BANANA BREAD BLACK TEA CHIA PUDDING

Served as a decadent dessert, or even as breakfast, this recipe will change the way you see chia puddings forever. Topped with date caramel and caramelized bananas, it’s creamy, lightly sweetened, and banana bread-y all the way.

Recipe created by registered nutritionist and recipe developer Olesia Guts.

Watch the video recipe on Instagram. 

Ingredients:

• 2 Four O'Clock Banana Bread Black Tea bags 

• 1 1/2 cups boiling water (for tea) plus 2 cups boiling water (for soaking dates)

• 4 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 cup coconut milk or 2% skyr yogurt

• 2 tablespoons coconut milk or skyr yogurt (for caramel)

• 1 medium banana, yellow but not overly ripe

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 2 pinches sea salt

• 15 pitted dates (about 125 g)

Servings: 4

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Directions:

1. Steep 2 Four O'Clock Banana Bread Black Tea bags in 1 1/2 cups of boiling water for 5-7 minutes. At the same time, soak the dates in a separate bowl of boiling water for 10 minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, combine 4 tablespoons of chia seeds, 1 cup of coconut milk or yogurt, and a pinch of sea salt. Once the tea is ready, stir in 1 cup of the brewed tea. Set aside to hydrate while you prep the rest.

3. Prepare the caramel: In a high-speed blender, combine the soaked pitted dates, 2 tablespoons of coconut milk or yogurt, the remaining 1/2 cup of brewed tea, and a pinch of sea salt. Blend until completely smooth.

4. Caramelize bananas: Slice the banana into 1/2-inch rounds. Heat 1 tablespoon of maple syrup in a non-stick pan over medium heat, add the banana slices, and cook about 1 minute per side until caramelized. Don't overcook, or they'll get mushy.

5. Assemble & serve: Divide the chia mixture among 4 cups. Top each with date caramel and caramelized bananas. Enjoy!

Notes

For the high-protein version, use 2% skyr yogurt in place of coconut milk throughout. The date caramel can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.