Chocolate Covered Cherry Chia Seed Pudding

-Because everyone loves chocolate, especially for breakfast!-

Welcome to Thursday Everyone!

Awhile back, I asked you what types of blog posts you would like to see more of... 2 of the responses I received were "More recipes" and "A day in the life of Britany," so today I decided to touch on both topics.

First up, a typical morning for me... Near the end of spring, I switched from working an 11-7pm job to having what is considered a "normal" schedule working 8-5pm. I have to admit that this change, although greatly appreciated, was definitely not easy to adjust to. I was used to waking up at 7/7:30am, going to the gym for an hour to an hour and a half, coming home and leisurely making breakfast and getting ready for the day. With my work day now starting at 8am and knowing that I would much rather workout in the AM vs. the PM, I quickly realized that my schedule was about to change drastically. In my current routine I have my gym bag, breakfast & lunch all packed before I head to bed at night. When my alarm sounds in the morning between 5-5:15am, I simply throw on my gym attire, brush my teeth, and head out the door. I arrive at the gym between 6-6:15am and make the most of the time I have. I generally get a 45-60minute workout in, which ends is about half of the time I was previously spending at the gym!

Throughout the summer months I would get up early and just head out my front door for a mid distance run 3-4days/week and spend only a couple days in the gym. However, now that darkness accompanies us until about 7am, I am no longer able to enjoy this luxury. Except for the occasional evening run/bike, I have completely moved my workouts into the gym. Other than my 1 cardio heavy day of the week, I spend 10-15 minutes doing a warmup on either the bike or treadmill and head to the weights for the rest of the time. I rotate through leg, shoulder, back, & chest/shoulder days to ensure that I am utilizing all major muscle groups each week. DISCLAIMER: Weight lifting is where it's at. If you want a lifted booty, sculpted shoulders, and chiseled abs, there is really no question that weight training provides much greater results when compared with cardio heavy routines.

After my workout, it's a quick shower and I'm off to work. Breakfasts generally consist of some type of crust-less quiche, hard boiled eggs, applegate hotdogs & sauerkraut (great for digestion) OR the recipe below! I personally thrive when I am able to start my day with some gym time, and what's even better is that it leaves my evenings free to do with what I please.

Now for what you've all been waiting for... the FOOD! Obviously mornings are a busy time for everyone, whether you're playing "taxi" for your kids, beating the sun to the gym, or rushing off to work, people just don't have time for healthy eating (or so they say). That's why I've come up with this recipe for you, it can be thrown together the night before in only a matter of minutes, there is very little mess, and most importantly there is CHOCOLATE in it! Yet another key ingredient is the tiny pebble looking things you see in the photos and are called chia seeds, which pack a whole lot of nutritional "bang for their buck." They are filled with protein, antioxidants, fiber, Omega-3 fatty acids and many people consider them to be a superfood and/or if you're like me, one of their favorite foods.

Who says you can't have dessert for breakfast?

Chocolate Covered Cherry Chia Seed Pudding

Ingredients: