I started revisiting these chia and oat bowls when I was last in Australia visiting family. My sisters, Donna and Shelley, would make a warm, aromatic bowl of cooked oats and chia in the morning. I would have it after a class, adding passionfruit yoghurt and extra fruits, then top it with toasted seeds. Now, when I have an early morning flight, I make a cold version in a reused yoghurt container to have on the plane. It makes great travel food or a light dinner.
note
If you let the chia oatmeal sit in the fridge overnight, it will be fairly thick. Stir the contents together and add additional milk or yoghurt until the consistency is to your liking.
fresh fruit.
Cut the fruit into small, uniform pieces. It makes all the difference.
something crunchy.
The chopped nuts, with maple syrup, add that satisfying crunch and sweetness.
something sweet.
There is no need to add sweetener to the chia and oats, as the vanilla and cinnamon create that sweet flavour, and the sweetness comes from the toasted seeds.
chia oatmeal bowl with fruit and toasted seeds
serves 2
preparation 30 minutes
ingredients
⅔ cup rolled oats
¼ cup chia seeds
1½ cup nut milk of choice, more if needed
3 Tbsp goji berries
1 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from one vanilla bean
½ tsp cinnamon powder
yoghurt, optional
fruit salad
(Change the fruits to what is available seasonally)
1 ripe mango
1 apple
1 banana
a handful of pomegranate
pulp of 2 – 3 passionfruit
handful fresh blueberries
nuts and seeds
¼ cup/30g roughly chopped Macadamia nuts
¼ cup/20g flaked almonds
3 Tbsp/30g sunflower seeds
2 Tbsp/20g sesame seeds
2 Tbsp maple syrup
prepare the chia pudding
- In a bowl, stir the oats, chia seeds, milk, goji berries, vanilla and cinnamon together. Mix well to combine. Cover and set aside for 20 to 30 minutes, or place in the fridge overnight. Add yoghurt or more nut milk, depending on your desired consistency.
chop your fruit
- Finely chop the fruit of choice and add to another bowl. Set aside.
toast your nuts and seeds
- In a skillet over medium-low heat, add the macadamia nuts, almonds and sunflower seeds and toast until golden; add in the sesame seeds and toast until the seeds start to pop. Turn off the heat and stir in the maple syrup. Set aside to cool.
assemble
- Spoon the oat-chia mixture evenly in the bottom of each bowl. Add your fruit and yoghurt, and sprinkle over the toasted nuts and seeds. Optional: Drizzle with a spoon of this golden passionfruit elixir.
Find a little bit of sunshine and enjoy.
Goodness shared from Stacey
