Servings: 1 Prep: 2 mins Cook: 2 mins Total: 20 mins
I love chia seeds. That’s it! I have little else left to say. They’re awesome! I resisted trying them … for YEARS! … Sometimes being a stubborn human works against me. I admit it. (don’t tell anyone, though!)
This stuff continues to prove its value to me. I recently ground some up and used it as a flour substitute. IT WAS AWESOME!
So … here we have a Chai seed based Warm Morning “Oatmeal” approximation. It’s full-on yum, too!
This stuff is SOOO much like an oatmeal, you won’t believe your taste buds! Normally, a chia pudding is along the lines of … well … a “pudding”. There’s just an oat-iness that seems to be missing. There are also some textural issues. My remedy to this is to add some nut meal to the chia, as it absorbs the moisture. This helps the texture. Then, I ALSO tend to add some toasted nuts to it, to further bring the texture along. Then, to give it that morning oatmeal flavor … I add some cinnamon and nutmeg. The warmth from the milk just ties it all together into a super simple and comforting breakfast delight!
Some notes: Using white chia seeds tends to give it more of an oatmeal appearance; as does a bit of actual dairy. So, a skosh of cream is a nice touch! I also use some sugar-free pancake syrup to drive that morning vibe just a bit further. For those that want to go a bit more natural, here’s a xylitol pancake syrup option. Finally, I’m a big fan of the defrost mode on my microwave. It’s more of a mellow nuke. If my fauxtmeal cools down too much, I just stick it into the defrost mode of my nuker and tell it that it’s a 1/4 lb piece of meat. Sounds silly, but … it’s perfect! Finally, if you’re someone that must have raisins with your fauxtmeal … chop a few up and throw ’em in there. Just … not too many!
Chia Fauxtmeal
Print RateIngredients
- 1/2 cup almond milk unsweetened
- 2 tbsp cream heavy whipping
- 2 tbsp sugar free maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup hazelnut flour (substitute almond meal)
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp slivered almonds toasted
- 1 tbsp chopped pecans toasted
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon ground
- dash nutmeg
- dash salt
Instructions
- Combine, then heat almond milk, cream, pancake syrup and vanilla (you can do this on the stove... I do it in the microwave, by pressing the "Beverage" button). You want it hot, but not necessarily scalding.
- While the liquid heats, combine the chia, nut meal, nuts, spices and salt. Mix them up a bit.
- When the liquid is hot, pour it over the top of the chia seeds and stir. It's good to stir the chia about every minute or two, for the first 4 or 5 minutes. Then, just let it sit there and gel. Maybe stir it once more. After about 20 total minutes of the chia absorbing the liquid, it will be perfect. Feel free to garnish with some more nuts and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Eat!
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OMG This is so good….so much like oatmeal!! Love 🙂
Made this for breakfast this morning. Seriously Good! And how wonderful to have hot "cereal" again. My only comment would be to roughly chop the nuts after toasting them – otherwise the pieces are kind of big. Would be really yummy with some berries tossed in, too…
Yum!! I used sugar free Torani syrup, Belgian Cookie flavor instead of the pancake syrup and it’s soooo good!
Made this for breakfast!It was wonderful and very filling. I processed my cauliflower smaller than rice so it was a lot like cream of wheat. Loved it!
Some fun ideas are appearing here! Thank you all for sharing! 🙂
Ok, this isn’t "like" oatmeal, this puts oatmeal to shame! Yum!
I toasted a handful of pecans, and also some unsweet coconut. I swear I could eat this all day, but it’s so filling I didn’t have to. Matter of fact, I made a double recipe (two servings), which was enough to feed hubby, fifteen year old son, and myself. (And we’re not shy eaters.)
Thank you SO much for this recipe… it’s definitely going to be one we make often!
Nicki, isn’t it amazing?! It’s almost embarrassing how much of this I made when I first discovered it. Friends and family would come over … and they’d get a bowl of this. I didn’t matter what time of the day it was. HERE! HAVE A BOWL! Lately, I’ve been on a bit of a pancake kick, but … the Chia Puddings are outrageously yum. I’m glad you liked it! 🙂
I’m addicted to this recipe. This has to be the best oatmeal replacement I’ve ever had, so happy you’ve shared it.
