I’ve been obsessed with cardamom lately. Maybe it’s the fact that cardamom-inspired recipes keep popping up on Instagram, and I spend waaay too much of my time there. Maybe it’s because cardamom is the perfect spice to counteract cold, icy days when you don’t want to go outside. Either way, I’m loving it.

I decided to make cardamom chia pudding last night. My favorite part about the recipe is that you can make it the night before, and then wake up to pudding in the morning. I topped mine with some grapefruit, blackberries and nuts, but feel free to get creative with toppings. Raspberries and blueberries would also work well.

On a semi-related note, I’ve started watching “A Chef’s Life” on PBS and I’m addicted. It tells the story of Vivian Howard, a chef who grew up in rural North Carolina, worked in New York City and then moved back to her hometown to start a restaurant. I like how the show reveals the more unglamorous aspects of the restaurant industry and humanizes fine dining.

Howard sources most of her ingredients from local farms. She has rapport with farmers and it’s clear that she cares about the land. Her approach to cooking is one that more chefs in the U.S. should follow: embrace what’s local and seasonal. Like Howard says in one episode, she used to try to convince farmers in North Carolina to grow Jerusalem artichokes and other ingredients that she missed from her time in New York. Then, she realized that she could make dishes that were equally delicious with regional ingredients.

The theme song of the show is by The Avett Brothers, a band that started in North Carolina. Here’s one of my favorite songs by them.

Cardamom Chia Pudding (from me, to you)

Ingredients

2 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp honey
grapefruit slices, blackberries, pistachios and toasted almond slices for topping

Directions

Combine the chia seeds, almond milk, cardamom and honey in a bowl. Cover the bowl and let it sit overnight in the refrigerator.

In the morning, stir the pudding and place in a serving bowl. Top with grapefruit, blackberries, pistachios and toasted almond slices. Enjoy!