chia oat bliss breakfast bowl

28th June 2014

I love this fresh green.

Rainy days after many sunny, warm ones.

I love that there is no school, no rushed mornings.

I love this berry-filled brunch enjoyed together in the garden.

I love the splashes of sun surprises on cloudy days, the wet ground and the smell of pine and eucalyptus in the air.

So much beauty.

Daily walks and adventures.

Brightly lit nights.

A moon that is almost full.

This is a simple, satisfying and very delicious breakfast. It can be ready in less than fifteen minutes. The chia seeds are expensive but a little goes a long way.

Chia seeds contain high amounts of complete protein and omega-3 fats, antioxidants, excellent-quality fibre and great levels of calcium, iron, potassium and zinc. They have a wonderful binding quality when in contact with liquid and because of this gel-like consistency it acts as a binder in your digestive tract which helps regulate your bowels and improves digestion.

Oats are a wonderful source of protein, high in folate, vitamin E, iron, magnesium and zinc. Oats are the only grain that contains both soluble and insoluble fibre. This helps moderate blood sugar levels, has been shown to fight heart disease and lower cholesterol. They are also known for their cleansing properties. By soaking the oats it increases their digestibility, enabling the nutrients to be better absorbed by your body.

chia oat bliss breakfast bowl

Serves 3

There are so many ways of serving this. Sometimes if I am short of time and short on a variety of fruit, I mash a very ripe banana in the bottom of a bowl, sprinkle a few nuts and seeds, and then layer in the chia mixture with a drizzling of honey. For a quick dessert; chocolate and hazelnut version sounds delicious by adding cocoa powder to the chia mixture drizzling with maple syrup, sprinkling on cacao nibs and coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts.

ingredients

½ cup rolled oats

1½ cup almond milk

a drop of freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 Tbsp chia seeds

2 Tbsp each soaked overnight sunflower, pumpkin seeds and goji berries

2 Tbsp ground flax seeds

Serve with a mixture of the following

yoghurt or nut milk of choice

1 mango, 1 apple, 1 banana, finely chopped and 1 cup fresh blueberries and raspberries (you change the fruits to what is available seasonally)

a handful of raw granola, dates or raisins

drizzling with honey, strawberry sauce or maple syrup

fresh mint leaves from the garden

preparation

1. In a small bowl or jar, stir together the oats, milk, lemon juice and chia seeds. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes, or place in the fridge for 8 – 12 hours. It will keep for 4 days in the fridge.

2. Add the seeds and goji berries to the oat-chia mixture, sprinkle over the ground flaxseeds and mix well to combine.

3. Add yoghurt or more nut milk, depending on the consistency you like. I prefer my chia mixture to be in between, if you prefer something on the runny side, you can increase the amount of nut milk.

4. Start chopping your fruit of choice.

5. Place a few spoonfuls of the oat-chia mixture in the bottom of each bowl. Layer over some fruit, another layer of the oat-chia mixture, fruit, and so on. Sprinkle over raw granola, toasted coconut, drizzling of strawberry sauce, honey, granola, fresh mint leaves or whatever toppings you desire.

Find a little bit of sunshine and enjoy.

My daughter was soaking this in the evening in a screw-top jar, in the morning layering in the fruits and yoghurt, screwing on the lid and enjoying later that morning at school.

Goodness shared from Stacey

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blueberry bliss banana smoothie

21st August 2013

The benefits of smoothies –

Wild About Greens by Nava Atlas -Thank you, Nicole

“The fibre in a green smoothie acts like a chimney sweeper. Since smoothies still contain fibre from the fruits and vegetables, they have a cleansing effect on the bowel.

Sugar is absorbed slowly because of the built-in fibre. Green smoothies allow you to enjoy the benefits of fruit without experiencing sugar spiking and the ensuing crash. The fibre regulates the flow of sugar into the bloodstream as your body digests.”

blueberry bliss banana smoothie

Serves 4 medium glasses

It is very important to use only organic produce when making juices or smoothies. They are both concentrated sources of produce, and you don’t want to add pesticides to the mix.

ingredients

2 frozen bananas

2 cups fresh blueberries (or a mix of berries – strawberries, raspberries etc)

1½ cups homemade nut milk

1 cup filtered water

a generous handful of greens (chard, kale or spinach)

2 – 4 Medjool dates, pitted (depending on your preferred sweetness)

1 Tbsp pureed dried coconut flesh (I use a brand called ‘Coconut Manna’, which I purchased in London, but you could replace it with freshly grated coconut or coconut oil)

preparation

1. Combine all the ingredients in a high-speed blender – process until smoothly pureed.

2. Divide between 4 medium glasses and serve at once.

Goodness shared from Stacey

2

almond milk

17th June 2009

Making almond milk is very easy and so delicious. You only need a high-speed blender, a cheesecloth or a nut milk bag.

If you use soy milk, rice or almond milk in the box, you will never go back to using them again after tasting homemade almond milk. Nut milk is rich in protein and, depending on your choice of nuts and seeds, is also high in vitamins and minerals.

I prefer using just almonds, as their qualities are less heating than most other nuts and seeds. Almonds have a warming nature and sweet flavour. Almonds are 20% protein and are rich in Vitamin E and magnesium and contain calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.

You can use almond milk anywhere you use regular milk. I use it in my porridge in the morning, making chai tea and smoothies. It is also great served warmed with a bit of maple syrup, cinnamon and a few drops of vanilla essence.

almond milk

Makes 1-litre

When making nut milk, it is essential to soak the nuts or seeds overnight. I always have a batch of already soaked and drained almonds in the freezer for instant nut milk.

ingredients

1 cup raw almonds

3 – 4 cups filtered water

pre-soak

1. Soak the almonds overnight, drain and rinse well.

preparation

2. Place the nuts into an upright blender, pour in water, blend on high until the nuts are completely broken down.

3. Pour your milk into a nut milk bag or a cheesecloth and squeeze out as much of the milk as possible. I sometimes blend in a few dates and add a few drops of vanilla essence for sweeter milk.

The milk keeps for about 3 – 5 days in an air-tight jar in the refrigerator.

You can save the nut pulp to replace flour when you bake or add it to your morning porridge or use in a savoury hummus.

Shared goodness from Stacey

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