What Makes Oatmeal a Balanced Breakfast?

My particular recipe brings the trifecta into the entire meal. You have your starch which is your oats, you get your fats from the variable seeds & toppings, and some protein from my favorite collagen! Ensuring your body receives the three main macronutrients allows proper fuel for your brain and body to function in the morning.

How to Create Variety in your Daily Morning Meal?

In the morning I always make sure I have a source of fat to fuel my brain. The source is most often nut butter or seeds. In this recipe it is both, but be careful to not make the same thing every morning. Rather create a morning meal with variety, balance, and moderation. Meaning, you make small switches here and there of certain ingredients allowing your body to intake a variable number of nutrients rather than just the same ones all the time. I know we are creatures of habit but it is beneficial to push your taste buds out of their comfort zone.

When we fuel with balance and variety we allow our bodies to uptake the variable number of micronutrients and macronutrients on a daily basis. Eating the same thing day in and day out limits our nutrient intake which long term can cause deficiencies in our bodies.

Milla’s Tips & Tricks to Creating Variety:

1. I make sure to switch up which nuts & seeds you use daily

   • I typically will grind the seeds in a blender for easy mixing & digestive purposes
   • Chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, hemp seeds, flax seeds, etc.
   • Walnuts, almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, psyllium husk, buckwheat, etc.
   • Gerb’s has a 5 & 7 seed blend you can buy HERE if you don’t want to buy all of these ingredients separately

2. Switch up the nut butter drizzle

   • Peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, roasted coconut butter, etc.

3. Switch up your toppings daily

   • Coconut chips
   • Cacao Nibs
   • Cinnamon, Cardamom, Pumpkin Spice, etc.
   • Fresh berries
   • Any chopped fruit

Remember make things easy on yourself and batch make the oatmeal ahead of time. You can make two pots so you can have different nuts and seeds in one versus the other. Then you can dress it up in whatever way your heart desires with your toppings of choice! Find the main recipe below or if you prefer overnight oats check out THIS RECIPE!

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Read Below Before Making Bread:

I may shock you a bit because this “bread” contains zero flour. Its jam packed with nuts and seeds meaning you get some crazy nutrition packed into one slice of bread! The best part is the versatility that comes with baking this bread! Basically start taking out all of the nuts and seeds you have in your pantry and placing them on the counter. Now we can throw together this loaf asap. I will let you know now the key ingredient here is going to be the psyllium husk. This is one ingredient you CAN NOT SUBSTITUTE! I REPEAT DO NOT SUBSTITUTE THE PSYLLIUM HUSK. You can get it from Whole Foods & even Sprouts typically in the supplement aisle as it is known to be an aid in digestion. If you don’t have either of these stores nearby or you can buy it HERE.

This recipe was adapted from the classic My New Roots Nut & Seed Bread. I played with some things in my own pantry to make it work to my own taste buds!

WHAT IS PSYLLIUM HUSK?

Psyllium is also known by the name Ispaghula and commonly known for its laxative properties. However, it’s shown to be beneficial to the heart and pancreas as well. And let me put you at east. No you’re not going to be running to the bathroom after eating this bread.

How Psyllium Works In The Body:

Once psyllium lands in your gut it soaks up water and makes your bowel movements much “smoother”. If you know what it mean. This means it can be added to promote better digestive health if necessary. It is also a prebiotic fiber which is what your colon needs to build your probiotic colonies! Building your gut health with good bacteria is essential for immune support to allow your body to fight infection, reduce inflammation, and maintain your overall health.

For this bread it is the binder of all things nuts and seeds which is why you absolutely can not miss this ingredient!

Favorite NUT & SEED Combos:

Pumpkin Seeds – They are known to have higher levels of zinc than most seeds. These seeds are also a good source of vitamin K & riboflavin. Other minerals you can find include iron, magnesium, manganese, copper, & phosphorus.

Sunflower Seeds – excellent amount of vitamin E with a one ounce serving providing 47% of you daily intake value. Additionally, you get folate, thiamine, vitamin B6, and some magnesium from these little guys. Also, studies have shown the phytosterols are linked to lowered levels of blood cholesterol.

Flax Seeds – there are two types, golden and brown. Both have similar nutritional properties of being high in fiber. High fiber content promotes regular bowel movements similar to the chia seed. They do contain phytoestrogens which can affect people in different ways. If you are wanting to reduce dietary estrogen then chia seeds may be a better alternative. Also, you will find a high ratio of Omega-3’s which are essential for proper brain and cardiovascular health.

