Paleo diets have been growing popularity the past couple of years, I’ve gone seasons without grains occasionally. Of course, there are some grains I always skip: wheat and corn as well as all other gluten products. While I agree that going grain-free can be good for resting the digestive tract, oatmeal has continued to be staple in our home for years. Just about everyone in our family enjoys starting the day with a small bowl of oatmeal in the cooler months. This is one meal we can all eat – our favorite flavors are classic with raw apples, 100% maple syrup and a pinch of cinnamon. We make sure our oats are gluten-free and not processed in a wheat facility. Oats are originally a grain that looks similar to wheat grains, but they are rolled flat to get that classic “rolled oat” appearance. A friend of mine has an attachment for her mixer that actually rolls the oats fresh – it’a an amazing treat but not one I’ve splurged on yet. For now, we’re content with the store bought rolled oats, organic of course.
Ancient cultures for centuries have typically soaked grains overnight before eating them. On each of our visits to India, our friends made us a fermented-type of rice dish called Idli. Soaking the grains overnight breaks down the protein in the outer shell of the grain making it easier to digest than an un-soaked grain. If you have trouble processing grains, you might want to consider trying a soak-overnight-method and make sure you get organic grains. More and more grains are becoming contaminated with Glyphosate, the generic chemical name of pesticide in Round Up Weed Killer that is sprayed on Monsanto’s Round-Up ready GMO plants. Recent studies have found Glyphosate is showing up on neighboring crops which has made it’s way into consumer goods, it’s not a healthy situation. Glyphosate has been found in wines, cereals, even baby food.
All that said, buy your oats organic! Soak them, add some super fruits, seeds and nuts and you’ll have a great start to your day. You can mix and match your add-ins before or after soaking. Just keep in mind you’ll need to add more liquid if you’re adding dried fruit or chia seeds.
Ingredients
- 1/4 C Rolled Oats, Organic and Gluten-Free
- 1/4 C Purified water, coconut milk or coconut water
- 2-4 T fresh, frozen or dried berries
- Optional Add-Ins: 1 tsp pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, almonds, walnuts, or other nuts and seed, pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg or cardamom.
Instructions
- Place oats in a ceramic or glass dish with a lid. Cover with purified water or coconut milk/water. Gently stir in berries keeping them whole or crushing them depending on your preference. If you add dried fruit or chia seeds, add 4 times their amount in liquid. For example, if you add 1 tsp of chia seeds, add an additional 4 tsp of liquid to the mixture. Dried fruits and chia seeds absorb a great deal of liquids.
- Leave on the counter or in the fridge overnight.
- In the morning, eat as they are or heat them gently on the stove just enough to warm them.
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