Recipe for Chai Pumpkin Oatmeal
Oats are high in nutrients including B-vitamins but they contain naturally occurring compounds (phytic acid and enzyme inhibitors) that may make them difficult to digest and bind up some of their nutrients (this is the case with most, if not all, grains). For this reason, it's a good idea to soak the oats in a mildly acidic liquid (such as water mixed with a little lemon juice) before cooking in order to maximize their "digestibility" and to make sure you derive the benefits of the nutrients they contain. I don't always remember to soak my oats in lemon water, but it's a good practice to get into, especially if you eat oats frequently.
To soak the oats for this recipe, place oats in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and cover with water by an inch or two. Stir the oats and the liquid together and cover the bowl with a cloth or a piece of plastic wrap. Allow to stand overnight. In the morning, drain the lemon water and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
- *1 cup water
- *1 cup coconut milk plus 2 tablespoons for topping oatmeal
- *2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- *1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- *1 chai tea bag Shelly recommends Zhena; I used Tazo
- *3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- *3/4 cup cooked pumpkin puree I used canned organic pumpkin
- *1 cup rolled oats soaked overnight in lemon water, then drained
- *1/4 cup mulberries or raisins
- *1/4 cup chopped sprouted or raw walnuts- optional
- *Cinnamon to taste
Instructions
- 1. In a medium saucepan, mix together water, coconut milk, vanilla, and sea salt. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Once coconut water is hot but not boiling, place the tea bag in and steep for about 5 minutes. Remove tea bag and stir in maple syrup, pumpkin, and drained rolled oats.
- 2. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy. Remove from heat and spoon the oatmeal into serving bowls. Top with additional coconut milk, mulberries or raisins, walnuts if using, and cinnamon. Taste and drizzle with more maple syrup if you prefer your oatmeal sweeter.