Fantastic, Gussie! Thanks for the kind words! 🙂
I have shared this recipe and didn’t remember where I got it!! sorry.
I love this and eat it often. I love all your recipes. THX
Thanks for the kind words, Pam! I’m glad you enjoy it!
OUT-Freakin-standing!!!
I have missed oatmeal so much. I love oatmeal. Thank you for this.
My pleasure, Jeff. I’m glad you like it!
I’m really, really enjoying this recipe! Now I can’t wait for berry season to add fresh berries to it!
You and me, both, Christina!
My new favorite breakfast! I always took extra insulin for Oatmeal because I loved it so. I am really trying to be better but when i went to the store to buy chia seeds the first time i saw this they just didn’t look appetizing 🙁 and i passed them by. i made eggs and such in the morning. The craving for oatmeal pushed me to get some of these wonderful little seeds 🙂 I am wondering if they may "puff up" some of the pancake recipes. Anyway I may try that but thanks for this it is awesome!
Kari, try looking into using ground chia in recipes. I DO make pancakes with them, in combination with coconut flour, almond flour and protein powder. 1 tbsp of each ingredient, with 1/2 tsp baking powder, a bit of sweetener and … usually some blueberries. Ah, and 1 to 2 tsp melted butter. No eggs. They’re awesome! 😀
I add a little cardamom, love it!
A few diced pieces of apple with a touch of cardamom, Unknown … paradise in a bowl! 😉
Wow, I’m amazed at how good this is!!! Thank you so much for this recipe 🙂
Suzanne, try my orange chia recipe to see a different take on a breakfast chia pudding. I was also amazed by these weird little seeds. I LOVE THEM!!! 🙂
Can the almond and pecans be skipped?… I’m not allergic just don’t like nuts in anything.
Bonnie … definitely! Nuts are not required. That said, I would keep the hazelnut or almond meal in there, just because it helps the texture. You won’t taste it.
Would this still work without the heavy cream? I am allergic to dairy.
Hi Unknown, yep! You just need to replace it with any kind of liquid. Coconut milk, almond milk, water, fruit juice, etc. Any of those will work. The coconut milk would be a nice replacement!
Could I use almond or coconut flour instead? Just is what I have on hand, thanks
Hi Linda, you can substitute the hazelnut flour for the almond flour. I wouldn’t use coconut flour, though. If you’re wanting to substitute the CHIA seeds with almond or coconut flour, then … that won’t work. The bulk of this recipe is made from swelled chia seeds. It won’t work without them. I hope this helps! 🙂
this was fantastic! i’ve seen your recipe so many times, but thought it might be a bit too much work… what was i thinking?! definitely on my list of go-to recipes! thank you.
btw, i ran out of almond milk (i usually make my own) and used hemp milk instead. a little higher in carbs (3.5g) but ok with me. i think it’s the hazelnut flour which gives it that "oatmeally" flavour… love hazelnuts! so, thanks again!
Hi Sheila, yep! The hazelnuts and the spices were intended to give it some earthiness and aroma … reminiscent of oatmeal. In the end, it’s not a dead-ringer, but it’s close enough for me! 😉
Love this simple recipe. I have this almost every evening as final snack. I use different combinations of berries and nuts.
This version would make you gain weight. Omit the cream. To make it healthy use almond milk and add quinoa for protein. Also use pure maple syrup v. Sugarfree. Sugarfree foods just make you crave more sugar.
Wow! My dad asked what in the world I was going to do with those little seeds (Chia Seeds). I had no idea, but I was in a buying mood when I saw them. Well…now I know and you can bet he is getting a bowl of this!
This looks great! one question-could i sub water for the almond milk? Thanks!