Chia Seeds – all the benefits on these guys can be found HERE.

Hemp Seeds – These contain a ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 of 4:1. Meaning, they are known for their high amounts of essential fatty acids compared to other seeds. They are also a good source of vitamin E, and good amounts of magnesium, calcium, iron, sulfur, and zinc.

Walnuts – Found to be high in manganese, and a good source of lecithin, vitamin E, folate, vitamin B6, copper, magnesium and phosphorous. Also they have high antioxidant polyphenol compounds with a capacity to directly hinder the DNA binding of certain carcinogens. They also contain high amounts of Omega-3’s. (more on Omega’s here)

Brazil Nuts – excellent source of selenium, and supports thyroid function. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that helps combat oxidative stress in the body. As well as encouraging metal detoxification specifically mercury.

Almonds – amazing source of riboflavin, vitamin E, niacin, manganese, magnesium, and phosphorous.

Pecans – like walnuts they too have high amounts of manganese. A micronutrient important for the normal functioning of the brain and proper activity of the nervous system. Also they have found a high amount of thiamine in them which additionally support nerve-related conditions.

Hazelnuts – also high in vitamin E and Manganese more so than pecans. Additionally you can find a good source of thiamine, Vitamin b6, folate, copper, and magnesium in them as well!

Switch Ups & Storage:

You do not have to stick to this nut & seed combination if you have others you’d like to use. By all means go for it and let me know how yours turns out! I’ve placed the measurements in grams as well because you can essentially add up all of the seeds in grams. Simply pour in the total weight of seeds into one bowl to make things easy on yourself if you are using nuts or seeds that are not in the recipe! I like to use a simple kitchen scale like this one. PLUS you have less measuring cups to clean now! YIPEE!

Once you’ve baked the Nut & Seed bread plus let it cool properly. You can now slice it and then freeze half to keep it fresh while you munch on the other half through the week. The Nut & Seed Bread stays quite fresh up to one week at room temperature in one of these reusable bags after that it’s best to store in the freezer.

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Chia Seed Fun Facts:

1. Chia seeds provide more Omega-3’s, calcium, phosphorous, and fiber than flaxseeds.
2. A good source of ALA, fiber, antioxidants, iron, and calcium
3. Mixed with water they can replace eggs in baked goodies
4. The high fiber content can help prevent constipation and promote regularity for your digestive tract
5. Polyphenolic antioxidants found in chia seeds safeguard them from chemical and microbial breakdown

Ch-ch-ch-CHIA Seed Nutrition:

This tiny little seed broken down contains mainly protein, fat, carbs, and dietary fiber. Alongside a variable range of polyphenols and zero mycotoxins or gluten making it a celiac friendly food. Also, the two main protective dietary benefits this seed provides include dietary fiber and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA’s aka Omega-3’s).

Dietary Fiber Benefits:

The US dietary guidelines suggest men under 50 consume 30.8 grams of fiber and women 25.2 grams per day. Two tablespoons of chia seeds provide you with roughly 10 grams of your daily needs! Which means this recipe alone for breakfast would start you off on an excellent dietary fiber intake each morning. It’ll keep that GI tract moving nice and smooth if ya know what I mean!

According to the American Dietetic Association dietary fibre has demonstrated benefits for health maintenance and disease prevention. Meaning chia seeds can potentially be preventative for cardiovascular diseases and decrease risk for diabetes mellitus type 2. Additional studies have shown evidence towards decreased risk in several types of cancers as well.

When compared to quinoa, flaxseed, and amaranth the fiber content of chia seeds is far greater!

Fiber content per 100g:

Chia            34.4

Flaxseed     27.3

Amaranth  6.7

Quinoa       12.2

On top of the fiber you consume significant amounts of calcium, phosphorous, manganese, potassium and copper. Who knew how beneficial a tiny seed could be!

Omega-3 Benefits:

We all keep hearing that we need to get more omega-3’s into our system. Some may think fatty fish is your only source. FALSE. The wonderful chia seed is here to save the day!

