Cherry Chocolate & Chia Smoothie Parfait

Hannah Sunderani
May 29, 2017
3 min read

It is 30 degrees in May! Can you believe it? I'm pretty sure summer doesn't officially begin until mid-June and already I've got the fan pointing directly at me in every room! Needless to say, with this heat, l just want to cool off with smoothies and a spoon! I made this Cherry Chocolate & Chia Smoothie Parfait on the weekend for breakfast, and it was gone in seconds! Firstly, because it was so absolutely delicious that I couldn't help but devour it, and second because our un-air-conditioned apartment is so freaking hot that it was a race against time!

But, I won't complain about the heat if it means I get to chill-out with Cherry Chocolate & Chia Smoothie Parfaits! They are a perfect way to beat the heat and are packed with protein to get your sweat-filled day started! You're looking at three layers of bliss - a chia pudding base, made with homemade almond milk, chia and a bit of oats. Then a thin layer of dark chocolate chips; I love the crunch it gives to the parfait with each beautiful bite. And finally a gorgeous cold smoothie topping of mixed berries (including cherries of course), frozen banana, vanilla protein powder, hemp seeds and a splash of almond milk. These three layers are harmony in a jar! I love scooping a bit of each layer into a bite and marveling at the cosmic taste combo.

You may have read from my Berry Chia Pudding Parfait post that I'm completely in awe of the chia pudding and smoothie combination. I know this isn't a novel idea - many breaky recipes of the dynamic duo have been flooding my Pinterest feed for a while now, but I didn't come to until a couple weeks ago when I happened to have a bit of leftover chia pudding from the day prior. I'd already made a smoothie bowl for breakfast when I realized the chia pudding at the back of the fridge. And there was no way I was going to trash it - I'd used homemade almond milk in it! And willfully tossing away anything with homemade almond milk involved is like committing a crime. So, I decided to add it to my smoothie bowl as a topping. What a revelation! I can't believe it took me so long to combine the two flavours because they are a match made in heaven. The creaminess of the chia pudding, and the fruitiness of the smoothie is like a waltz for your tastebuds. The flavours dance so gracefully with each other that we can't help but sway in delight. And the layer of dark chocolate chips in this recipe is a bonus because not only does chocolate pair perfectly with cherry, it also adds a cold crunch to every gorgeous bite. And really, who doesn't want an excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast? I'll take another spoonful please!

It's safe to say that nothing beats the heat better than a deliciously refreshing smoothie parfait like this trio. One bite of this and my mood is shining brighter than that scorching sun!

Hope your day is just as cherry and bright! ;)

Cherry Chocolate & Chia Smoothie Parfait

Makes: 1 | Prep Time: Overnight + 10 mins| Cook Time: 0 mins

Ingredients:

2 tbsp chia
1 tbsp gluten-free oats
1/2 cup (120ml) 10-minute classic almond milk, plus more if desired
2 tbsp dark chocolate chips
1/2 banana, frozen and chopped
1/3 cup frozen mixed berries (cherry, raspberry, blackberry, and blueberry)
1 scoop (20g) plant-based vanilla protein powder
1 tbsp hemp seeds
splash almond milk, for blending
star sprinkles, optional for topping
more cherries, optional for topping

Directions:

Combine chia, oats and milk in a bowl. Stir, then wait 10 minutes and stir again to stop clumps from forming. Place in fridge to absorb overnight, or at least for one hour.
When ready remove chia from fridge and stir to remove any formed clumps. Add more almond milk if desired for preferred pudding consistency.
Cut cherries in half and remove the pits. Place cherries halves around the inside of a glass jar (alternatively you can use a bowl), then fill with chia pudding. Top pudding with a layer of dark chocolate chips and place to the side.
Add frozen banana, frozen berries, protein powder, and hemp seeds to your blender. Add a splash of almond milk for blending. (The amount of almond milk required will depend on how powerful your blender is. I used about 1/4 cup (60 ml)). Blend ingredients until smooth.
Top chia pudding with frozen smoothie blend. Sprinkle with star sprinkles (optional), and serve with a cherry on top.

Approvals: