We rely on it for survival. We’re surrounded by it everyday. It’s what we talk about at work. After a night out with friends, you’ll trek miles out of your way to find it. It’s not a party without it and with each holiday it’s the thing that helps you build all those wonderful memories. And often times, in my past life (okay, only 2 years ago), it served as a reminder that I was stressed and not loving my body. I’m talking about food! And today, I love food.

As I’ve gotten older and hopefully wiser, I’ve come to better understand food and it’s purpose in my life. Through my college years it was a struggle to find the balance between food as pleasure and food as fuel. Back then, I would work so hard to be “good” all week and when the weekend came I felt deprived and on edge. It caused me to devour “bad” food and continued a vicious cycle.

I knew something had to change and began to research health and fitness and experiment with different recipes that would incorporate nutrition while still tasting delicious. For many women, love and food are never in the same sentence but for me, they are.

When I graduated college I decided to enroll in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition because I wanted to spread the love and help other people feel good about food and realize that it’s just that, food. No need to make it a bigger deal than it already is!

If you’re not familiar with chia seeds then get excited for this tangent. High in omega-3 fatty acids, protein, fiber, potassium, calcium, and manganese these little specks pack a nutritious punch to any meal. Chia seeds gelatinize when added into liquids, which is why I love using them to create puddings. I’ve never really been a “pudding fan” but with these seeds you can use fresh ingredients and turn them into a thick, sweet, and cold snack. I’ve also used chia seeds sprinkled on top of smoothies, in yogurts, salads, and quinoa.

I swear you can put them on anything and everything–the possibilities are endless! In just one tablespoon there is 70 calories, 6 grams of fiber, and 3 grams of protein. That is pretty impressive. You can find chia seeds at most grocery stores; they’re pretty popular these days. This pudding recipe would probably be really good using chocolate milk and bananas.

Peachia Pudding

(Serves 1)

1 tablespoon Chia Seeds

1/2 Cup Almond Breeze Original Almond Milk ( you can use regular milk)

1 drop of vanilla extract

1 chopped peach

1. In a bowl, mix chia seeds with milk.

2. Add drop of vanilla extract and continue mixing.

3. Chop peach and add into bowl.

4. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.