Cardamom chia breakfast bowl recipe

This cardamom chia breakfast bowl recipe from Fresh & Fermented, by Julie O’Brien and Richard J. Climenhage, is a delicious way to start your day. Chia seeds are packed full of satiating protein and fibre, so it’s a great breakfast option.

Chia seeds were a significant part of Aztec and Mayan diets—and with good reason. They’re a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids and high in fibre. In fact, you only have to eat two tablespoons to get ten grams of daily fiber. Chia seeds are also said to help decrease inflammation, lower cholesterol, and help regulate blood sugar.

This very simple breakfast, with its tapioca pudding–like texture, will quickly become a favorite treat. Soaking the chia seeds overnight helps make them more digestible and meld the flavors of the dates and spices. If dates are not your thing, dried apricots, cherries, or raisins are a good substitute.

Convert this into a healthful dessert by stirring in a little maple syrup and topping the pudding with whipped cream.

Makes 4 to 8 servings

¼tsp cardamom seeds

4 pitted dates, finely chopped

1 cup chia seeds

1tsp ground cinnamon

4 cups almond milk or milk of your choice

½ cup classic Kraut

1 cup roughly chopped pecans (optional)

¼ cup unsweetened dried coconut flakes (optional)

Pinch of salt

Crush the cardamom seeds. Put the cardamom seeds, dates, chia seeds, and cinnamon in a quart-size bowl. Pour the milk over, stirring gently to mix. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, the chia seeds will have absorbed most of the almond milk and the mixture will have a thick, pudding-like consistency.

Take the kraut out of the jar with a clean fork, letting any extra brine drain back into it. Finely mince the kraut and stir it into the chia seed mixture, along with the pecans and coconut. Season to taste with salt. If you want a slightly thinner porridge, serve it with additional almond milk.

Fresh & Fermented: 85 Delicious Ways to Make Fermented Carrots, Kraut, and Kimchi Part of Every Meal by Julie O’Brien and Richard J. Climenhage, published by Sasquatch Books (£16.99, available from www.thegmcgroup.com)*