Vegan Chia Kheer (Indian Pudding Dessert)

Kheer is my favorite Indian dessert, but it’s not a good choice for those of us who are lactose intolerant or vegan, so I created a vegan version of Kheer. It requires no cooking! If you are watching blood sugar levels, please omit raisins and use a low-GI sweetener such as coconut nectar or stevia to sweeten the pudding. Please visit my blog, www.innerharmonynutrition.com for more healthy gluten-free recipes.

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  cups coconut milk (in carton, not canned) or 2  cups  almond milk
• 10 -15  saffron strands
• 6  tablespoons  chia seeds
• 2 -4  tablespoons liquid sweetener, of your choice such as coconut nectar, agave, raw honey and maple syrup
• 1  pinch ground cardamom
• 3  tablespoons  raw  almonds, soaked for 8-12 hours
• 2  tablespoons pistachios
• 1  tablespoon raisins (optional) or 1  tablespoon currants (optional)
• 1  tablespoon coconut flakes

Directions

1. Heat 2 Tbsp of coconut milk and soak saffron strands. Leave it for a while.
2. In a bowl, add the remaining milk, chia seeds, liquid sweetener, cardamom, and the saffron and milk mixture.
3. Stir well and refrigerate overnight or for at least 4-6 hours.
4. Take the pudding out from the refrigerator and stir well to get rid of the lumps. Transfer to individual dishes.
5. Chop nuts and place them on top of the pudding along with raisins or currants. Sprinkle coconut flakes.
6. Infuse love and serve!