Chia Seed Verrines

Sometimes I have the impression that everything is more elegant when said in French. While we were in Paris, the sight of the blackboard menus (oh la la, les ardoises!)  was always enticing. And among the many wonderfully named handwritten with chalk, I found one very special: verrine in the dessert menu. Mostly they were composed with  fromage blanc and some fruit  preserve or coulis on top.

Back in California a couple of weeks ago, I had this little obsession with composing one verrine (little cup, little glass?) of my own. It was with joy that I found a little bag of affordable chia seeds in my favorite grocery store, with a little inspiration of recipe for chia seed pudding written on its back. I fused it with other interesting recipes from the web, and finally made my own with the help of my 5-year-old boy.

We made two recipes, and found that this one, with lots of variations, was the best. But you can certainly play with your creativity and add other twists, such as fruit compotes and other extracts to add flavor. Invite your little ones to play with you like mixing wizards, if you feel like it, and enjoy together for a healthy snack or dessert.

Chia Seed Verrine with Blueberry Honey

We topped the little cups with some cute champagne grapes. Next time we will cover them with chopped macerated berries, like the ones we used in this recipe. Chia seeds are an amazing ingredient that holds the power of fiber, protein and omega-3 in its tiny and nutty seeds.

1 cup coconut milk (from a refrigerated carton) or almond milk
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/4 cup blueberry honey (or regular honey), add more if you want more sweetness
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or rose water)

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl and distribute among as many little glasses you can. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or more if using almond milk. Serve very cold with your favorite topping.