Orange Juice Strawberry Coconut Chia Pudding

This sunny orange juice strawberry coconut chia pudding made with just a few simple ingredients, including 100% orange juice, is a nutritious make-ahead breakfast or snack that's just perfect for summer! Plus, I'm sharing what it means to have a 'food first' approach to wellness. (gluten-free, vegan option)

 This post is sponsored by the Florida Department of Citrus. As always, all opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep Lively Table running!

When it comes to wellness, you'll see all kinds of trends, ranging from reasonable-sounding practices to downright bizarre or even dangerous. And unfortunately, many of the people promoting these trends in the name of wellness have no sort of formal training or medical education. So word to the wise: always be cautious who you take wellness advice from, and be especially weary if they stand to profit from what they're recommending.

As a dietitian, I like to keep my own wellness routine simple, sticking to a food-first philosophy, and listening to my body to tell me what it needs.

What Does It Mean To Have A Food-First Approach To Wellness?

It's exactly what it sounds like. I look to food first to get the essential nutrients I need to keep me healthy and well. While it's certainly possible to get most of the nutrients you need from supplements and powders, it's much more expensive, and frankly, doesn't taste very good. Using real food to get most of the nutrients you need is much more cost-effective, you know exactly what you're getting (unlike with supplements, which aren't tightly regulated), and it's so much more fun to eat real food and explore different tastes, textures, and experiences! Plus, you typically get so many different nutrients and benefits (such as antioxidants) from a single food versus having to take multiple supplements to get the same benefit.

 Not that I'm necessarily against all supplements. I do think some supplements can be important (for example, a prenatal vitamin for pregnant women) and they can help you fill in gaps that you may not be able to get through diet alone. But for the most part, I like to stick with a varied, balanced diet to do all the heavy lifting, and supplement with vitamins as needed or for convenience every once in a while. I just don't think that expensive supplements are necessary, or even effective a lot of the time. I typically don't recommend them as a dietitian without first looking at foods that can provide the benefits people are seeking. I also typically stay away from trends and fad diets, like 'detoxes', cleanses, and fasts. They're just not necessary and can even be dangerous.

What Foods Do I Include In My Wellness Routine?

In order to get many of the nutrients you need, it's important to eat a variety of foods. You may have heard that different colors of food have different nutrients, which is correct. But it's so much more than color! Eating a variety of foods from all different food groups will help you get more of the nutrients your body needs over a period of time. Here are some of the foods that I include in my diet on a regular basis to stay well:

• 100% Florida Orange Juice - I love including 100% orange juice in my wellness routine because it's an easy way to stay hydrated while getting lots of important nutrients, like vitamins C, thiamin,  and B6, magnesium, potassium, folate, and antioxidants that support a healthy immune system and can also help with the absorption of nutrients from other food (like iron from plant-based foods). Fortified OJ also has calcium and vitamin D. I also love that Florida OJ is naturally sweet, so I keep it around to naturally sweeten recipes. You can learn more about the many nutrients in Florida Orange Juice here.
• Plenty of fresh (or frozen!) fruits and vegetables - A variety of produce (especially leafy greens, berries, avocados, and cruciferous veggies) provides so many essential vitamins and minerals, fiber, and antioxidants to help keep my digestive system regular and keep me feeling my best.
• Whole grains - I love whole grains. Carbohydrates are an important source of energy for the body, and whole grains bring a ton of benefit with their carbs. (You can read more about the power of whole grains here.) I always make sure to include grains because they help to stabilize my mood and give me more energy and focus throughout the day. (One of my favorite easy ways to eat grains is in overnight oats - like these Orange Creamsicle Overnight Oats!)
• Yogurt - I love including dairy foods in my daily diet because they're a great source of protein, as well as vitamin D, which is not present in a lot of foods, and calcium. (That’s why I chose yogurt for the creamy base of my orange juice strawberry coconut chia pudding recipe below!)
• Meat and eggs - These foods provide high quality protein that is easy for the body to use, as well as iron (in meat), zinc, B vitamins, choline, selenium, and vitamin D (in eggs).
• Fish - Not only is fish a source of high-quality protein, but it's the main food source of EPA and DHA - two omega-3 fatty acids that are important for brain and heart health.
• Chocolate - It's so important for me to include room for treats in my everyday diet. And I'm not going to feed you the line about only including a small square of extra dark chocolate (though I do love some extra dark chocolate). I eat some sort of dessert almost every day, because it's so important for my mental wellness not to restrict the foods I love. (The antioxidants in dark chocolate actually have been shown to help with stress, though, so it's a great choice!)

What Else Do I Include In My Wellness Routine?

As a dietitian, I obviously think the food we eat plays a big part in being healthy, but wellness is about so much more. For me, that includes taking care of my body and mind with:

• Enjoyable forms of movement, like taking walks with my girls, spin classes, and yoga.
• Journaling to help me clear my head.
• Getting enough sleep (which is much easier said than done with two tiny humans).
• Practicing gratitude.

Now, onto the chia pudding recipe!

Why You'll Love This Orange Juice Strawberry Coconut Chia Pudding

This orange juice strawberry coconut chia pudding is a delicious combination of some nutrient-dense foods that I love, and it's so easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. It's made with 100% orange juice  a flavorful option with added nutrition benefits, like vitamin C, antioxidants, folate, potassium, and magnesium. Coconut Greek yogurt (or coconut-based dairy-free yogurt in the vegan version) give it a super creamy texture, probiotic power, and tropical flavor, while chia seeds provide lots of fiber, plant-based protein, healthy omega 3 fatty acids, and iron. The vitamin C in orange juice also makes it easier for your body to absorb the plant form of iron found in chia seeds, so they're a great match! It's perfect as a make-ahead breakfast or to keep in your fridge as a nutritious snack.

How To Make Orange Juice Strawberry Coconut Chia Pudding

This chia pudding is super easy to make. First, you'll muddle the strawberries in the bottom of your storage container. Then, add the yogurt and orange juice and mix it well. Stir in the chia seeds, cover it, and refrigerate until the chia seeds have soaked up all the liquid (at least 4 hours, or overnight). In the morning, give it a stir and enjoy!

Tips for Making Perfect Chia Pudding

• Make sure the yogurt and 100% orange juice are mixed well before adding the chia seeds so you get a smooth chia pudding.
• Similarly, make sure the chia seeds are evenly distributed throughout the liquid mixture before sticking it in the refrigerator to avoid clumps of seeds later.
• If your chia pudding is too runny in the morning, stir in a few more chia seeds and let it sit for a few minutes. If it's too thick, stir in a little bit more OJ.
• I like to use frozen, thawed strawberries in this recipe because I tend to always have them, but fresh strawberries are great too.
• If you want to make this recipe vegan and/or dairy-free, use your favorite coconut plant-based yogurt. Pick one with live active cultures in the ingredients for the benefit of probiotics.

More Nutritious Recipes Using 100% Orange Juice

• Cranberry Orange Baked Oatmeal
• Orange Juice Honey Turmeric Vitamin C Shots
• Mayo-Free Orange Poppy Seed Chicken Salad
• Thai Inspired Orange Basil Chicken
• Orange Creamsicle Overnight Oats
• Easy Rosemary Orange Grilled Chicken

Print