Chia Seeds: Use more or less chia seeds depending on your desired thickness. If making instant vanilla chia pudding, then you may want to use ⅓ cup and add water only as needed, since it won't have significant time to thicken. White chia seeds provide a light tan color. If using black chia seeds, it will affect the color, but not the taste.
Sweetener: Raw honey (paleo), agave (vegan), maple syrup (adds a maple-y flavor), or plain sugar all work great in this recipe. But to keep the added sugars down, I sometimes use 1 tablespoon honey + 20 drops
vanilla stevia.
Lite Coconut Milk Alternatives: I use lite canned coconut milk because it's cheap, convenient, natural, and has a good half and half consistency. You can substitute your favorite dairy-free creamer or milk beverage. If using milk beverage, omit the water, or only add it as needed. The pudding won't be as rich. You can alternatively use full-fat coconut milk, or use ½ cup full-fat coconut milk + ½ cup water in place of the 1 cup lite coconut milk.