There are two things I obsess about in winter time. Staying healthy and having a hearty breakfast. Yes, I know, I am always obsessed with staying healthy. But these Canadian winters are brutal and what I really mean is staying away from the cold and flu! And yes, I know I am always obsessed with eating breakfast but in the dark winter mornings, my breakie (and coffee) is the only thing that can get me out of bed!
I love oatmeal for breakfast as it is both filling and comforting. It also never gets boring as you can create so many variations. I typically make it fresh when I wake up but these 5:00 am mornings get brutal later in the year so any extra sleep I can get is crucial.
This is where preparing my oatmeal the night before comes into handy. I love doing overnight oats as it is so quick, easy and still filling and delicious. I also love adding in superfoods and healthy ingredients to help boost my immune system in these colder months.
There are so many ways we can strengthen our immune system. You probably know about taking vitamin C and, by now, you are also probably familiar with taking a probiotic. But have you heard of prebiotics?
While probiotics add good bacteria to our gut, prebiotics actually feed and grow the good bacteria that is already there. So much research has shown that gut health is key to overall health. A healthy gut allows us to absorb minerals and nutrients which is crucial in enhancing our immunity.
Prebiotics are certainly not as popular right now but Genuine Health has come out with an easy-to-use, 100% plant based prebiotic: their fermented organic gut superfoods+. It comes in a powder form that you simply dissolve into water – or if you’re feeling creative like yours truly, you can add it into a recipe. Just don’t try to cook it or heat it up as it will lose all the nutrients!
I decided to combine my love of hearty winter breakfasts and immunity support into one easy recipe, using Genuine Health’s fermented organic gut superfoods+ in the orange ginger flavour. Here is an overnight oats recipe that is so simple, so delicious, and one that you can add this superfood to because their is no cooking required!
- 1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
- 1/2 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
- 1/4 cup grated carrot
- 1 scoop Genuine Health fermented organic gut superfoods+ orange ginger
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- Combine all ingredients except walnuts into a bowl or jar and mix well. Cover and place in fridge overnight. Top with walnuts, extra grated carrot or other toppings of choice. Enjoy!
All photos by Arthur Mola.