Overnight Oats Ingredients: 1/2 cup of rolled oats, steel-cut oats or old-fashioned oats (not quick or instant oats) 1/2 cup of a liquid, such as milk, soy milk or almond milk Tbsp of chia seeds Tbsp of dried fruit Mix ingredients in a container with a lid, such as a mason jar, and refrigerate it for at least three hours. The next morning, your oats should be ready to enjoy. Add a small handful of nuts and a sprinkle of flax seeds.
Chia Seed Breakfast Bowl I like mashed banana in this because it thickens the mixture while adding a lot of volume. If you aren’t a banana fan, you can omit it, but you might need to reduce the milk and I also suggest adding in your own sweetener and/or other fruit in its place. This porridge is especially creamy when made with Almond Milk. The thickness of the chia pudding will vary based on the kind of almond milk you use, so you can add more if necessary. If your pudding is too thin for you liking you can add more chia seeds and let it sit for 10 more minutes. Finally, if you aren’t a fan of the tapioca-like texture of chia seed pudding, try blending it until smooth.
Yield: 2 servings INGREDIENTS: Chia mixture 4 tbsp chia seeds 1 – 1.25 cups almond milk 2 small bananas, chopped small 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract two pinches of cinnamon TOPPINGS: 2 tbsp raw buckwheat groats, soaked 2 tbsp raisins, soaked 2 tbsp whole raw almonds, chopped and soaked couples pinches of cinnamon 2 tbsp hemp seeds
Mash bananas in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in chia seeds. Whisk in the almond milk, vanilla, and cinnamon until combined. Place in fridge overnight to thicken.
Add buckwheat groats, raisins, and chopped almonds into another bowl. Cover in water and soak overnight in the fridge or on the counter.
In the morning, place your desired amount of chia pudding into a bowl. (Note: at this point, you can blend your chia pudding if a smooth texture is desired, but I don’t bother). You can add more almond milk if you want to thin it out in the morning. Or, if it’s too thin, add more chia seeds to thicken it up. Drain and rinse the buckwheat/almond/raisin mixture. Sprinkle on top of chia mixture along with a pinch of cinnamon and a tablespoon of hemp seeds. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup, if desired. Store leftovers in the fridge for 1-2 days.
Homemade Hot Rice Cereal (enough for a few breakfasts) Ingredients: 4 cups short-grain or long organic brown rice 1⁄4 teaspoon salt (optional)
In clean, dry skillet (preferably cast iron) toast brown rice on medium heat. Lower heat if rice starts to smoke.
Toast rice for about 10 minutes, stirring constantly so that grains do not burn. Rice should turn a medium brown. Set aside to cool slightly.
In blender fitted with steel blade ( I use my Vitamix, but a regular lender can work) grind browned rice to the consistency of medium coarse cornmeal (grainy but not powdered). The grinding process will have to be done in 3/4 cup portions to allow the rice grains to grind effectively.
Place ground rice cereal in airtight container or "ziploc" bag to store. The cereal must be kept either refrigerated or frozen.
To prepare hot cereal: In small saucepan with 1 cup of rapidly boiling, salted water gradually add 1/3 cup prepared brown rice cereal using a fork to stir well. *For thinner consistency cereal, either increase amount of water, or reduce amount of cereal. Continue to cook rice on high for about 30 seconds breaking up any lumps. Reduce heat until boiling subsides, cover pan tightly and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with your favorite toppings if desired. Season with salt if necessary. My favorite additions are toasted nuts, raisins and cinnamon!