Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding: Ultrarunner Scott Jurek

Previously, I told you that I was smitten with Scott Jurek’s book Eat & Run, but that post was really focused on the inspirational running component…today I bring you the EAT part!

Scattered throughout the book are many of Jurek’s favorite vegan recipes, which I believe would satisfy even some diehard meat eaters that I know. Not so sure about that, check out my favorite tips for getting your meat eater to enjoy more plants.

I also loved them because most were quick and easy! We’ve established by now that I’m all about healthy eating, but it needs to be E-A-S-Y. vegan cinnamon roll Though lately he’s been testing out more complex recipes from The Minimalist Baker that are vegan and gluten free, so now I clearly need to catch up on her.

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding

One recipe in particular caught my eye because it used silken tofu, of which I had a container sitting for weeks in my refrigerator waiting for inspiration to strike.

But there are a few other reasons I liked this recipe and it’s health benefits, so I’ll share those after the recipe. You know one of my big goals over the last few years has been to keep my sweet tooth in check!

If you’ve been looking to cut your sweets, this is the kind of thing that helps! Instead of going cold turkey, we’re boosting our nutrition with good stuff!

I’ve found that balancing my sweet treats with protein keeps me both satisfied and my weight stable (that’s the metabolic efficiency thing I talk about!)

Vegan chocolate chia pudding - a dairy free, high protein dessert I’ve been working to add more fermented foods to my diet to help with digestion, so double bonus to have a dessert that is is low sugar and going to help my tummy! I realized as I started that his was actually carob powder not cacao…so I just kept modifying to find what worked for me!

Ingredients

1 package silken tofu
3 tbsp chia seeds
3 tbsp cacao
1 tbsp maple syrup
5-7 drops stevia
1 scoop hemp or pea chocolate protein powder
1 tbsp miso
1 tbsp vanilla extract

***Update***Having made this a few more times, I cut out the maple syrup and decreased the stevia by adding in 4 raw cacao beans. The flavor is phenomenal and again, I’m just working to lower sugar overall!!

Directions: Mix…eat.

If you were to eat the entire recipe at once it’s under 600 calories…but let’s be honest we don’t need 16oz of tofu at one sitting no matter how tasty it is. Scott Jurek
This is also when I get to gratuitously post myself with Jurek in 2011 before a run in Miami…because when else do I get to be that cool??

Nutrition Benefits

As always I love to do a little break down of why this chocolate chia seed pudding is more than just a dessert, it’s great for your running.

Cacao benefits:

40 times the antioxidants of blueberries
Highest plant-based source of Iron
Full of Magnesium
More Calcium than cow milk

Tofu benefits:

Great source of protein
Good source of magnesium, zinc, Copper and B1
Great plant based option for Iron and calcium

Chia seed benefits:

Omega 3 fatty acids
Loaded with fiber and protein
Good for the skin and digestion
Could help with diabetes by balancing blood sugar

What is Miso?

I was also excited about this recipe because it uses MISO, which I had never used before, but read a lot about recently.

Miso is a traditional Japanese fermented food that known for its rich, complex flavor and ability to add an extra heartiness (“umami,” also known as the “fifth taste”) to nearly any dish. Natural health advocates love miso for its dense concentration of nutrients and its remarkable disease-fighting properties.

If you’re looking for more high protein desserts, I’ve got you covered:

On a completely separate note, if you haven’t read his even newer book North, man I can’t recommend that enough either! It’s totally different and focuses on his journey running the Appalachian Trail with his wife as the most incredible crew.