I make chia pudding on a regular basis. What usually happens is that I’ll try some new curry recipe that calls for less than a full can of coconut milk (honestly, whyyyy), and I end up with a sad little half-can of coconut milk that can’t be used for really anything else. When this happens, I usually open a second can of coconut milk and mix it with the dregs of the first one before adding about a 1/4 cup of chia seeds. Then, I dump the whole thing in a Tupperware container that goes straight into the refrigerator. It’s an easy enough step that I can do while other things are simmering on the stove for dinner, and it’s nice because I know that I’ve got something already in the hopper for breakfast the next morning.

The minor issue that I’ve always taken with chia pudding, particularly the kind made solely with coconut milk, is that it’s incredibly rich and creamy. Some chia pudding experts deal with this issue by mixing in a little almond milk to thin it out, but I haven’t found this to be a particularly satisfying solution because it doesn’t really deal with the richness aspect.

The acidity of the lime zest and fresh lime juice totally changes everything. I know this is a total “duh” moment for a lot of you, but it never dawned on me until this past weekend that all I needed to cut through the richness was a good hearty dash of acidity. The lime juice and zest does just that, cutting out the feeling that you’re trudging through the chia pudding. I loved the sweetness of the mango, especially because I mashed my mango up a bit, which made it nice and juicy.

As if you need any more convincing, these mango lime chia pudding cups can be made the night before. I tested this theory myself, making a few cups on Sunday afternoon and then tasting one this morning. It was really, really yummy, but just to be sure I tasted another one. That one was really good, too. I talked myself out of the third one, telling myself that one cannot subsist on mango lime chia pudding alone.

Oh, but would if I could, my friends. Would if I could.

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