This has been my quarantine breakfast and I thought I’d share it with you today! I’m going to tell you exactly how I make my oat and chia breakfast bowl and then different ideas for topping and extras, so that you can make this too, using what you have on hand.
Oats: I use either old fashioned rolled oats or steel cut oats for this recipe. Sometimes I make just one serving for Greg and I for breakfast, and sometimes I make this in bulk, and just reheat for breakfast each morning.
Chia seeds: so, why add chia seeds instead of just using oats? I usually like to keep my recipes on the simple end, using whole every day ingredients that most people have on hand. While chia seeds may seem like an unnecessary ingredient, I find them to be a ‘worth it’ ingredient to keep on hand in my kitchen. Just one tablespoon of these tiny seeds added to my morning oats gives me an extra 3 grams of protein, 5 grams of dietary fiber and 3 grams of healthy fats. That one tablespoon packs a nutritional punch and helps me to feel more satisfied, keeps me full longer, and provides healthy fuel for my body. I recommend adding the chia seeds, but you could totally make this breakfast bowl without the chia seeds.
Cooking liquid: I use water or coconut milk or a combination of both. Use any type of milk that you like, or just water.
Toppings: I have been using chopped apple, cinnamon, peanut butter, hemp seeds and flax seeds. I highly recommend that combination, as it is both delicious and nutrient dense, but if you don’t like or don’t have some of those things, here are some other ideas to try: any fresh fruit (berries would be great in the summer, bananas would also be good), almond butter, chopped nuts (almonds, pecans or walnuts would be so good), dried fruit (cranberries, raisins or apricots would be great), coconut. One other thing to note is that I do not sweeten my oat and chia bowl in any way. If you like things to be a bit sweet, I would recommend a drizzle of honey or pure maple syrup on top.
Soaking the grains: one thing that I do before cooking these oats, or any grain, is soak them. This step is totally optional – you could definitely make this without soaking the oats and chia seeds – but here’s a bit of information on why and how I soak before cooking. I love getting nutrition info and inspiration from Sarah at My New Roots, and according to Sarah, soaking grains before cooking them helps them to be a more health-supportive food and source of energy. Soaking them helps with nutrient absorption and ease of digestion. Check out this post on her Instagram for more details on the how and why of soaking grains. Below, I’ll describe how I soak the oats and chia seeds for this recipe.
Oat and Chia Breakfast Bowl
Oats, seeds, peanut butter and apples combine to make a warming, comforting, and nourishing breakfast bowl!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1 cup cooking liquid, water or milk of choice
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1-2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 1 apple, chopped
- 1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
Instructions
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OPTIONAL: put oats and chia seeds in a jar or container, cover in water and soak for 30 minutes to overnight.
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Drain oat and chia mixture and rinse well. Add oats and chia seeds to a pot over medium heat. Cover with water and bring to a light boil. Turn heat down and simmer until oats are soft and have absorbed all water. Add water and continue cooking until desired thickness/texture.
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OPTIONAL: I like turning off the heat, putting a lid on the pot and letting the oats sit covered for 5-10 minutes. This makes them creamier.
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Add oats to a bowl and top with peanut butter, chopped apple, cinnamon, hemp seeds and flax seeds.
Recipe Notes
The amounts listed above will make one generous breakfast bowl. Double, triple, etc. as needed.
This breakfast bowl is so customizable based on what you have/what you like. Try using other fruit, seeds, nut butters, etc.