Creamy Superfood Overnight Oats

If you want to maximize your intake of super foods and minimize your prep time, this is about as easy as it gets. Preparing these oats the night before makes your morning a snap, especially because you can take them with you to work or in the car. It's actually less prep than making a smoothie which is where most people try to cram in as many beneficial food supplements as possible to get your nutrient dense breakfast all in one jar. There are a million variations of overnight oats out there so picking your favorite toppings is the only hard part. These literally soak 6-12 hours and become thick and creamy while still retaining some wonderful texture. The addition of chia seed and flax meal really give it some body and the soaking liquid can be modified for vegan diets by using your favorite nut milk, like almond, hemp or coconut for example, and by substituting coconut cream for greek yogurt. I've written out the basic recipe here and included lots of healthy suggestions for keeping it power packed, filling and super easy! I'll be making this for breakfast for the Big Om Yoga Retreat this weekend with a toppings bar and lots of fresh fruit for all of the hungry yogi's that will be practicing. I cooked for this lovely group of people earlier this summer and had a wonderful time being of service, nourishing happy healthy bodies! There's still a couple of days to sign up if you feel the calling to do so. Follow the link above to look at the details for registration - I would love to see you there!

Basic Overnight Oats

For one large serving, or two small. Pick a jar with a glass lid preferably. This hinged clasp jar works perfect but use whatever you either already have on hand, or spend a few dollars investing in one that you love. After all, our food containers are holy vessels and contain our life force!

1|2 c rolled oats (if you are gluten sensitive, make sure your oats are labeled as gluten free)
1|3 c plain greek yogurt or coconut yogurt or coconut cream
2|3 c unsweetened milk of your choice
1-2 T chia seed and ground flax meal
1|2 t vanilla extract or vanilla paste
pinch of salt (I use vanilla salt - it's incredible)
1-2 T natural sweetener such as maple syrup or raw honey (optional)

Mix everything together in a bowl until creamy, then transfer to a glass jar to store in the refrigerator either overnight (preferred) or for at least 4-6 hours.

There are many optional embellishments to take this to another level.
Bee pollen
Hemp hearts
Fresh berries, bananas, mango or figs
Dried fruit like raisins, cranberries, papaya or dates
Coconut flakes
Raw cacao nibs + cacao powder
Pumpkin puree
Cinnamon, nutmeg or clove
Nuts or seeds
Pomegranate
Lemon or orange zest
Almond or pecan butter
Spirulina

These are of course just a few in a line of many. When your oats are ready, choose your favorites and you've got something tasty, creamy and nutritious that will keep your blood sugar steady and give you lots of heart healthy fiber.

ENJOY!

Vanilla Almond Milk

I love making this milk for a number of reasons. It's raw, sweet, creamy and nutty. High in plant based protein and superior to animal sources, the leftovers fill your pantry with almond meal and flour which are my favorite substitutes in creating gluten free dishes. If you make unsweetened almond milk, the dehydrated meal can be used in place of bread crumbs and flour in savory things. Otherwise, I use it in cookies, brownies, pie crust, french toast, oatmeal and granola bars just to name a few! It fills your kitchen with this delicate aroma when it's in the oven. Compare the costs of buying almond milk, meal and flour to one bag of almonds. The math is a no-brainer to make it all yourself. I posted another how-to a while back that you can refer to here if you need another reference. I highly recommend ordering a Rawsome Creations nut milk bag online. These are fair trade, made by hand in Bali, Indonesia. A portion of the profits are donated to the Bumi Sehat Birthing Center and Yayasan Widya Orphanage there. Read Brenda's story and order yours here.

 

INGREDIENTS

2 cups raw, organic almonds

4 cups filtered water

1 tablespoon orange blossom honey 

1 tablespoon bee pollen

1 teaspoon vanilla extract or raw vanilla bean paste scraped from the pod

pinch of sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Soak the almonds for at least 6 hours but preferably overnight. I do this right before I go to bed so that I can make it in the morning for breakfast - so fresh! It's just as delicious at room temperature. The flavors are stronger and the essential oils are fragrant. Drain and rinse the almonds. Put them into a blender and add just enough water to get a thick slurry. Add the honey, bee pollen, sea salt and vanilla and blend well. Slowly add the rest of the water until everything is incorporated. Set out a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 250 degrees.

