Vegan Recipe: Mango Vanilla Chia Pudding Parfait
A 30-foot mango tree. 1977. Coral Gables, Florida.
One of my favorite things to do at my grandparent's house was gather mangoes from their 30-foot tree. At least that's how big it seemed in my kid mind. Funny how different our perspective can be when we're smaller. Maybe it was only 20 feet, but it was HUGE!
One day, I decided to collect the juicy treasures and sell them on the side of the road. Lemonade stand? Bah! I was 7 and my entrepreneurial genes had been activated. I made a sign "Mangoes 25¢" and lumbered the loaded wheelbarrow toward LeJeune Rd with a cigar box for my money. Hi Ho, Hi Ho.
In the first 30 minutes, I had some very kind customers who bought several mangoes each. I felt so self-sufficient!
Everything was fine until my fourth customer came. I'm sure he could tell I was intimidated by him as he made small talk asking me about the mangoes. We laughed and I started to relax. But then, he asked me something that made me lose my breath in fear, "Do you have a business license?" He was a police officer.
"Ummmm, n-n-no sir, I don't know what that is," I stammered.
He proceeded, "Well, young lady {shudder}, you need to have a business license in order to sell things, so if you don't have one, you can't sell these mangoes."
I was terr.i.fied.
I had to think fast.
And I did.
I blurted, "Well, you can have your mangoes for free, sir!"
Even at 7-years-old, I understood a little about how power worked.
He chuckled, "That's okay, but it's not safe for you to be out near this busy street all by yourself." (It was the 70s, we did things differently back then—no seat belts or car seats either.)
I closed up shop and ran down to my grandparents as quickly as I could, the wheelbarrow rattling in front of me. I made it back and counted my earnings. $3.75. Pretty good for under an hour of work! Too bad it came with a side of fear. It didn't dissuade me from entrepreneurialism though. Eight years later, I ran my first business when I was 15 and then bought that same business when I was 17. I told you it was genetic—both my dad and uncle were entrepreneurs in their careers.
I still love everything about mangoes, whether in a vegan lassi, as sorbet or ice cream, fresh with sticky coconut rice, or pureéd and layered in a parfait with vanilla chia pudding and topped with coconut whipped cream. Oh, and here's a tip: Make sure you carry your business license with you if you decide to start a road-side business. 😉
Mango Vanilla Chia Pudding Parfait
By Allison Rivers Samson
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients
Mango pureé
2 fresh ripe mangoes, pitted and peeled
Vanilla Chia Pudding
1/2 cup almond milk
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup chia seeds (white or black)
2 tablespoons maple syrup (or 1/4 teaspoon clear liquid stevia)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Coconut Whipped Cream
Directions
- Mango pureé: In a blender, process all ingredients until smooth.
- Chia pudding: In a 2-cup measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together all ingredients until combined thoroughly. Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.
- Into the bottom of 4 half-pint jars or 1-cup glasses, dispense 1/8 of the mango pureé into each jar or glass. Next, layer 1/4 of the chia pudding into each. Finish distributing the last 1/8 of mango onto each. Top with coconut whipped cream if desired.
- Serve immediately or top with lids and store for up to 3 days.
Pro-tip
- Use other fruits like strawberries, blueberries, and/or raspberries for your pureé.
© Recipe by Allison Rivers Samson, Wellness Coach, award-winning vegan chef and author of Quick + Easy DIY Salad Bar, The Dairy-Freedom Cookbook, Comfortably Yum, and Co-Creator of The Dairy Detox.