Jan, yep! I love to mix them up, as well! <br /><br />
Unknown, you make some interesting points. Almond milk would remove the dairy. I don?t have a big problem with dairy, but I can see why someone might want to remove it. Regarding cravings, sugar (including maple syrup) will make you want to crave more than most alternatives. As the body stashes the sugar in the fat deposits, blood sugar will drop, resulting in cravings. This doesn?t happen with sugar-free products. That said ? there are some sweeteners that do result in insulin release in some people. Sucralose, erythritol, xylitol, stevia, inulin, etc. are not amongst them. I?m a big fan of quinoa, but it?s higher in carbs than I typically suggest and would rather just gnaw on some meat, for protein. Thanks for the input, though!<br /><br />
Jana, I think he?ll really enjoy it!<br /><br />
Nicole, yep! Water will work, but ? will also have a bit less flavor. Really any liquid would work.<br /><br />
This is the best!!! Today I used walnuts and put some banana extract in it. Yummy! I used to get that instant oatmeal that was Banana Bread flavored and this morning’s chia fauxtmeal was a welcome back to the flavor!
does this recipe need cream—i try to count calories as well and would rather use more almond milk
Hi Jana, I?m also a big fan of using extracts. It really helps bring something new to the dish, without the needless carbs! I?m glad you enjoyed this! <br /><br />
Amy, any liquid will work, really. There will be subtle differences in flavor and texture, but really any water based liquid will function. Almond milk will work just fine!
I made this today for the first time. My husband and I loved it.
Fantastic, Tricia! Glad to hear it! 🙂
This just looks awesome, and is exactly the kind of thing I crave, once in a blue moon! I would totally go with the cream – Oh Yes! I love this way of eating, and being able to cover my strawberries in cream is one of the best parts! I’ve lost about 80lbs eating this way, and all my cholesterol levels are perfect – as are all my health readings. If you are getting neurotic about full dairy cream, please read up on low carb eating – it’s neuroses free!!
Catherine, that’s WONDERFUL! Congrats! Yep, there’s a bit of wonkiness and anxieties and strange blood fluctuations and what not early on, but once you really get into the groove with all of this, everything stabilizes, weight normalizes, life tends to just get better, etc. At least … that’s been my experience … and the experience of most everyone I’ve spoken to that has really committed to this and found a wonderful new way to eat. Thank you for your comment!
Can you use Hemp seeds instead of regular nuts and omit the hazelnut flout too?
So yummy and easy to make, Thanks for sharing this recipe.
I was all out of almond meal flour (don’t have hazelnut flour in the house as I am allergic). So I used flax seed meal instead. I also put in 1 packet of Truvia, 1/4 tsp of maple extract and 2 Tbsp of chopped, raw walnuts (straight from the freezer).
It was ready to eat after 4 minutes. Next time I will try to wait the full 20 minutes.
Tami, I assume so! That said … I’ve never used Hemp Seed. It’s on my list and something I plan to play with, but … I’ve never used it. If you’re just subbing the nuts, I think it’ll be fine, though. Let me know how it turns out! 🙂
Susan, yep, I’ve found this needs at least 20 minutes to "plump". The ground flax will also swell quite a bit, whereas the nut meals won’t (not nearly as much, anyway). It still would’ve tasted good, but it would’ve needed a bit more time and a bit more moisture. I’m glad you enjoyed it, though! 🙂
This was awesome! Just what I needed to kick my cravings to the curb tonight.
Thanks for all your brilliant recipes.
I’m thrilled you enjoyed it, Kat. I love these things … and thank you for the kind words! 🙂
I can’t say how excited I an to see this recipe! My husband said just he other day, that the thing he misses the most is not his native Spanish rice and beans or tortillas but his mom’s hot morning oatmeal. But after 6 weeks we are in This for the long haul he hasost 25#s -40 to go and I haveost 15#s -70 to go.
I have been missing cereal/oatmeal for the last month! Just made this and had no
experience at all with chia seeds so had the most pleasant surprise , It’s Deliscious!!
First off, thanks for this recipe. I’m eating right now and it’s wonderful.
The nutritional facts on my unsweetened almond milk (both Silk and Almond Breeze) say it has 1 gram of dietary fiber and 1 gram of total carbohydrate per cup. Shouldn’t that bring it to 0 net carbs? This isn’t going to make or break most people’s diet, but 1/2 C. should be 15 calories, 1.25g of fat, .5g protien, and .5g dietary fiber.