Chia seeds contain what is known as Alpha-Linolenic Acid (ALA). Just a fancy name for Omega-3’s or PUFA’s. PUFA’s are short for Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids which is what Omega-3’s are. Of all the known food sources the chia seed contains the highest concentration of both Omega-3 & 6. These work together and benefit YOU by:

1. lowering triglyceride and cholesterol levels
2. anti-inflammatory activity
3. cardioprotective effects
4. anti-diabetic action
5. protection against arthritis, autoimmune disease and cancer

Meanwhile Omega-6’s have the opposite effect but are necessary to provide the balancing effect of maintaining your health. The research shows that we want to be consuming more Omega 3’s vs. Omega 6’s to reap the benefits listed above. Which makes it convenient in that chia seeds contain 64% omega-3’s and ~19% Omega-6’s. A stunning ratio to allow us to get more Omega-3’s vs. Omega-6’s.

That is your nutritional lesson for the day! What it comes down to is eat everything in balance, variety, and moderation to reap the benefits from food. This way you guarantee yourself a plethora of benefits from the different foods that you eat. Now go make this deliciously Spiced Chia Seed Pudding. If you’re not feeling the plum sauce you can skip it. Instead, try making a little bowl with chopped fruit on top of the pudding!

References:

Ullah, R., Nadeem, M., Khalique, A., Imran, M., Mehmood, S., Javid, A., & Hussain, J. (2015). Nutritional and therapeutic perspectives of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.): A review. Journal of Food Science and Technology,53(4), 1750-1758. doi:10.1007/s13197-015-1967-0

Ali, N. M., Yeap, S. K., Ho, W. Y., Beh, B. K., Tan, S. W., & Tan, S. G. (2012). The Promising Future of Chia,Salvia hispanicaL. Journal of Biomedicine and Biotechnology,2012, 1-9. doi:10.1155/2012/171956

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Don’t feel like you MUST stick with the same veggies listed in the recipe. I typically use the base of this recipe to clean out my fridge every couple of weeks. Throw your leftover veggies in and somehow it all turns out super delicious no matter what!

Check out which eggs are the best for this recipe HERE to give you guidance on the labels you see when you grocery shop!

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There are so many different oatmeal brands out there these days. There’s everything from steel cut oats, sprouted oats, rolled oats, etc. Let’s be real though when you find yourself in the cereal aisle looking at all the options you’re like whaaaaaaaat?!? I think it’s overwhelming even to figure out which brand is best which is why I wanted to breakdown the main options to allow you to make your own choice depending on what you feel your body needs!

Types of Oats

Steel Cut Oats

Steel cut oats originate from the oat kernel just like all other oats but are chopped into large pieces. They almost look like rice pieces. Since steel cut oats are the least processed form available it means they will unfortunately take the longest to cook. Due to this they take anywhere from 20-40 minutes to cook which is double the cooking time compared to rolled oats. However, they are perfect for overnight oats because you do not have to cook them and give a chewier texture.

They rank lower on the glycemic index compared to rolled oats. This means it has a lowered affect on your blood sugar levels while digesting. The reason for this is because the digestive enzymes take longer to reach the starch inside the kernel, therefore slowing the conversion of the starch to sugars.

“Old Fashioned” Rolled Oats

These are the classic oats that people typically purchase when they want to make oatmeal. Those who complain that oatmeal is too mushy you have probably been buying quick oats. “Old Fashioned” Rolled oats have a glycemic index score of 55 vs 66 for quick/instant oats. Meaning rolled oats have a lower impact on blood sugar making it a great choice for sustainable energy.

Rolled oats are essentially the same as steel cut but they have been rolled to make the cooking process faster. Nutritionally the only difference would be the level of fortification of calcium and iron which you can find on the nutrition label.

Sprouted Oats

Sprouting grains has become a more popular technique by food companies recently due to recent findings. This is by no means a new technique but has been brought back because it increases key nutrients like B vitamins, Vitamin C, Folate, Fiber, and essential amino acids (building blocks of proteins). The sprouting process helps crack the outer layer allowing  theses nutrients to become more bioavailable for our bodies to uptake.

Incorporating these into your diet over a duration of time will give you the added nutritional benefits but don’t expect an overnight miracle to happen. Other products that are sprouted include breads, rice, millet, seeds, etc. Also the glycemic index is considered to be low in sprouted oats products.

Three Ways to Make Overnight Oats

For all of the recipes below all you need to do is either add to an empty glass jar with a tight lid or to an almost empty jar of peanut butter! Then Shake, Shake, Shake…Shake, Shake, Shake….Shake that JAAAAAAAAR, Shake that JAAAAAARRRR!

