High Calorie Vegan Breakfast [Chia Pudding Parfait]

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High Calorie Vegan Breakfast Chia Pudding Parfait

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High calorie vegan breakfasts are a great way to start your day! This vegan chia pudding parfait is made out of decadent coconut cream, chewy chia seeds, and the sweet fruit of your choice. It is guaranteed to please your taste buds and leave you satisfied.

Vegan Foods

Just in case you are unfamiliar with the term vegan, it generally refers to a manner of eating, or diet, that excludes all animal flesh, as well as the products that come from animals.

So, simply put, “vegan food” means it won’t have any meat, dairy, eggs, butter, and usually not even honey (since honey comes from bees). A person who subscribes to this diet may choose to do so for religious, ethical, environmental, or health reasons.

But your reasons for trying this high calorie vegan breakfast can be much simpler than all this! All are welcomed reasons for trying this chia pudding parfait on for size.

Benefits of a High Calorie Vegan Breakfast

You may be curious about the health aspects of eating vegan foods. Cutting back on animal-based foods can be good for your health? Not only will you be slashing your dietary cholesterol and saturated fat intake, but replacing some animal-based foods with plant-based foods will increase your dietary fiber intake, as well as your vitamin and mineral intake.

In the case of this high calorie vegan breakfast parfait, the 300 calories per serving estimate comes from the plant-based sources of fat. The coconut milk, chia seeds, and dairy-free yogurt produce the bulk of calories in this dish, but also provide a great deal of dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. 

So rest assured, this vegan chia pudding parfait is a great way to cut back on your animal-based food consumption and swap in some more satiating and nutritious plant-based food. And without feeling deprived of anything!

What is Chia?

Let’s also address what the “chia” is in this parfait. Chia seeds* are the tiny, but edible seeds of a flowering plant that is actually a close relative to mint.

Chia seeds were originally cultivated in Central America and are believed to be a staple in the diets of the Aztecs. But now, these seeds are consumed all over the world. And for good reason, too!

Chia seeds* are exceptionally high in dietary fiber and protein for their weight. A serving of chia seeds (roughly two tablespoons) contains a whopping 11 grams of fiber, 4 grams of protein, and 9 grams of fat, 5 of which are the coveted omega-3s!

Alongside the exceptional nutrition, chia seeds are also unique in that they can absorb about 10 times their body weight in water. This gives the seeds a jelly-like and thick consistency, much like a porridge or a pudding.

A seed that can turn itself into pudding might sound strange, but I encourage you to trust its unique nature and try it! There’s a reason these little seeds have become so popular around the world.

Recipe Substitutions

Now, the chia seeds are what make the pudding texture of this vegan breakfast parfait, so swapping them out in this recipe is not recommended. However, there are a few substitutions to make this high calorie vegan breakfast work for you.

Firstly, you don’t have to keep it vegan if you prefer not to! Feel free to use whatever milk you like. I recommend whole milk or heavy cream to lend some extra body and richness to this breakfast.

And on this note, feel free to use whatever yogurt you like, too! Maybe you want to keep the coconut milk, but swap out the vegan yogurt for regular dairy yogurt. That is absolutely okay.

And if maple syrup isn’t your thing either, agave, honey, or any sweetener of your choice will do. Just be sure to taste test and adjust accordingly.

Toppings

Lastly, to complete your decadent and nutritious high calorie vegan breakfast chia pudding parfait, a topping or two are recommended to round out your breakfast with a little texture variation. You can top your chia pudding parfait with:

• Sliced almonds
• Pumpkin seeds*
• Coconut flakes*
• Granola
• Blueberries
• Sliced bananas
• Any fruit or other topping of your choice!

Whether you want more crunch or sweetness to your high calorie vegan breakfast chia pudding parfait, the choice is all yours. I hope you enjoy it!

High Calorie Vegan Breakfast

Let’s get to the Chia Pudding Parfait recipe! Detailed instructions are below.

If you like this high calorie vegan breakfast, be sure to check out our vegan High Calorie Overnight Oats [Banana Cream].

You can also learn about High Calorie Vegan Foods over at our sister blog, The Geriatric Dietitian.