P.S. That link to buy it on Amazon is crazy overpriced. I just picked up a quart for $2.50.
This is my new favorite hot cereal! I simplified the recipe by using all almond milk for the liquid (instead of syrup and cream). I poured it into a saucepan, stirred in the hazelnut flour, chia seeds, vanilla, a pinch of salt (cause I love salt) and some maple flavoring. Brought it to a good boil, took it off the heat, and put a lid on it for 20 minutes. Stirred it up, and perfect! I sprinkled it with cinnamon, a dash of coconut cream, and a few spoons of sweetener. Yummy!
Valerie, I hope you and your husband enjoyed it! <br /><br />
Nancybeth, I?m with you ? I was VERY leery of chia seeds, but when I finally gave in and tried them ? WOW! They were amazing! One of my new favorite things! <br /><br />
Suzanne, I just looked at my own carton of unsweetened almond milk (Almond Breeze) and it listed 2 carbs, with 1 of them being fiber ? per cup. This would suggest 1/2 cup would be 1/2 ?net? carb. I honestly don?t know where I got the nutritional info for this particular recipe. There stands a chance I pulled it off a carton a year ago, and they?ve since updated their numbers. Interestingly, you and I are both looking at cartons of the same brand and are getting conflicting numbers ? for identical products. Ultimately ? it?s all pretty minor, really. It?s cloudy and lightly almond flavored water. Clearly there are some wonky numbers in this space and the USDA doesn?t seem to have weighed in on it, so ? yeah ? for now, we just kind of guesstimate! <br /><br />
Doreen ? YAY!!! That does sound good! I hope some others see this and follow your lead. Makes good sense!
This sounds soooooo wonderful. I have never needed to eat regular oatmeal with sweetness, I have always loved to put a couple pats of butter on top and enjoy. I am going to try this for sure. Thanks!
I made this. Awesome!!! I used maple extract instead of the syrup. Turned out great. Definitely a keeper!
—Reply posted by DJ on 2/19/2015
WHOO HOO!! 🙂
I saw this recipe posted in FB. I “thought” I’d pinned it, but when I went to look for it, I couldn’t find it! Since I had already purchased what I needed, I was determined to find this recipe again. I finally did, today! Goodness, how good is this!!?? I loved it! I’m making another batch right now, but not mixing the dry and wet ingredients together. I’ll put them in separate containers, and then all I’ll have to do is heat the milk, dump on the chia/almond mix, stir for a couple times, then go get my shower. By the time I’m done, breakfast will be ready! I did add a tbs of Kerrygold butter. Thank you not for only this recipe but for all that you develop and post. I so appreciate it!
J
—Reply posted by DJ on 3/21/2015
I’m glad you found it! Chia pudding and various other recipes made from Chia are … truly some of my favorites. It’s funny, in that I personally resisted Chia for years, thinking it was just some strange bird seed and it looks like frog eggs when gelled. Just a strange substance. I always LOVE it when people finally give in and try it; it’s wonderful! Yep, butter is a common addition. I also know a lot of people do what you’re suggestion. People do that with the muffin/pancake mixes, as well. They just make a batch of dried and then scoop, add some wet, mix and bake, fry or nuke! Check out my other chia recipe. It’s also quite tasty … orange and blueberry. Delicious! Thank you for the kind words! 🙂
Ummm… SUPER GOOD! I am having a hard time letting it gel because i want to eat it now. I added about 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes (because I have an industrial sized bag to use up). Will definitely make this again
—Reply posted by DJ on 3/26/2015
One of my personal favorite combinations is to add some sugar free caramel syrup, with toasted coconut and chopped toasted salted macadamia nuts. It’s like sweet, crunchy, nutty and salty … SOOOOOOOoooo good! (I totally relate to the waiting period, also … I’ve devoured many a bowl before it was fully gelled. Not QUITE the same, but still pretty tasty!) 😀
I was skipping breakfast and telling myself I just wanted hungry for a couple of days when it hit me: I just didn’t want eggs. Then I ran across this recipe. WHAT A HIT! This was far better than the old high-carb oatmeal I grew up on. THANK YOU!
