Recipe: Fruitful Oats by Jennah Jensen
Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down as they say… except this time instead of using table sugar, we’re using the naturally occurring sugars of ripe fruit and just a tad bit of maple syrup. Oats are an absolute powerhouse in nutrition. They’re a good source of protein, calcium, fiber, magnesium, B vitamins and iron to name a few! Vitamin C helps to boost our body’s ability to absorb iron so pairing our oats with fresh fruit not only makes it more palatable, but it works synergistically with the other key nutrients! For this I especially love kiwis, as just one kiwi contains more than 100% of our daily value of vit. C! Mashing up a very ripe banana into the oats can also add to the nutrition complex and sweetness. By artistically arranging colorful fruit and various toppings to the bowl, we can encourage our little ones to get that nutrition in!
Makes 2-4 servings.
Ingredients:
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2 cups water or plant milk (I love using half water + half plant milk)
1 very ripe, spotty banana, mashed
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)
handful of fruit of choice - highly recommend kiwis!
handful nuts/seeds of choice (optional)
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (or to-taste)
Method:
Cook oats according to package instructions. For creamier oats I love substituting half of the liquid with plant milk. Because most plant milks are fortified this will add extra nutrition too!
As oats are cooking, mash one very ripe, spotty banana into the pot until it is fully incorporated. If using a microwave you can do this after they’re cooked. Stir in cinnamon if desired.
Now it’s time to serve the oats into a bowl and add toppings! Berries of any kind are a win! Kiwis also go surprisingly well with oats, plus they’re a powerhouse of vitamin C! If adding any nuts and seeds my favorites are - chopped walnuts, almonds, brazil nuts, hemp hearts, and flax meal. Don’t forget to add the delicious maple syrup and enjoy!
Jennah Jensen is a vegan, blogger and recipe extraordinaire! You can follow along her adventures, find her recipes and be inspired by her musings here and follow along on Instagram @jennahjensen