Take your nut milk bag or several layers of cheesecloth and put it into the opening of a large, widemouth jar. Pour half of the milk through the filter. Gather up the fabric and slowly squeeze the liquid out until the almond meal is dry and crumbly. Pour it out onto your sheet pan. Repeat with the other half of the milk. Crumble and spread the meal out on your pan and pop it into the oven to dehydrate for about 30 minutes. Give it a stir about half way through so that it dries evenly. Allow it to cool completely before storing it in a glass jar in your refrigerator. If you want this to be flour, put it in a food processor for a minute.

Want ideas on how to use the flour | meal? Check out these posts to see how I did!

• Dark Chocolate Super Brownies
• Blueberry Crumble Bars
• Almond Thumbprint Cookies
• Choco-Nut Granola Bars
• Superfood French Toast

ENJOY!

Accessorize Your Food

You can take a simple breakfast and more than double it's nutritional value by adding the right accessories. Let's face it - who doesn't like beautiful food? The art of dressing a plate is something that is often overlooked and underrated. I think that when we take the time (a few extra minutes at most) to create something that is healthy and beautiful to look at, it not only gives us pride in what we are feeding ourselves and our families, but it forces us to be CONSCIOUS about it. It allows us to develop a true relationship, complete with dialogue, with the most important ritual of the day. For example, not everyone has the time or the right ingredients to make something entirely from scratch for every meal. So when you are shopping for your convenient foods, it is important to choose products that are still quick but don't tank on nutrition. You can stock your dry and refrigerated pantries with super food accessories that can ramp up the nutrition by more than half when you add them to your dish. I always keep things like bee pollen, chia seed, flax seed, walnuts, almonds, coconut, nutritional yeast and green powders on hand for exactly this reason. In fact, when you use the right combinations with fresh fruit or vegetables, the accessories themselves can have more nutrition than the base for your meal. 

This was a frozen, organic buckwheat waffle. I added plain greek yogurt for my dressing and topped it with strawberries, walnuts, chia seed, bee pollen, shaved coconut, flax seed and tangelo slices. It was incredible!

• CHIA seed is an energizer that has been used since the American Indians were on desert marches and runs. They would sustain long days with it. You can achieve stamina by roasting and grinding a handful before you exercise or do physical activity. Second to flax seed, it is highest in Omega 3 fatty acids.
• FLAX seed is a decongestant, demulcent, emollient, expectorant, laxative and purgative. It works directly on the digestive tract. They are also energizers. They can relieve asthma, chronic cough, enrich the blood and strengthen nerves. It contains all 8 essential amino acids.
• WALNUTS strengthen the kidneys and lungs and lubricate the large intestine. Astringent and antiseptic, they can address athlete's foot, ringworm and impetigo. They regulate blood sugar and improve metabolism.
• COCONUT contains organic iodine that assists with thyroid function and soothes internal membranes. The water contains the highest, naturally occurring amount of electrolytes known. It is identical to human plasma, making up 55 percent of our blood.
• YOGURT is a known pro-biotic and contains millions of beneficial living bacteria that assist our digestive tracts. It is high in protein and organisms that keep our gut happy. The plain variety treats candida overgrowth and is low in sugar, which is optimal.
• BERRIES are the powerhouses of the fruit family containing large quantities of vitamin C, retinols, and easily digestible fiber that requires little energy from the body as they are almost immediately assimilated. They are astringent and laxative. They clean the blood and the skin.
• BEE POLLEN is always best when consumed locally. It aligns the immune system with the local pollen and allergens and helps create a resistance to foreign particles. It is incredibly antibiotic, anabolic, antifatigue, anti-infective, diuretic, nervine, stimulates immune response and is certainly one of the most essential items you should have in your pantry.