Power Packed Morning Oats

For many people, porridge in winter is a staple, and for good reason. It’s warm, it’s a nutrient power house if prepared properly, and it’s a comforting way to start the day. However the rolled oats single serving packs, where you add water and then micorwave, are a little less than desirable on the nutrition front.

This simple recipe combines oats and chia, to increase the protein in this meal and keep you going for longer. It soaks the oats and chia overnight (though if you’re pushed for time you can omit this step) making it very gentle on the digestion. It’s sweetened with apple and maple syrup or honey rather than tablespoons of white or brown sugar, and further flavoured with cinammon, ginger and nutmeg. A power packed start to your morning. Yum!

Morning Oats

Serves 1

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of organic or gluten free rolled oats

1T chia seeds

1 cup of almond milk, coconut milk or some other type of nut milk or filtered water

1tsp ground cinammon

1/2tsp grated nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground ginger

A squeeze of lemon or lime juice

A pinch of sea salt

TOPPING

1/2 apple, grated

1T maple syrup or honey (optional)

2T coconut yoghurt (optional)

2T nuts of your choice (walnuts and hemp hearts are our favourite for this recipe)

Ground cinammon to serve

Directions:

1. If you have time the night before put the chia and the oats in a bowl, pour in enough water to cover and soak overnight. If not simply add the chia and oats to the saucepan in the morning with the nut milk and water.

2. The next morning combine this mixture with the nut milk or water in a saucepan. Bring to the boil over a high heat and then reduce to a simmer on a medium heat for 10-12 mins until the oats are soft.

3. Stir in the cinammon, ginger, nutmeg and sea salt and more nut milk if needed.

4. Serve the chia oats into a bowl and top with grated apple (or cooked apples), honey or maple syrup, nuts and coconut yoghurt if desired.