My dear friend Lyndsay and I often talk about what recipes we've tried recently. She's graduating from a master's program in nutrition and constantly inspires me. Here's one of her favorites:
In Lyndsay's words:
This is my absolute favorite recipe for a yummy and nourishing oatmeal that I make every single week. It feels especially cozy to eat while the temperatures continue to fall here in Washington state.
First, I should note the importance of soaking oats overnight (and really, all of our grains). This is because grains contain a coating to prevent premature sprouting. Though not potentially harmful, it does two things to us - it blocks the nutrients from the grain from absorbing into our bodies, and it disrupts our digestion.
So, how do you soak? Add 1 cup of old-fashioned or steel-cut oats to about 2 cups of water mixed with 2 TBS ACV (or other acidic solutions like yogurt, kefir, etc. - the acidic environment allows the coating to break down). Soak overnight and let the ACV do its work!
In the am, drain and rinse and use for this recipe:
-1 C soaked oats
-1 C plant milk (almond, coconut, hemp, and
cashew all work nicely here)
-1 1/3-1/2 C water
-1/2 tsp cinnamon (OR pumpkin pie spice
OR your favorite spice blend)
-2 bananas, sliced
-2 TBS ground flax seed
-optional toppings: chia seeds, hemp seeds, maca powder,
frozen, fresh, or stewed berries, nuts or nut butter,
shredded coconut, honey, or maple syrup
Add oats, plant milk, water, cinnamon, and one of the bananas (thinly sliced) to a pot. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat to simmer for about 8 minutes (stir as needed and be careful not to let it boil over as the plant milk will want to do this). Add the second sliced banana and the flaxseed and cook for up to another 5 minutes or so (depending on if you like it thicker or not - cook longer for thicker). Remove from heat. Portion out and top as desired.
Oatmeal is one of those classic, comfort foods but is there any other benefits to eating them? Well, oats are high in soluble fiber (your digestion will thank you), they keep you feeling fuller longer, they contain lots of antioxidants, and they are loaded with vitamins and minerals.
I’m telling you - once you make this, it will be a regular in your house!! Let me know if you make it and how you like it.
**NOTE: If you forget to soak your oats the night before, don’t worry! You can absolutely enjoy them without soaking them first. :)
Recipe adapted from PickUpLimes.com