The year 2016 has started off pretty well for us. Many new ventures, ideas and plans began to take shape in January, and this month’s execution has been wonderfully progressive. This also means we have been incredibly busy, but its an exciting adventure which we both eagerly look forward to.
While on the topic of good beginnings, today I will help you serve the ultimate healthy breakfast any busy woman will appreciate – and one I swear by daily!
This is the perfect breakfast recipe for all owls out there like me. It’s really as simple as dumping all the ingredients together the night before, refrigerate and breakfast is ready for you in the morning.
My average bedtime is no earlier than 2 am unfortunately, and so habituated I am to it, that even when I don’t need to be, I am still awake till the wee hours in the morning – so you can imagine my fondness for this recipe!
Oats come from fiber-heaven and are loaded with all kinds of goodness for your body and soul. It is gentle on your stomach yet filling enough to stop you from grabbing that office maska bun, gives you a feel good sweet factor in the morning, clears your mind and (most importantly for me) it’s the easiest hassle free way to start the morning.
Side note: The Dukan diet, among many other diets, also prescribes oats for breakfast. (Kate Middleton followed this diet to get her wedding figure!)
When you open up your mason jar, gently stir all the ingredients together and eat your way through! You can even make different flavours for each person in the house with minimum efforts.
Always purchase steel cut oats and not the pre-packaged oatmeal (it has added sugar, preservatives and God knows what else!). Make this recipe once and I know you will be hooked to this breakfast!
This is a cold dish – and this can get as creamy as you like – depending upon the kind of milk. You can substitute with almond milk, coconut milk, lactose-free milk, soya milk and if it’s for the children, lovely calcium rich whole milk! Instead of brown sugar, you can use honey or sugar free.
I use seasonal fresh fruit, my favourite being strawberry and mango. I call them overnight, as they taste best the morning after, but even just an hour later it tastes just as good.
You can even add peanut butter and/or fresh fruit jam (I do not recommend packaged ones for obvious reasons). This is one recipe that does not require proper measurements and goes completely by your own tastes. And anytime you are in doubt – just add chocolate chips and you know it will be literally inhaled!
Use a base formula of oats+seasonings+fruit+crunch (nuts and seeds):
Step 1:
Place the oats at the bottom of the jar/bowl. Add in the sweetener (brown sugar/honey/sugarfree/agave syrup) and any other seasonings (cinnamon/vanilla/flavoured essences).
Step 2:
Pour in the milk, ensuring it covers the oats and a bit more.
Step 3:
Add in the fruits on top.
Step 4:
Sprinkle over the nuts and/or seeds.
I give you here seven flavours – one for each day of the week:
1. Cherry Pie Overnight Oats
2. Mango Pina Colada Overnight Oats
3. Strawberry Overnight Oats
4. Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
5. Apple Pie Overnight Oats
6. Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
7. Chickoo + Dates Overnight Oats
