Gingerbread Overnight Oats with Stewed Apple
This is an easy breakfast recipe to make, and you can make it the night before which will save you some time in the morning. In winter I enjoy porridge most mornings, but as we are heading in to the hotter months of the year, I’m swapping warm porridge for cool overnight oats/quinoa. I like to try different flavour variations and in this one I’ve included stewed apples which has a host of health benefits. Apples are rich in polyphenols which have anti-inflammatory actions and antioxidants. Apples are also one of the highest sources of pectins, which means when you consume them they have the ability to ‘feed’ particular bacteria within our microbiome. So apples are a great choice if you are wanting to support and restore your gut health.
For the stewed apples:
- 2 medium apples (red delicious are a great choice, but any will work)
- ½ cup water
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp cinnamon, either as powder (1/2 teaspoon) or a whole cinnamon stick as the apples stew
- ¼ tsp clove – either ground cloves (1/4 teaspoon) or add whole cloves (1 teaspoon) in as the apples stew.
- 1 tsp vanilla – and 1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla pod cut down the centre.
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
For the overnight oats:
- 1 cup rolled oats or quinoa flakes for a gluten free option
- 1 cup almond milk (or other milk substitute, or water)
- 1 tbsp almond butter
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- Opt. 1-2 servers of vanilla protein if you would like a higher protein meal.
- Opt. add a drizzle of maple syrup or honey (the stewed apples are sweet and most people don’t need it)
To make the stewed apple:
- Chop 1 apple, taking care to remove the core (you can also peel or leave on).
- Place in a saucepan with the water and spices over a moderate heat and bring to the boil.
- Once boiling, turn down to simmer over a low heat for five minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir well, and set aside.
To make the overnight oats:
- Once stewed apples have cooked, add of all the ingredients to the stewed apple mixture, mixing well so all the ingredients are combined.
- Place in the fridge and leave to set for at least a few hours, but make the night before will save you time and ensure the flavours have really soaked into the oats / quinoa flakes.
- When ready to eat, optional to top with coconut yoghurt and walnuts.