APRICOT MANGO CHIA PEARL PUDDING

Serving size: 2

I like my chia pudding thick and creamy which is why I make mine with blended cashews and dates. I also like to add some pearl powder in my mixture which is totally tasteless and undetected but adds some major beauty benefits. I know it sounds odd and even inedible but pearl powder (made from finely ground fresh water pearls) promotes lustrous, clear, moist, and supple skin and even helps stimulate our body's natural collagen production.

Of course, chia seeds alone help your skin glow with their high content of omega-3 fatty acids, but the added pearl powder in this pudding makes this a recipe for a seriously luminous complexion. If the pearl powder sounds too bizarre to you, feel free to leave out and you'll still get plenty of incredible benefits from the chia pudding as is.

CHIA PEARL PUDDING INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 cup cashews (soaked)

• 4 dates, pitted

• 1 1/2 cups water

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 teaspoon pearl powder (optional)

• 1/8 teaspoon Himalayan pink salt

• 5 tablespoons chia seeds

• 1 cup apricot mango purée* (recipe below)

• diced mango for topping

The pearl powder I use is by Jing Herbs, available at Erewhon Market. Moon Juice also makes a pearl powder available online or at Erewhon Market as well. While pearl powder is great for improving things like skin tone, it's also useful for strengthening hair and nails.

APRICOT MANGO PURÉE INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups cubed fresh mango

• 2 dried apricots

Using dried apricots instead of fresh apricots adds a slightly tart taste to this mixture that I love. Dried apricots are also rich in fiber, thereby helping digestion function and have the highest vitamin A content out of all dried fruits. Interestingly, dried apricots also have more than twice as much iron in them as fresh apricots which makes them an incredible option if you are plant-based and need to be more mindful about getting enough.

APRICOT MANGO PURÉE DIRECTIONS

Add the mango and dried apricots to a food processor or high-powered blender and purée until smooth. Transfer to container and refrigerate until ready to use.

CHIA PEARL PUDDING DIRECTIONS

After the cashews have soaked in warm water for an hour, drain and discard the water. Add the cashews to a blender, followed by the dates, pearl powder, vanilla, salt and blend until completely smooth.

Transfer the blended cashew mixture to a glass container, bowl, or jar and stir in the chia seeds until well incorporated.

As I said, I like a thick chia pudding but if you like a thinner chia pudding you can use 3 tablespoons instead of the 5 tablespoons that I use or try somewhere in between by using 4 tablespoons.

Let the chia mixture sit for roughly 10 minutes then stir the mixture again.

Place the chia pudding in the fridge and allow to sit anywhere from a few hours to overnight.

Once ready to serve, top with the apricot mango purée, diced fresh mango, or any other fruits & toppings of choice.

I find chia pudding to be very light, yet extremely filling and satisfying. It's always great to make in advance and keep on hand in the fridge and is one of the easiest things to throw together as a breakfast, snack, or even dessert option with endless variations.