I’m trying to make breakfast really interesting for my family, with two daughters, who swing from really healthy one minute, to doorstep bacon butties the next ….. I’m really challenged when trying to cater for their needs.
We’re done with Bircher muesli for the time being, so I’ve developed another recipe that I think is quite simple, simple being the key word. It is the same principle as Bircher muesli where you soak the oats overnight. The new term is ‘Overnight oats’ I believe, basically it’s oats that have been soaked overnight in milk or water. As they soak overnight they soften, which results in the starches breaking down and their natural phytic acid is greatly reduced. Thus making them more easily absorbed by your body, and greatly improving their digestibility.
Oats are an obvious choice for breakfast – they are high in magnesium, fibre, plant-based protein, potassium, and they contain absolutely no sugar. This makes them a true virtue for healthy morning meals and they’re also cheap.
In this recipe I’ve turned my ‘overnight oats’ into a breakfast pudding, a little bit like an Eton mess without the meringue and all the other bits have been substituted with healthy alternatives.
My recipe is designed for lactose and gluten intolerance as we have both in my family, but you could just use the regular oats and milk if preferred.
Ingredients – for the overnight soak
50g gluten free oats
250ml soya or almond milk
½ banana, cut into chunks (I used frozen, ones I’d frozen myself)
1 tbsp ground linseeds (flaxseeds)
Ingredients to add to the oats in the morning
1 tbsp honey – optional
2 tbsp soya yoghurt – or natural organic milk yoghurt
Fruit of your choice
Frozen berries – pureed to form a coulis at the bottom or leave them whole
Mango slices or figs – depending on the season to garnish at the top
Sprinkle of grated almonds or pistachio’s – nuts of your choice
Preparation instructions
- In a bowl combine the oats, milk, (cows milk or otherwise – it doesn’t make a difference), add the ground linseed and the bananas cut into chunks. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- In the morning stir in the honey if preferred, you may find the sweetness already to your liking. Followed by some yoghurt to loosen the consistency as required. Set aside.
- In the individual serving bowl add the mixed berries, lightly mashed. If they’re a little tart you could add the honey to the fruit instead.
- Now spoon the oats mixture over the berries and then add the fruit of choice on top, finish with a garnish of a few nuts.
- Leave at room temperature for half an hour, time permitting, or pack into a small tupperware container and pack for breakfast at work or school.
Kumud Gandhi is a Nutritional Food Scientist bestselling Author, Broadcaster, and Keynote Speaker on the subject of nutritional health for productivity & performance in the workplace. In 2010 Kumud founded ‘The Cooking Academy’ a cookery school that focusses on cooking for nutritional health and wellbeing. Kumud regularly presents to international audiences on a variety of topics such as ‘Eating for Immunity and a Lifetime of Wellness’. She is an expert in the field of Wellness in the Workplace and works with organizations to create transformational change in employee health & well-being through nutrition and health coaching.
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