This meal prep-friendly, high protein chia seed pudding packs 20 grams of protein (without protein powder) and 10 grams of fiber per serving. It whips up in minutes, tastes like a decadent chocolate dessert (with a non-chocolate option as well), and is a great recipe to have up your sleeve for back-to-school season when you need easy breakfast and snack ideas!
Puree. Add the cottage cheese and milk to a blender (a high-speed blender works best if you want it completely smooth) and puree until creamy.
Mix and chill. Add the cottage cheese mixture, chia seeds, cocoa powder, granulated sweetener, maple syrup, dissolved espresso powder, and salt to a large bowl and whisk well to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours or overnight so it can fully thicken. (TIP: There’s no need to stir it; just pop it into the fridge and let it do its thing.)
Finishing touches. Divide the pudding between 3 individual glasses (or meal prep bowls) and top each with 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 1 teaspoon cacao nibs or chopped chocolate.
Notes
Storage: Store covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Vegan Version: Instead of cottage cheese, use 1 cup of your favorite plain, unsweetened plant-based Greek yogurt. In place of the milk, go with 3/4 cup of your favorite plant-based milk (almond milk or soy milk work well here).
Non-Chocolate Version: If chocolate isn't your thing (or if you just want to switch things up), you can omit the cocoa powder. Add 1 more teaspoon of chia seeds, and decrease the granulated sweetener to 2 1/2 tablespoons. Without cocoa powder, this has more of a cheesecake-like flavor profile.
For Smooth Pudding (Similar to Mousse): Add all ingredients (except the peanut butter and cacao nibs or chopped chocolate) to the blender. Let the chia pudding set as normal, divide into portions, and then add the toppings on each serving.