Overnight oats are one of the easiest preparations to start the day on a healthy note.
Crunchy seeds and nuts and a drizzle of sweet honey dress it up. Soaking oats improves their digestibility because their phytic acid is reduced and the starches in the oats break down.
After cooked oats are cooled, their digestion-resistant starch increases, helping you feel full longer. ½ cup quinoa 1 cup water 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, plus more if needed ¼ cup pumpkin seeds ¼ cup chopped pecans 1 tablespoon honey
1. Rinse the quinoa under cold running water to remove its bitter flavor.
In a small saucepan, combine the quinoa and water and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes.
Set aside to cool.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the cooled quinoa, oats, almond milk, pumpkin seeds, pecans, and honey until well mixed. Transfer to a storage container and store in the refrigerator, sealed, overnight.
3. Stir in more almond milk in the morning if needed to adjust the texture.
Serve.
COOKING TIP: Cooked quinoa will last up to 1 week in the refrigerator or for 8 months in the freezer, so it is simple to whip up a large batch to use for many recipes.
Make sure you use cooked quinoa because raw quinoa has a bitter taste and can cause stomach upset.
PER SERVING: Calories: 282; Total fat: 9g; Saturated fat: 1g; Carbohydrates: 42g; Sugar: 5g; Fiber: 5g; Protein: 10g