This pink dragon fruit smoothie layered chia pudding is a high-protein, nutrient-dense way to start the day; gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and tastes as good as it looks! Plus the chia pudding can be pre-prepped and stored in the fridge for a quick 5-minute breakfast throughout the week!
You can prepare this the night before or on the day- leaving at-least 30 minutes for the chia seeds to soak.
Combine the chia seeds, milk, maple, and vanilla extract in a bowl and mix well to ensure there are no lumps or areas where the seeds are clumping.
Cover the bowl and allow it to rest in the refrigerator for a minimum of 30 minutes - I prefer to do this for at least 2 hours, though, for best results or overnight.
Step 2: Prepare the dragon fruit smoothie
Add the milk to the blender first, then the remaining ingredients, and blend until smooth.
Step 3: Assemble the dragon fruit chia pudding jars
Divide the chia pudding between two jars and then top with the dragon fruit smoothie.If you want to use fruit to decorate the side of the jar, as I do- then make sure to slice it very thinly, use a dry glass - if it still doesn't stick, then you can use a little honey or something to help it adhere.
Next, top the jars with your toppings of choice; I used a combination of frozen berries and edible flowers, though you can use the toppings as a way to add even more nutrition to the dish with the addition of granola, nut butter, shredded coconut,
How To Make-Ahead and Store
Make-ahead: You can store prepared chia pudding in the refrigerator for 5 days. You can also store it in the freezer for 3-4 weeks.While I don't prepare the blended smoothies in advance, I like to keep a stock of frozen banana slices and pitaya chunks in the freezer at all times, ready to go when needed. I suggest quartering the bananas and chopping the pitaya, then spreading over a parchment-lined baking tray in a single layer until solid, then transfer to freezer-safe containers/bags. that way, they won't all stick in one massive clump as they freeze.Store: Once prepared, the assembled chia pudding jar is best enjoyed immediately to maintain the frozen smoothie texture.
Notes
If you use pitaya powder, you'll need only 1tbsp. In which case, feel free to bulk up the smoothie with berries.
For a low-carb smoothie, you could replace banana with frozen cauliflower, though it can be a bit of an acquired taste. You could experiment with using a half banana and half cauliflower, to begin with.
Pink Dragon fruit stains- So be careful to chop it over a non-porous chopping surface, or you'll end up with a pink chopping board.
For the nutritional value: It may be best to plug this recipe into your own nutritional app (like MyFitnessPal) as it will vary based on the milk you use, sweetener, and any other tweaks made to the recipe.