Vegan Overnight Oats recipe
I like knowing what’s good about the food that I am eating but to be frank with you nothing could probably convince me to have overnight soaked oats if I wasn’t backpacking Malaysia with no access to cooking facilities for over two months. On the other hand, I must admit, the unquestionable advantage of changing my location to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia is that all the exotic fruits I never encountered are on my doorstep in their full availability and do not cause a severe damage to the wallet. Despite the hot climate oats are still my number one option if I feel hungry in the morning or if I plan working out on that day. Besides, this it is one of the products that most probably you will able to get almost everywhere around the globe. Well, I guess not having stow can turn to your benefit if your are hungry enough and determined to stay healthy!
My favourite summer option (or when in a hot and humid climate like the one I live in right now) is a thirst satisfying fresh and juicy breakfast that is neither too sweet nor too bland and you can enjoy it to the last bite! Isn’t it too much to ask you might ponder. I admit of being a big fan of fruit based breakfasts, but as you can judge from the title I also advocate for the oats. The reason is that oats not only keep you satisfied for a long time but the high fiber and complex carbohydrates slow down the conversion of oats to simple sugars and the high levels of magnesium nourishes the body’s proper use of glucose and insulin secretion. In other words you stay cheerful and happy until the next meal and at the same time it reduces a risk of any sweet cravings you might encounter in the afternoon otherwise.
What I always look out for when buying oats is to follow the general rule that says ‘the larger the flake the better’. I use organic, coarse and big in size oats as the less processed they are, the more nutrients they retain and the slower they will be to digest and keep you on the healthy eating track.
Another ingredient I use in this recipe is a mix of seeds. Not only it adds an interesting, crunchy texture to the dish but it also is an extra energy and dietary fiber source and helps to ensure that your fat intake comes from healthy unsaturated fat source. The mix I use at the moment includes sunflower, pumpkin and flaxseeds packed with good fats, antioxidant-rich vitamin E, selenium and copper, all crucial elements in supporting heart health and balancing troublesome cellular damage. Moreover when soaking them overnight the seeds become easier to digest and it eases the absorption of the nutrients by your body.
Now half through the post it is safe to make a confession — I am a sweet tooth and I tend to choose sweet breakfast over anything if given an option. To satisfy my liking in this recipe I added Goji berries for the ‘sweetness surprise’ effect. Apart from the obviously delightful sweetness in them, Goji berries are pretty unique among fruits. They contain all essential amino acids and the highest concentration of protein of any fruit. Rich in vitamin C, and fiber they have 15 times more the amount of iron found in spinach, as well as calcium, zinc, and selenium. That’s enough to convince me to stock up on those!
I almost forgot to mention my secret touch ingredient to this recipe- the virgin coconut oil (unbleached and cold pressed) it adds the effect of creaminess transforming the entire experience to the level of almost a comfort food type of breakfast. In addition coconut oil does wonders to your skin, nail and hair so there is no need to ever feel too bad about using it sparingly.
Here comes the moment to introduce the key player in this breakfast option — pink fleshed dragon fruit. It also goes under a pseudonym of Pitaya, a truly stunning fruit with a dazzling shape and a colour. You would be surprised how splendidly juicy and fresh it is and combined with the innocent taste of a mild Mangosteen it creates just a perfect marriage to please both the eye and the taste buds. I have to say apart from visuals it is also a good natural source of anti-oxidants, vitamin C and fiber. It comes in varied shapes and colours yet my favourite is the pink flashed one simply because of its much noticeable and intense taste as oppose to the white one available in Europe.
On top of having a mild but slightly spiky taste, something along the lines of lychee fruit, Mangosteen also amazes with properties. It is a rich source of fiber and carbohydrates. It also has a high content of vitamin A and vitamin C as well as iron, calcium and potassium. I sincerely hope that it convinced all even those of you that felt strongly against the overnight soaked oats just like me before. Would you believe that I made this breakfast first and only later learned about all the incredible benefits of the ingredients? How not to trust your body instincts I am asking?
Ingredients
• 1 cup of organic rolled oats
• 1 tablespoon of mixed seeds (I use flaxseed, pumpkin and sunflower mix)
• 1 teaspoon of dried Goji berries
• 1 tablespoon of coconut virgin oil (cold pressed, unbleached)
• 1/2 of a ripen pink dragon fruit
• 3 Mangosteens
• mineral water
Method
Stage 1
First things first, you need to put oats, seeds and Goji berries in a bowl then add mineral water. I like my oats to be nice and fluffy so I always make sure to leave enough of mineral water for them to drink it overnight. I usually pour enough to cover them and then a little bit more so they can have the extra liquid if needed. The next step is to add a tablespoon of coconut virgin oil and mix it throughout. Make sure that it blended well so the flavour will get distributed throughout the entire dish. That’s how simple it is. Now you can drift away into your dreams and the breakfast will be almost ready when you wake up.
Stage 2
All you need to do before digging into the bowl is to peel and dice your dragon fruit. I like to scoop it out with a small teaspoon so it adds to a nice effect of different textures and shapes in the final product. Then just crack open your Mangosteens separate them, don’t forget to remove a piece with the seed, it is almost impossible to get rid of it otherwise, and add it into the bowl. I usually give it another stir just to make sure that all the ingredients blended well for the fusion of colours and voilà! It is really to be served! An effortless and exotic take on your overnight oats. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I do!
