Strawberries and "Cream" Chia Pudding

My first experience with a chia pudding really wasn’t that great. It was a chocolate chia pudding that I tried twice (the first time following the recipe, the second time trying to improve it), and neither made it to my blog or my recipe folder. This recipe from The Kitchn, however, is a keeper. I made it vegan by using maple syrup instead of honey, and it worked out perfectly. I could have sworn it had dairy, probably thanks to the tang of the lime zest mixed with the coconut milk. I thought it was almost halfway between yogurt and soft ice cream, while the Engineer said that something about it reminded him of orange juleps… In any case, it’s an exceedingly easy dessert to make and is delicious to boot, so I’ll definitely be making it again!

1 lb. fresh strawberries, hulled
1 ½ cups (or one 13½-oz. can) coconut milk
6 Tbsp. maple syrup (or ¼ cup honey, or to taste)
1 vanilla bean, scraped (I used vanilla bean paste, because I’m lazy)
¾ teaspoon finely grated lime zest
½ cup chia seeds

Place the strawberries, coconut milk, syrup, vanilla, and lime zest in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and add more honey if desired.

Place the chia seeds in a large bowl, pour the strawberry mixture on top, and whisk thoroughly. Let stand for 10 minutes and whisk again.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 3 days (the pudding thickens as time goes by). I let it set directly into individual bowls, but you can put it in a big bowl and stir it again before spooning it into individual bowls for serving. If you find it too thick, you can whisk it with a little water (or coconut water), though that didn’t even cross my mind. You can serve it plain or garnish it with a vegan whipped topping, extra strawberries or lime zest, or mint leaves.