinse the nuts and place them in a blender. Add the remaining ingredients and 1 cup of water. Blend until smooth, up to 3 minutes depending on the strength of your blender.

Transfer the pudding to a serving dish or individual ramekins, cover, and refrigerate for about 2 hours, or until set. Top with additional cacao nibs, fruit, coconut, or other nuts as desired and serve. Best enjoyed within 24 hours.