I haven’t always been a super fan of oatmeal. It’s like one of those “health” foods you’re forced to think you love (or hope you love) just for the sake of being healthy. Kind of like kale.
Well, that all changed in the last few years when I discovered how to properly prepare oatmeal.
Oh yah, and slather butter all over it.
For the sake of healthy blood sugar, of course.
Soaking the oats decreases the cook time, increases the nutritional boost and makes for a more digestible version. So good.
Have you ever soaked your oats? Besides in butter silly!
The reason it’s best to soak your oats overnight is to allow you to get all the health benefits of the oats and the toppings you pour all over your morning bowl of glory.
Oats (as well as nuts, seeds, legumes and all whole grains) contain phytates, or phytic acid. These are basically the plants protective mechanism, that’s how I like to think of it. They bind to minerals in the surrounding foods and rather than you absorbing those life-giving minerals, your body excretes them along with the phytic acid.
That’s no good in my book. We need all the minerals we can get, especially if you are trying to prepare for conception, pregnant, nursing, or are a growing little human.
Moral of the story: soak your oats my friend!
Ok, that’s enough on that. Back to my semi-affection for oatmeal.
I believe I started making soaked oatmeal more when I got pregnant. I definitely had more of a desire for grains whereas prior to getting pregnant, I limited them in my diet.
I would make soaked oatmeal and also a healthier version of muesli that was absolutely divine (check out the recipe I use here)!
Since oatmeal is a grain and grains tend to create quite the rise in our blood sugar, I always add plenty of healthy fats and usually have some protein in or along side my oats. You can add butter (duh) or ghee, your favorite nut butter, Collagen Peptides, coconut oil, chia seeds, or avocado (yes, it’s true and it’s so good! My dear friend Heidi from Open Heart Wellness turned me on to this delicious addition!).
Often times I’ll also serve a fried eggs or some breakfast sausages on the side to help up the protein to hold us over longer (oatmeal tends to keep me satisfied for all of an hour or two before I’m hungry again!).
I recently found a baked oatmeal recipe to make for my brother-in-law on his recent visit from Georgia. He adores oatmeal so he was an easy test subject, but I’m pretty sure I rocked out his oatmeal obsession.
What I love most about this recipe is that though there seem to be quite a few ingredients, the recipe is super simple. And quick.
Well, we loved it too. And made it again this week.
This recipe is perfect for nourishing pregnant and nursing moms, especially with butter on top! It’s also great for growing kiddos and a super easy breakfast for busy adults.
I love how versatile this recipe is, too. You can use pears or strawberries in place of the apple and even add dried fruit if you’d like (this adds sugar which is why I opted out).
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