—Reply posted by DJ on 4/12/2015
WHOO HOO! That’s high praise, CT. That said … I kinda agree. I LOVE any and all kinds of chia pudding. The stuff is simply the bee’s knees! I’m glad you agree! 🙂
OK I am now going to try your oatmeal recipe You haven’t steered wrong.? If I made this up for the week and reheatedin mmicro would that work? Probablywould have to add more liquid.
—Reply posted by DJ on 5/20/2015
Whoops! Sorry I missed this, Deb! Honestly, I’ve never tried this, though. I’ve heard from people that HAVE done it and they’ve said good things. I personally remain skeptical and find it easy enough to whip up fresh, but … for convenience sake, it may be worth the potential hit to quality. Maybe make a double batch and chill half and then re-heat and see what you think. It could be absolutely fine! At the very least, I suspect you’ll need to add some more liquid to it, but … only time will tell. If you do do it, report back for future readers. Thanks! 🙂
How does the chia meal do in your muffins? Do you use just like almond meal ? I bought black chia seeds that’s all I could find. I ordered the white today. Just trying to learn how to incorporate into my diet. Thanks for your help!
—Reply posted by DJ on 5/20/2015
Hi Deb, I LOVE it in muffins! I discovered it as a replacement for flaxmeal, as well as chia eggs. From there, I just slowly started adding it to things. As a flaxmeal alternative, it’s basically 1 to 1. Reduce the chia by about 15%, but mostly it’ll just work as a straight replacement. As an egg replacement in muffins and quick breads, you can use 1 tbsp. ground chia, plus 3 tbsp. of water mixed together. This will work in place of an egg. Finally, it’s becoming more and more common for me to substitute maybe 25% of the almond meal in any recipe with ground chia. I find it softens and adds a bit more moisture. I just like what it does … Regarding the colors … they behave the same. The only real difference is the color, which is largely meaningless. It’s just personal preference. I hope this helps. I love it! 🙂
Hi DJ, I love chia but am totally confused when it comes to its carb content. I have seen conflicting information on most of the chia out there. Some packaging states it has 4grms of carbs per 100grms while others say it’s 40grms of carbs for the same amount. It’s all plain chia, how can there be such discrepancies ? This has slowly been driving me insane…. Please help !!!!
How about subbing coconut milk for the almond milk?
—Reply posted by DJ on 6/9/2015
Hi Jen, it’s probably fine. Just be aware of a few things. 1. the flavor will take on a bit of a coconut taste, which … is fine, if you’re a fan of the taste. 2. depending on the product and brand you use, coconut milk is often very thick. This means you might need to add a little extra, or water it down just a little bit. Finally, it’ll boost the fat content, which depending on your world view could be a GOOD thing! Just some thoughts, but … basically … yep! That’ll work! 🙂
Yum! Not sure I’d say it actually tastes like porridge, but it was certainly yummy and filling!
I was wondering if it would be possible to soak the chia seeds in some of the almond milk overnight and then just pour the rest of it over them once warmed in the morning, or something – to cut down on the waiting time and make it more of a weekday breakfast! Might try it…
My favorite hot cereal. So easy to make and delicious!
I feel the same way. Thank you for the kind words, Mary! 😀
This is just super delicious. I used toasted hazelnut meal, from King Arthur’s, and MY but….this is super delicious. My chia did not gel things as much as I’d like, so next time I will bump that quantity a bit. But to be honest, I’m slurping away on this in its semi-liquid state, and I’m happy as a clam, so I ain’t worried.
This was sooo good! It was quick to make and it’s so satisfying!
I’ve been meaning to make this recipe for ages, and I’m really glad that I did. This has some wonderful textures going for it, but isn’t quite like “porridge” because of the crunchiness of chia seeds. Nonetheless, it’s still a very enjoyable hot breakfast and I will definitely make it again. I used water instead of almond milk as I didn’t have any, and also reduced the syrup as I knew it would be too sweet for my taste. Next time I might try adding some nut butter or 100% chocolate for a bit more oomph, and perhaps also try ground chia seeds. I realise that might make it more of a “gruel” rather than a porridge, but I suspect I’ll have some fun trying 🙂 Thanks for a really good recipe!