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Banana Coconut Cream Chia Pudding Parfaits

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There is something rather delightful about vegan desserts that look and taste as good as this. By that I mean – something rather more delightful than standard every day ‘delight’. Even in 2015, so many people still think that a healthy vegan diet must be full of raw food, salad, and not much else. How wrong are they – only we know! Great looking – Great Tasting! – and imaginative desserts like this one give veganism a good name! By preparing them, eating them, and sharing them, we spread the word – veganism can be fun, and delicious! So, what are you waiting for?

This recipe takes just 15 minutes to prepare!

Check out this fantastic banana coconut cream chia pudding parfait recipe – and if you make enough to go round, share some with your friends and family…

YUM!

Banana Coconut Cream Chia Pudding Parfaits have layers of creamy chia pudding layered with fresh bananas and topped with whipped coconut cream and toasted coconut. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, and perfect for breakfast, snacks, and dessert!

We interrupt our regularly schedule program of pumpkin, apples, and everything fall for bananas….and coconut! I haven’t posted anything coconut in what, maybe a week? To me, that means I’m overdue. For me, bananas and coconut are always welcome, whether together or on their own. These Banana Coconut Chia Pudding Parfaits bring my love of banana and coconut cream pies together into one delicious, almost guilt-free treat.

For the most part, these parfaits are guilt-free. They’re gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan, and are minimally sweetened with maple syrup. I used Toasted Coconut Almond Milk by Califia Farms in my chia pudding, which I found in the refrigerated section of my supermarket. This milk is unsweetened and low fat, yet still rich and full of flavor. I did not receive any compensation from this brand…I simply love the product.

The biggest indulgence here is the whipped coconut cream, and if you’re watching calories you can leave it off completely and these parfaits will still taste great! If you’re not lactose intolerant or just not a fan of coconut cream, you can certainly use fresh whipped cream. Feel free to customize these any way you see fit.

The best part about these parfaits is how simple they are to make. You simply combine chia seeds with the milk in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and store until nice and thick. I found that the mixture needed to be stirred a few times throughout the day, and this pudding took longer to thicken than my Cherry Coconut Chia Pudding Parfaits , because I used full fat coconut milk for those. This pudding is truly a no-rush make ahead kind of thing for me, so I didn’t mind waiting a little longer for my pudding to thicken.

If you’re topping yours with the coconut cream, make sure that the coconut milk or coconut cream that you have has completely solidified. Sometimes you luck out at the store and find some that have are already solidified on the shelf…just give them a shake to see for yourself. If not, just refrigerate it — can and all — overnight while your chia pudding sets and whip it up when you’re ready to serve your pudding.

These parfaits may be almost guilt-free, but they’re totally indulgent and reminiscent of banana cream pie. With coconut! You can eat these for breakfast, snacks, or dessert, and you’re going to love the way you feel afterward. Indulgence with low guilt is a very powerful thing.

Banana Coconut Cream Chia Pudding Parfaits

Prep time: 15 mins
Total time: 15 mins
Serves: 4-6 parfaits

Ingredients

  • 2 cups toasted coconut almond milk or the milk of your choice
  • 7 tablespoons chia seeds (I like mine nice and thick!)
  • 2 tablespoons maple syrup or your favorite sweetener
  • 2 large bananas, chopped
  • (1) 13.5 ounce can coconut cream or full fat coconut milk, solidified*
  • 3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • toasted coconut flakes, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Place the milk and chia seeds in a medium bowl and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or until thickened, stirring occasionally.*
  2. Place the bowl of your stand mixer in the refrigerator and chill it about 1 hour before you whip the cream. Place the coconut cream, sugar, and vanilla in the chilled bowl and using the whisk attachment, whip on medium speed until soft peaks form, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
  3. Place half of the chopped bananas in glass jars or parfait dishes, and layer with half of the pudding. Repeat layers with the remaining ingredients. Top with the coconut cream and coconut flakes, and enjoy!

Notes

My chia pudding took about 24 hours before it was the right level of consistency for me, and required stirring occasionally. If you use full fat coconut milk for the pudding like I did for my Cherry Coconut Chia Pudding Parfaits, you should use 6 tablespoons chia seeds instead of 7.
If you’re not a fan of whipped coconut cream, use ½ cup heavy cream instead. Or omit completely and these will still be great!

Pre-toasted coconut flakes can be found at Trader Joe’s, or toast your own in a skillet over medium low heat until golden, about 2-3 minutes.

Source: banana-coconut-cream-chia-pudding-parfaits

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