These Paleo and Vegan Chocolate Chia Pudding, Pomegranate Banana Nice Cream, and Mango Soft Serve Parfaits for Two feel special enough for breakfast for a special day.
I always see those gorgeous chia pudding/smoothie bowl/banana soft serve parfait-type things on Instagram looking equal parts healthy and gorgeous, dripping with exotic fruit and nuts, and stylishly sporting things like chia or hemp seeds, cacao nibs, and matcha swirls, the way fancy ladies drip gemstones and sport stilettos.
Dang, those parfaits are drop-dead stunning, aren’t they?
This is my take on those fancy breakfast/dessert/snack-type treats. I started with a super simple chocolate chia pudding base; the only thing you need to remember with that is to whip it up and stash it in the fridge the night before. Also, prep the banana and mango the night before (just peel it, chop it, spread it in an even layer on a baking sheet, and stash it in the freezer…couldn’t be easier!).
The banana layer is basically banana soft serve (which also goes by the name of yonanas, banana nice cream, etc.). I colored it pink naturally with pomegranate arils, but fresh cherries, strawberries, or red raspberries would yield a similar result.
The top mango soft serve layer is optional; you can skip it and instead go with a gorgeous layer of fresh fruit, if you prefer. (Truthfully, I only added the mango soft serve layer because I already had it stashed in my freezer from a batch I had whipped up a while back…it added beautiful color and delicious flavor though!) Or you could make a quick batch of chia berry jam and use that instead.
I layered mine in pretty little glass jars so you can see them because that’s the allure of a parfait. Because this recipe is just so pretty, plus the fact that it makes two servings and involves chocolate, of course it would be a great choice for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion.
A Quick Note About the Mango Soft Serve Layer: I love this so much (I eat it as a healthier replacement for ice cream), so I usually have a container of it in my freezer (which is nice because it’s scoop-able consistency like ice cream, and also because it’s one less layer I have to make for this). I have a recipe for Easy No-Churn Mango Lassi Frozen Yogurt (if you want to make it to use in this recipe, just omit the cardamom), and my niece Rosie has a recipe for Mango Soft Serve over on her blog Remarkable Rosie.
- Chocolate Chia Pudding Layer:
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) canned, unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) water
- 3 tablespoons chia seeds
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch each sea salt and espresso powder
- 4 Medjool dates, pitted
- Pomegranate Banana Nice Cream Layer:
- 1/4 cup pomegranate arils
- 1 large very ripe banana, peeled, cut into 1-inch chunks, and frozen
- 2 tablespoons canned, unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch sea salt
- Mango Soft Serve Layer (see Note):
- 8 oz (225 g) chopped mango, frozen
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) mango juice
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pinch sea salt
- Optional Toppings:
- Chopped chocolate or chocolate chips
- Cacao nibs
- Coconut flakes
- Raw nuts, such as cashews, almonds, etc.
- Chia seeds, hemp seeds, etc.
- Pomegranate arils, berries, or fruit of choice
- Add all ingredients for the pudding to a high-speed blender and process until smooth and creamy, tamping down the ingredients as necessary. Transfer the pudding to 2 individual jars or glasses, cover, and refrigerate overnight so the pudding can set. (If you’re not using a high-speed blender, soak your dates in boiling water for 2 minutes before blending everything.)
- For the banana layer, add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and process until smooth and creamy, tamping down the ingredients as necessary. Spoon the nice cream on top of each of the puddings, or if you’re not using it immediately, transfer the nice cream to a bowl and stick it in the freezer so it doesn’t melt.
- For the mango layer, add all ingredients to a high-speed blender and process until smooth and creamy, tamping down the ingredients as necessary. Spoon the mango soft serve on top of each of the nice cream layers, or if you’re not using it immediately, transfer the soft serve to a bowl and stick it in the freezer so it doesn’t melt.
- Add any toppings you like and serve immediately.
Hello and welcome! I'm Faith and I believe you can have your cake and eat it too. For breakfast.
This looks really good, and is so pretty, too!