Recipe and photo courtesy of: Clean Food Dirty City
We LOVE breakfast and this recipe makes us want to eat it for every meal of the day. Overnight oats is an easy way to put a twist on your basic oatmeal and makes perfect grab-and-go meal! Combine rolled oats and chia seeds with delicious fresh fruit and you have a breakfast that you will absolutely fall in love with.
A little known fact is that oats are a secret superfood! You may not realize it, but plain old oatmeal benefits your health in tons of different ways! First off, oatmeal was ranked the #1 breakfast food in an epidemiological study evaluating the satiety levels. It leaves you feeling full and satisfied and studies have shown that it has a stimulating affect on the immune system that supports stronger responses to the defense of disease causing pathogens. The soluble fiber in oats, beta-glucan, increases the functioning of your digestive tract, promotes good colon health, and helps lower cholesterol. AWESOME.
Chia seeds are everywhere these days as they have become a pretty big trend in the health food world, and this is a trend we hope sticks around! Chia seeds are primarily used to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The essential fatty acids, antioxidants and dietary fiber in this herbal supplement have shown promise in reducing systolic blood pressure and preventing the onset of high cholesterol, effects that may improve your overall cardiovascular health. In addition, studies suggest that the oils in the chia seeds may also have anti-cancer properties. So many amazing properties jam-packed in one little seed!
Oats and chia make up the base of this recipe, but top it off with the raspberry jam mixture, banana, and almond butter, and you get added flavor and protein that no one can complain about! Mix up a big batch and keep it in your fridge for breakfast-to-go any day of the week…we know we will!
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (alternately, you can use unsweetened almond milk and add a dash of vanilla)
- 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
- 1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
- Squeeze of lemon
- 1 banana, sliced
- Raw almond butter
- Granola
Directions:
- In a jar, combine the chia seeds, rolled oats, and unsweetened vanilla almond milk. Add a squeeze of honey or agave nectar to taste.
- Mix well and stick in the fridge to soak overnight. The mixture will thicken as the chia seeds expand.
- Combine raspberries, honey, and lemon in a jar. Use the back of a spoon to mash the mixture together until it creates a jam-like consistency. (If you are using frozen raspberries, run them under warm water to make them easier to mash).
- Stick in the fridge.
- In the morning, mix the chia overnight oats to evenly combine.
- Use two glass jars and gradually add each layer to the jar. Begin with a layer of the chia oat mixture, top that with raspberry jam, and then layer of sliced banana.
- Add the remaining chia oat mixture and top with almond butter and a sprinkling granola for a little crunch factor.
- Alternately, arrange chia oat mixture with raspberry jam and toppings in a bowl as pictured.
- Enjoy!
Sources:
Pink Ribbon Cooking
Clean Food Dirty City
Livestrong
