Food can be medicine—physically and mentally. Whether you’re stressed out or feeling on top of the world, a proper diet and a healthy relationship with food can help you reach your goals and fix all of the other shit that’s tormenting your twenty-something-year-old mind.

Not only am I celiac, but I’m also a creature of habit. In high school, I ate PB&J sandwiches almost everyday for a whole year. Once I was diagnosed with my gluten allergy, my world seemed to come crashing down. I tried dodging debris as I was coming to terms with my new diagnosis, but I felt like I kept getting smacked in the face with PB&J Sammies. Is there gluten free bread out there? Yeah. Does it compare to the real deal? Not exactly. Only a few brands comes close to that, but I’ll post about them later.

During a meal prep one night, all I could think about was PB&J. I unfortunately did not have GF bread on hand and I wasn’t really feeling oatmeal either. I needed another vehicle for my craving. I thought about how I could make this the healthiest, most well-rounded breakfast of my life (I’m dramatic, I know), and that’s when the chia pudding idea was conceived.

This PB&J Caramel Chia Pudding is packed with healthy fats, protein, and carbs that will keep you energized and allow you to focus on your day, and not what your next meal will be. The absolute worst feeling is finishing breakfast and not feeling satiated. Not to fret with this recipe—your tummy and tastebuds will thank you! The proof is in the puddin’!

What’s In My Chia Pudding?

• 3 Tbs Chia Seeds

• 1 cup Almond Milk (I used Elmhurst)

• 1 scoop Salted Caramel Protein Powder (I used Blessed Protein but you can sub for any brand of vanilla protein)

• 2 tsp Crunchy PB (I used Wegmans)

• 2 tsp Jelly

How Did I Make It?

• Add all ingredients to a bowl/jar/cup + stir — make sure you smooth out the protein powder clumps (It’s ok if there are some!)

• Leave in fridge overnight

• Stir when you’re ready to eat + add any toppings you’d like (I added freshly cut strawberries + a little more jelly!)