Spirit of Spring Overnight Oats

I enjoy making overnight oats. The jar is a blank canvas where I can craft a different masterpiece each time. A couple of favorites in our household are overnight oats with mango and overnight oats with bananas.

A bank canvas

I enjoy adding different flavor profiles to the jar to make the meal a bit different. Protein powder can be added to make the dish more satisfying. Collagen powder can be added for hair, skin, nails, and muscle recovery.

Textures satisfy

When you serve your overnight oats you can add nuts, seeds, or dried fruits for added texture to make a more satisfying meal. If you find your fruit was not sweet enough for your taste, you could add just a bit of honey or agave at serving.

Simple to make

All you need is a jar, oatmeal, chia seeds, fruit, and milk (of choice). The other items are extras and flavor to the meal.

Instructions (I use a 16 oz. glass jar that was a nut/seed butter jar ... reuse/recycle)

• Add 1 TBSP chia seeds (I use organic)
• Add 1/4 cup oats (I use gluten free)
• Add a scoop of protein powder (optional)
• Add 1/4 cup milk of choice and stir
• Add 1/2 cup fruit (diced in SMALL pieces)
• Add an additional 1/4 cup oats 
• Add more milk until jar is almost full
• Cover and stir
• Refrigerate overnight
• Stir, add toppings or additional milk, and enjoy 

Spring Overnight Oats uses fruits that produce a pastel, spring look. A combination of red and yellow fruit produces a beautiful look. We eat with our eyes first. Delight the eyes, and the stomach will be overjoyed!

Gluten Free Noodle Soup for a Cold Day

I was introduced to the noodle products from Gluten Free Meister at the Nourished Festival earlier this month. I was given a package of Tonkotsu Ramen Pork Bone Broth Flavor to use in a recipe and share. The weather has been soup weather, chilly and damp! Therefore I decided to make soup as it not only satisfies the appetite but also warms the body!

I added 4 small/medium size bok choy (diced into small pieces to fill two cups) and a two cups of diced cooked pork (sauteed with onion and garlic) to the package ingredients and created a healthy meal for two in less than 30 minutes.

Have a few packages of Gluten Free Meister soups on hand to create a healthy and gluten free meal when time is short and stomachs are growling!

Brown Rice Stir-ins

I make eating healthy a priority despite my busy schedule. To make this a possibility, it requires planning and a bit of creativity.

I often make a few cups of QUINOA on the weekend for stir-ins during the week. This provides me with the opportunity to saute' vegetables and add some quinoa and/or spices to the mix. The creates a different dish each time! If the flavor profile and textures are varied, your taste buds will be satisfied. Adding variety also ensures you get the nutrients you need in your diet. Eating the same thing day-in and day-out does not provide balance.

Pasta and rice can also be used for STIR-IN dishes. Many gluten free pastas are made with beans so they provide protein like the quinoa does; thus allowing one to have a vegetarian meal if they so choose. Rice is a grain but not one that provides protein; that needs to be added into the dish.

This week I made a few brown rice stir-ins using a variety of flavors, proteins, and vegetables. This is a great QUICK-FIX meal if the protein and rice are done in advance.

Base Recipe:

• 2 cups vegetables
• 1 cup brown rice
• 1 cup protein
• Low-Sodium Vegetable Stock (if needed for vegetable preparation)
• (flavor of your choice)

Instructions:

• Cut vegetables into small pieces
• Sautee with flavoring of choice
• Dice/Chop protein into bite size pieces and add to vegetable mixture
• Add rice and stir to combine. 

Stir-Ins Pictured (in order they appear):

• Sun Dried Tomatoes, Farmer's Market Corn, Maui Onions, and Gluten Free Chicken-Apple Sausage
• Cauliflower Greens, Maui Onions, Garlic, Butter Beans (re-hydrated) and Thai Spice Peanut Sauce
• Sweet Potato, Maui Onion, Zucchini, Shrimp (Satueed with Chili Powder)