Blueberry, Vanilla and Mango Chia Protein Parfait

Someone recently asked me what I do with all of the food I make – surely, I’m not eating pounds of pancakes and cinnamon buns, am I? Some of the goodies go to bake sales benefiting various nonprofits, I often bake items ahead of time and freeze them when we have house-guests coming to visit, and sometimes, well, I eat what I make. My diet is plant-based, meaning, I mostly eat fruits and veggies. I consume a lot of salads, steamed and roasted vegetables, whole grains, a little bit of fish…and the occasional naughty treat. I have been upping my work-out game lately, so I’ve found that I need more protein – something I struggle with eating a mostly vegetarian diet. For those who enjoy indulging in pastries and coffee cakes for breakfast on a regular basis, this recipe may not be what you’re looking for. Don’t worry, I’ll still be posting sinful and yummy recipes here, however, this one is for those of you who may be gluten and/or dairy free, vegan or vegetarian, or simply embarking on or maintaining a nutritionally healthy diet. These little chia parfaits are a great way to have a healthy, protein packed breakfast or snack. I make them in small glass canning jars, which do not contain and leach toxic substances into food, as most reusable plastic containers do. This is a loose recipe as you can substitute a multitude of fresh fruit, or you could even use low sugar jam instead of the pureed fruit. I prefer using raw fruit purees that preserve the nutritional integrity of the fruit. We’ve talked about Chia seeds here before. They are loaded with antioxidants, proteins, Omega 3 fats, vitamins and minerals. They turn gelatinous when mixed with a liquid, which gives them a tapioca quality. You could even serve these as a dessert by using additional honey to make them a little sweeter.