Apple Pie Overnight Oats
As a student-athlete who is working 40+ hours a week, it is important to me to have quick go-to meals that I can grab and have on the go, will give me enough sustained energy that will last me throughout the day and will help me recover from my workouts. Oatmeal has been one of my favorite breakfasts lately, but cooking it on the stove takes some time and so I have turned to loaded overnight oats instead of instant oatmeal packets for a time-efficient breakfast in the mornings. These oats are loaded with crisp apples that stay crunchy, and warming fall spices like cinnamon or pumpkin spice that not only add flavor but spices are packed full of antioxidants that help with exercise recovery and reduce blood pressure and blood sugar level. The pumpkin seeds are full of iron, zinc and antioxidants.
1 cup steel cut oats
1 cup plant-based milk
1Tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup
1/2 Apple diced (I like honeycrips or fuji, but green apples would also work)
1 tsp cinnamon
1tsp Turmeric (you won’t be able to taste the Turmeric, but it has such great health benefits, I try to add it to everything)
Small Handful of pepitas or pumpkin seeds
Add all ingredients into a mason jar or tupperwear container and shake to mix well. Place in fridge overnight. Add peanut butter or some other nut butter on top if desired. Grab and go in the morning and enjoy at school/work/ after the gym/ before the gym/ really anytime.
Healthy Eating: It Really is Quality Over Quantity
Many diets today focus on cutting out a specific nutrient like carbohydrates, fat, or gluten (just to name a few). This over-generalized advice puts certain foods into a category and suddenly people start avoiding very nutrient-dense, healthy foods because they have been put in the same category as an unhealthy food.
Take fruit for example. Fruit is one of the healthiest things you can eat. In the Global Burden of Disease Study (a comprehensive research program assessing mortality from different diseases and risk factors), they found that one of the main risk factors for mortality was not consuming enough fruit. Fruit is packed full of vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, yet we have placed fruit in the same category as a cupcake or a glass of soda because of its fructose (sugar) content. This causes confusion for the general public and people just end up eating the way they always have and avoid consuming some of the healthiest foods on earth.
Instead of becoming so reductive about our food choices, we should begin to look at food as a whole instead of its parts. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes are all very nutrient dense and healthy. When a diet is centered around these foods, which are as close to nature as possible, we don’t need to worry about avoiding particular categories of food for one less-than-perfect trait.
So, for the next few weeks, we will be talking about seasonal fruits, busting myths about them, and trying out new recipes. Check back weekly for the latest updates! For comments, questions, and more info, check us out at @foodbanksbc on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Contributed by Taylor Brower