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This vanilla chia pudding is light and quick for a breakfast on the go. Can be made dairy free and does not use yogurt, this basic recipe is very easy to customize to your diet. I love the proportions here for a chia pudding that’s got good texture. 

Migraine Diet Breakfast Recipes

I’ve been getting a lot of questions recently about Heal Your Headache safe breakfasts that are high in protein. The natural default is to recommend eggs or oatmeal, but some find eggs to be a trigger and others are hungry an hour later after oatmeal (or is that just me?). Enter this simple recipe for vanilla chia pudding!

Chia pudding is wonderful for migraine sufferers because it’s a good source of protein, fiber, calcium, and most importantly, magnesium. In fact, 4 tablespoons of chia contains half of the recommended daily allowance of magnesium. This doesn’t mean that you can take fewer magnesium supplements, but it’s a nice way to supplement your magnesium intake since it is one of the most important preventatives we can take.

It’s also low carb, gluten free, vegetarian, and paleo (if using hemp milk). What more could you want?

Chia seed pudding topped with berries and pumpkin seeds
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How to Add Protein

Did you also know that in this recipe for vanilla chia pudding, you’re looking at roughly 17-20 grams of protein? 1/4 cup of chia runs around 7-8 grams, homemade hemp milk or cows milk is about 8 grams, and a tablespoon of sunbutter will get you between 3-4 grams. Add some extra seeds and you’re really getting the same amount you would from 3 eggs.

Chia Seed Pudding Ratio

The only thing that I find to be a drawback? The texture. Most recipes out there contain, what I believe, is too much milk and it makes everything sort of slimy.

I find the 1/4 cup of chia to 1 cup of milk works best. Mix in sunbutter for extra creaminess and this buckwheat granola for a little crunch. I promise, you won’t miss yogurt once you try this. You could make a few of these on a Sunday for a little meal prep action.

Toppings for Chia Pudding

Other chia pudding topping options to mix it up include:

  • Add buckwheat granola
  • Or grain-free seed granola
  • For a fall flavor – 1 tbsp of pumpkin, plus 1/4 tsp of ginger and cinnamon
  • Blueberries, mango, and/or pomegranate seeds
  • If feeling super decadent, try with strawberries and 1 tbsp of mascarpone cheese, omit the sunbutter.
  • Try it blended!
An overhead shot of chia pudding with blackberries and strawberries on top
Simple Vanilla Chia Seed Pudding with Berries and Seeds #hyh #migrainediet #chiapudding #easybreakfast
Chia seed pudding in a mason jar topped with seeds and strawberries next to a silver spoon
5 from 3 votes
Servings: 2 people

Vanilla Chia Pudding

This recipe is just a good base to start and then you can add whatever toppings you would like! Feel free to use any kind of milk that fits your diet as well. 
Prep: 4 minutes
Cook: 0 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total: 1 hour 34 minutes
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Ingredients 

  • 1/4 cup chia seeds
  • 1 cup milk of choice
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tsp honey
  • 2 tsp sunbutter (sunflower seed butter)
  • Optional: strawberries and blackberries
  • Optional: pumpkin and sunflower seeds

Instructions 

  • In a mason jar that's at least 12oz, combine the milk with vanilla and honey. Shake, shake, shake your booty (and the container) till fully combined. Add the 1/4 cup of chia seeds and shake a little more. Place in the fridge for 30 minutes, then stir the seeds to make sure they're fully mixed with the milk. Continue to chill for another hour or overnight. 
  • Stir in the sunbutter, berries, and seeds. Enjoy! 

Notes

  • I used homemade hemp milk for extra protein (recipe linked above)
  • I used 1 teaspoon of honey, but I think certain types of milk already add sweetness. My favorite is using hemp milk, but any kind will do. 

Nutrition

Calories: 240kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 9g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 12mg, Sodium: 56mg, Potassium: 258mg, Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 213IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 282mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Alicia

Alicia is a vestibular migraine advocate and the bestselling author of The Dizzy Cook: Managing Migraine with More Than 90 Comforting Recipes and Lifestyle Tips. Her articles and recipes have been featured by Healthline, Parade, mindbodygreen, Today, Good Morning Texas, the Vestibular Disorders Association, and the American Migraine Foundation. Read More

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5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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17 Comments

  1. Jonni says:

    Have you tried this with pure maple syrup instead of honey? If so, how much?

  2. Lisa says:

    Hi, I love your recipes and have your cookbooks. I’m wondering about sunflower seeds. I bought Sunbutter and then read to eliminate all seeds for vestibular migraines. What are your thoughts? Thank you!

    1. Alicia says:

      Sunflower seeds are fine on the plan I make recipes for. You can find it here.