Overnight oats for your healthy breakfast

The overnight oats are the cold version of the classic porridge and it is apparently good for fighting cellulite and also maintaining active brain cells. This is a recipe that is very popular in Anglo-Saxon countries as it simplifies even further a traditional recipe, which in any case has already been simplified over time to fit in with today’s lifestyle.

The characteristic of this recipe is that you leave the oat flakes to soak overnight in milk with chia seeds meaning that they swell up giving a creamier, lighter porridge enriched with fruit or jam according to personal taste.

The same idea can be applied to chia seed pudding which doesn’t contain oat flakes.

What are the advantages of soaking oats overnight?

• It’s more easily digested as the acids it contains are broken down and specifically, the phytic acid which is present in cereals like porridge oats is reduced.
• It’s full of resistant starch, a type of starch that increases the feeling of fullness and aids good digestion.
• It’s quick and simple to prepare and doesn’t require time in the morning.
• It’s versatile and can be made as a dessert or snack combining different flavors for a personalized result.

Below is the basic recipe for overnight oats that can be personalized in many ways; I recommend you try out the many varieties available online perhaps using this recipe or experimenting to find a combination you like and which satisfies you most.

Conventionally a ratio of 1 part liquids to 1 part solids is used but I prefer my porridge a little bit wetter (also because chia seeds absorb lots of liquid!), so I use a ratio of 1:2 or rather 1 part solids (oat flakes) and in proportion 2 parts liquid. As for the milk, I use lactose-free milk but this porridge is also delicious with Greek yogurt or plant milk, especially rice or almond milk which have a sweetish taste. Don’t use instant porridge oats which can fall apart or be too hard!

Remember that you can prepare a portion to have every day, however, three days is the maximum time you can keep porridge in the refrigerator and you have to stir it often.