Quinoa Overnight Oats

 So I have been seeing more and more people eating Quinoa & I was intrigued as to what it was and what it tasted like, so I bought myself some! At £1.39 for a 300g bag in the Tesco Wholefood range, it is quite a cheap buy. Last night I decided to cook some up for my dinner, so I measured out 91g which is what I thought was 1 serving according to the instructions. However, after cooking it I realised that it was referring to 91g of cooked Quinoa, so I ended up with 3 servings worth! Idiot. Therefore, I thought I would save some to use for my breakfast in the morning, as I had seen people use it in sweet recipes as well as savoury.  

For my first attempt at using Quinoa in a sweet recipe, I thought I would try it with a trusty old favourite; overnight oats. It was very simple, in that I just mixed in the cooked Quinoa with my eggy overnight oats mixture. 

Ingredients

31g cooked Quinoa

20g rolled oats

1/4 cup almond milk

1/4 cup water

1 tbsp dessicated coconut

2 tsp Stevia

1 whole egg

2 egg whites

2 tsp organic peanut butter

Handful of Goji berries

Instructions

1. Stir together the cooked Quinoa and oats into a jar with a lid.

2. Pour in the almond milk and water, stir.

3. Stir in the coconut and Stevia.

4. Put the lid on the jar and leave in the fridge overnight.

5. Mix in the eggs and stir until combined well.

6. Cook in the microwave on full power for 4 minutes or until all the egg has cooked.

7. Top with peanut butter and Goji berries.

Eat!

Quinoa is classed as a superfood, this is due to it's high protein content, and it is also a good source of dietary fibre, phosphorus as well as iron and magnesium. Another plus is that it is gluten-free. But the fact that it is extremely tasty makes it even more super in my eyes. The texture is lovely, almost chewy, and the taste is slightly nutty and sweet. It is pleasant on its own, in savoury AND sweet dishes - not many foods can claim to do that. So I highly recommend you try Quinoa if you ever get the chance, and why not give it a go in your overnight oats?

Lucy x

Overnight Oats

Oats are a great choice for breakfast as they provide you with slow release energy throughout the day, and are extremely versatile. The amount of different recipes I have come across that use oats is mind-bending. Oats are said to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease, plus the are very high in fibre which will keep you full for hours. Also they are extremely affordable, which is something that really makes the difference for me- seeing as I am on a budget!

Overnight oats are definitely my go to easy breakfast for most days, and one of my favourite ways to have oats. Preparation is done the night before eating, which takes all of about 3 minutes, so you can just grab them and go in the morning- no cooking required! (However, if I have got time, I do like to heat them up in the microwave) Leaving the oats to soak up the liquid overnight makes them super creamy and extra delicious.

You will need a jar, this can either be empty or an almost empty jar of something yummy like peanut butter or jam (the leftovers of the jar get soaked into the oats over night, so it all adds to it!) The size of the jar depends on the portion size you want but remember you don't always have to fill it. Next you will need some oats, I use rolled oats as that is all that's available in my supermarket, but steel cut oats are the best option if you can get your hands on them, as they have been subject to less processing. Then literally add whatever you like! This can be chopped fruit, compotes, nut butters, seeds, whole nuts, protein powders, egg, honey,  yoghurt, the list is literally endless... 

My favourite combination at the moment which I had this morning is pictured above, and the recipe is below...

Half a jar of oats

Almond milk (you can also use water/soy milk/cows milk)

2 tsp Organic no added sugar peanut butter

Half a banana - chopped

Drizzle of honey

1. Half fill your jar with oats

2. Pour in your almond milk, just enough to cover the oats, and stir with a spoon to combine

3. Add 2 tsp of peanut butter over the top so there is an even layer

4. Squish in the chopped banana

5. Drizzle your honey over the top

6. Replace the lid on the jar and leave in the fridge overnight

7. In the morning it is ready to eat cold, or pop the jar in the microwave for 2 minutes with the lid off

et Voila!

I plan to try lots of different combinations in the future, so I will post any successful recipes I discover. What's your favourite overnight oats combination?

Lucy x