Overnight Sprouted Oatmeal

This week I'm bringing you another oat-based recipe, yeah, more oats. What can I do?! I simply love oats! And you should too since it's a super healthy and nourishing grain. Also I remember that long time ago I kind of promised to share with my readers my go-to breakfast and snack recipes, well I've shared some of my most favorite pancakes (like these deadly fluffy Coconut Milk Pancakes), several energy bites and granola bars, but never published a recipe that is a classic at my home: overnight oatmeal.

Yes, there are so many oatmeal recipes on the internet but have you tried eating sprouted rolled oats? Sprouting increases the nutritional value of oats and it makes them more easy to digest, this process 'brings to life' many beneficial enzymes, vitamins and minerals that are 'locked away', plus the content of starch is reduced (and that's why they are easier to digest).

You can try sprouting at home by soaking beans, grains and seeds in water for about 2 days changing the soaking water every day; I haven't done it though, so maybe the technique for sprouting beans is slighlty different than the one used for seeds or grains. However, eating sprouted rolled oats for breakfast is good for you!

But don't think they look weird or have an unpleasant flavor, at first glance they are quite the same as classic rolled oats. Their texture is different: standard rolled oats are softer and that's why I use the sprouted ones to prepare my overnight oatmeal. Soaking them in milk makes them soft and with a delicious bite.

Obviously I don't recommend using sprouted oats for baking because simply there's no point in doing that: if you cook them you are destroying the good enzymes, and all the benefits from sprouting will vanish. To cook or bake keep using your regular rolled oats (like I did in my last recipe)...after all, who can resist to a warm bowl of good ole oatmeal? Specially on a cold winter day!

¡Receta en español en la web de El Granero Integral!

Overnight Sprouted Oatmeal
(Servings: 2)

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups oat milk.
2 tablespoons chia seeds.
1 cup sprouted rolled oats.
2 tablespoons maca powder.
1 or 2 teaspoons pure maple syrup (or agave syrup).
1 teaspoon pure vanilla powder.
- Toppings:
Mixed berries (raspberries, blueberries, etc.).
Raw almonds.
1 tablespoon almond butter.
Crispy puffed quinoa or rice.

Directions

In a small mixing bowl (or a container with a lid) stir together the milk, chia seeds and rolled oats. Add in the vanilla and other spices (if using), cover or transfer to an airtight container and let it rest overnight in the refrigerator. This way the chia seeds will soak the liquid and form a pudding-like consistency, the rolled oast will become softer. 

In the morning add in the maca powder, stir well and adjust the sweetness to your taste by adding a couple teaspoons of your favorite sweetener (maple syrup, agave, coconut nectar, etc.).

If you prefer a less dense oatmeal add a little more milk and stir again until you reach the desired consistency.

Top with some berries, nuts, almond butter and crispy puffed quinoa.