This post is sponsored by Lärabar and Feedfeed. All opinions are 100% my own.
Lemon chia pudding topped with Blueberry Muffin Lärabars and fresh blueberries is a filling, healthy, make-ahead vegan breakfast bowl!
It's January, y'all, a perfect time for a little reset, and this lemon chia pudding breakfast bowl recipe is part of that for me. I'm not big on New Year's resolutions, but I do like to think of the new year as a fresh start.
New year, new you!
One of the things that needs a fresh start is my morning routine, and being better about breakfast is one of the keys to my morning makeover.
If you've been following this site for any amount of time, you know that I am terrible at breakfast. By the time I get hungry in the morning, I'm too deep into work to stop and make something. I end up just grabbing a piece of fruit or powering through, hungry, until lunch.
Not ideal!
Make-ahead vegan breakfasts, like these chia breakfast bowls, are the perfect solution to revamp that morning routine.
Recipe notes
The base for this recipe is a simple lemon chia pudding. If you're new to chia pudding, get ready to experience plant-based magic.
Chia seeds are super absorbent, so what goes into the fridge a liquidy mixture comes out as a nice, creamy pudding. Chia pudding has a texture that reminds me a bit of tapioca, though plumped chia seeds are smaller than tapioca seeds.
To make the chia pudding, you just combine plant-based milk, lemon juice and zest, and a touch of maple syrup, and stir well.
The last thing you add to the bowl is the chia seeds. Do not add the chia seeds earlier, because they will clump like mad! Add them after you shake/stir everything else together, and then mix again. They'll start to thicken up the mixture slightly, even as you mix.
I like to use a quart-size mason jar, so I can store the pudding in the same container that I mix it up in.
Stick the container into the fridge, and give the mixture an occasional stir or shake a few times over the first hour, if you can remember to.
You may be worried about the lemon juice curdling the chia pudding. I know I was! But don't panic. The thickening action from the chia seeds will prevent that from being an issue.
Chia pudding does need to set up for at least six hours. I like to make this after dinner on a Sunday evening, so it's ready to eat Monday morning. Let that thickening happen overnight, and it won't feel like it took so long.
In the morning, just dish up the pudding, then top your chia breakfast bowls with fresh blueberries and chopped Blueberry Muffin Lärabars.
Boom! Breakfast.
About the Lärabars
Y'all, I. love. Lärabars! They're the original vegan energy bars, as far as I'm concerned. When Feedfeed and Lärabar emailed about teaming up on a recipe, I was so excited!
I love that Lärabars use whole food ingredients and taste like cookies. They're made from nuts, fruit, and natural flavorings, like vanilla extract. That's it!
The Blueberry Muffin Lärabars that you use to top this chia bowl contain:
- cashews
- dates
- bananas
- apples
- blueberries
- vanilla extract
Nothing fancy, but so delicious. And they're the perfect sweet topping for this lemony chia breakfast bowl!
I got my Lärabars at the Kroger near my house. Normally, I'd say it's dangerous having something so addictive walking distance away, but unlike most of the treats I eat, Lärabars are actually healthy!
How to store and serve
Before the pudding sets up, you want to store it in an airtight container separately from the toppings. After that first overnight, when it's nice and thick, you can stir in the blueberries and chopped Lärabars.
This recipe makes enough for three breakfasts. I like to transfer it from the big container to individual jars at this point, so my breakfasts are grab-and-go.
After thickening, your chia pudding bowls will keep in the refrigerator for four to five days.
To serve, stir the lemon chia pudding, then divide it between four bowls or just dish up a fourth of it. Then, top it off with a half cup of blueberries and half of a Blueberry Muffin Lärabar chopped into pea-sized pieces.
These breakfast bowls look pretty with the berries and bar pieces on top, but definitely stir the toppings in when you eat them. The sweet berries and Lärabar bits are such a lovely contrast to the tart lemon pudding!
Lemon chia pudding breakfast bowls recipe
Ingredients
For the lemon chia pudding
- 1 ¾ cups soy or oat milk - (or your favorite vegan milk)
- 1 ½ tablespoons lemon zest - plus extra, for garnish
- ¼ cup lemon juice
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ½ cup whole chia seeds
Toppings
- 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries
- 2 Blueberry Muffin Lärabars - chopped into pea-sizes pieces
Instructions
- In a large, airtight container combine the vegan milk with the lemon zest and juice and the maple syrup. Stir to combine, then add the chia seeds and stir again, until you have an even mixture.
- Cover your container, and transfer it to the refrigerator for 6 hours, up to overnight. If you can remember to stir a few times during that first hour, you won't regret it!
- To serve, dish up ⅓ of the chia pudding into a bowl, then top each bowl with ½ cup of the blueberries and ⅓ of the chopped Lärabars. Sprinkle on a bit of leftover lemon zest, if you have any.
Have a question? Tried this recipe? Share your thoughts!