Very Vanilla Bean Raspberry Chia Pudding

I’ve never had a strong preference for chocolate. I know, it’s shocking. Whenever this comes up in conversation, I’m usually asked, “Why?!?” It’s not that I don’t like chocolate. I do. Especially really good dark chocolate that has the ability to satisfy my sweet tooth in one simple bite.

It’s just that if I were given the choice between a vanilla cupcake and chocolate one, I would always choose the vanilla. I inherited this taste preference from my dad.

I once saw a segment on the local news that mentioned one’s craving for chocolate can be inherited.  While I haven’t yet found a study that discusses chocolate cravings in particular, I have read studies that address sweet cravings. This 2007 study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, for example, found that up to half of a person’s tendency to crave sweets can stem from genetic factors. Additional research has been done by teams at Harvard Medical School in Boston and Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York.

So, while this doesn’t necessarily address my chocolate vs. vanilla conundrum, I do like the connection that my dad and I share over vanilla.

Since Dad's birthday is in a couple of days, I made this Very Vanilla Bean Raspberry Chia Pudding to celebrate.

Very Vanilla Bean Raspberry Chia Pudding

Breakfast or dessert? We’ll let you decide. This pudding is healthy enough for breakfast and special enough for dessert!

Ingredients:

1 cup frozen raspberries

¾ cup almond milk

1 heaping spoonful of plain, reduced-fat Greek yogurt

1 tablespoon honey

1 Frieda’s Vanilla Bean

3 tablespoons chia seeds

Instructions:

1.     Place raspberries, almond milk, Greek yogurt, honey, and vanilla bean in a blender. Blend until smooth.

2.     Add the chia seeds to the mixture and shake or stir until well mixed.

3.     Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Enjoy, preferably with those you love.

Disclaimer: We were not compensated for this post. All opinions are our own. Frieda's sent me samples of their vanilla bean, and we are the consulting dietitians for the National ProcessedRed Raspberry Council, but we're sharing this recipe simply because we love it!