BAEsic Overnight Oats

• 1/2 Cup “YOUR CHOICE” of Oats
• 1 Jar almost empty Nut Butter of choice OR 2 Tbsp Nut Butter
• 1 Tbsp Flax Meal
• 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
• 3/4 C Almond Milk (unsweetened)

Toppings: fresh berries, fruit, unsweet coconut flakes, hemp seeds

Chocolate Overnight Oats

• 1/2 Cup “YOUR CHOICE” of Oats
• 2 Tbsp Nut butter or Empty Jar Nut butter
• 1 Tbsp Cacao Powder
• 1 Tbsp Flax Meal
• 1 Tbsp Chia Seeds
• 3/4 C Almond Milk

Toppings: raspberries or strawberries, cacao nibs, extra dark chocolate chips

Mocha Overnight Oats

• 1/2 C “YOUR CHOICE” oats
• 1 Jar Nut Butter (empty) or 2 Tbsp Nut Butter of Choice
• 1 Tbsp Cacao Powder
• 1 tsp ground coffee beans or espresso powder
• 3/4 C Almond Milk (unsweetened)

Toppings: handful roasted mixed nuts, Cacao Nibs, Dark Chocolate Chips, Toasted Coconut Flakes

The post Basic Overnight Oats + Which Type Of Oats May Benefit YOU? appeared first on Camilla Thyme.

Sorry to burst your bubble but this is not a new grain on the block. Teff has been used for thousands of years in traditional Ethiopian Cuisine. The most common food they make with it is a sourdough like bread called Injera. Teff is also a gluten free grain and is quickly becoming popular with the endurance athlete crowds here in the US. (Watch out Quinoa!)

The Nutrient Profile

So what’s all the hype about?!

The grain itself is TINY and classified as THE smallest grain in the world. For every one kernel of wheat about 100 grains of teff is the equivalent. Mind Blown Right?! Teff Flour can be a powerful source for iron, calcium, protein, fiber and B vitamins.

The reason for the higher than average nutrient profile is due to the make up of the grain itself. Most grains contain a germ, bran, and endosperm. Stay with me now. In this case, the majority of Teff is made up of just the germ and bran which is the nutrition powerhouses for grains.

Now we get to THE GOOD STUFF. Teff has a proper amount of calcium to offer when cooked. To be specific, one cup of cooked Teff offers 123 mg which is the equivalent of half a cup of cooked spinach. Yes, both of these offer calcium if you didn’t already know! Food is the BEST FUEL! It is also high in resistant starches meaning it helps lower the effects of spiking your blood sugar.

Why Endurance Athletes Love Teff Flour

I’ll give you a little hint. It has to do with the Iron!

Let me just roll out some quick facts for you. Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the world. In highly trained endurance athletes it is even more common, with females being at the top of the list. The goal is to obviously prevent this iron deficiency from occurring in these types of athletes. The positive side is Teff contains roughly fifty-percent more dietary iron than wheat does.

With that said, Teff has been shown to have positive effects on female endurance athletes and their iron deficiency. I do believe more studies need to be conducted but I am a huge supporter of fueling our bodies with food rather than trying to fix everything with various forms of pills.

Now that you know how beneficial this grain can be to your body. Go make yourself some pancakes before your next run!

References:

Alaunyte, Ieva, et al. “Dietary Iron Intervention Using a Staple Food Product for Improvement of Iron Status in Female Runners.” Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, vol. 11, no. 1, 2014, doi:10.1186/s12970-014-0050-y.

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Coconut Yogurt Notes

The recipe calls for only TWO main ingredients, one can of full fat coconut cream and two probiotic capsules. I’d call this recipe a mini science experiment as there are some precautions we need to take before starting this process. 

Full Fat Coconut Milk

Ensure that the brand of coconut milk doesn’t have more than just the coconut milk and maybe guar gum. There are so many different varieties out there so just ensure you get the FULL FAT and with no added sugar alcohols as these don’t tend to work as well.

Some brands that have worked for me include Native Forest, Whole Foods 365, Simply Organic Target Brand.

Probiotics

The type of probiotic you use will also affect your fermentation time. I have always used a probiotic that has at least 50 billion CFU as these seem to work the best. My favorite brand I use both regularly and in my yogurt can be found here.

We also need to be careful when stirring the probiotics into the coconut milk. Probiotics are sensitive to metals therefore it is best to use a wooden spoon when mixing. If you do use a metal utensil you run the risk of deactivating the probiotics and this will prevent fermentation from occurring.

This recipe is super delicious to throw into a bowl with berries and my favorite Spread the Love Raspberry Jam!

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