Happy New Year! Wishing you all a wonderful and healthy 2018! Now if you’re looking to kickstart this year with some healthy new recipes – then look no further – for the next seven days I will be posting my ‘7 for 7’ – a simple recipe each day to get your body into tip-top condition for some get up and go this year!
First up, is a new twist on an old favourite – overnight oats! This pina colada inspired version is packed full of juicy pineapple – a great source of Vitamin C and bromelain – an enzyme that helps fight inflammation in the body. Perfect for undoing any damage your body might be suffering from Christmas and New Year partying and indulgence!
If you’ve been following my blog and instagram lately, you’ll know that I have been looking for alt versions of overnight oats that don’t use yogurt. This is for a few different reasons. One – is just variety: yogurt adds a certain tang to your brekkie that some people like and some people don’t – but even those of us who are fans like to mix it up! Two – is expense: coconut and soy yogurt is usually more expensive so if you can’t or don’t eat cow’s milk yogurt, it can hurt your wallet. Three, convenience: Not everywhere sells non-dairy yogurt – especially late on a Sunday night when my only option is the corner shop. So all in all, it makes a lot of sense to investigate different options!
A while back, I posted some Date & Cacao Overnight Oats which replaces yogurt with blended-up banana. If you don’t want the bananary taste, it is masked brilliantly but the chocolatiness! Another great option is coconut milk. It’s best not to skimp here – super creamy full fat coconut milk (the kind in a tin not in a carton) is what you want to get that lovely thick overnight oat texture (feel free to experiment with lower fat versions, but do bear in mind that they are thinner-textured so you may to reduce the amount of other liquid).
So the tropical theme of this breakfast continues with coconut milk – the perfect partner to pineapple! That combo of sweetness and creaminess is a definite weakness of mine so it’s lovely to be able to enjoy these flavours in a healthier context!!! Chia seeds keep the texture lovely and thick and the sultanas plump up beautifully in all the liquid – although, as always, feel free to experiment with different dried fruit (I’m thinking chopped dried apricot would be a winner).
Serve topped with the plant power of any fruit and nuts you choose – or just enjoy on it’s own! As well as at breakfast time, I also like eating a little pot as an afternoon snack or after-dinner dessert 🙂
Makes 4-6 portions
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups/200g oats
- 1 tin/400ml coconut milk
- 400ml (use the empty coconut milk tin to measure) of milk of choice (I used almond)
- 1 pineapple, chopped into small chunks (discard the hard core)
- ½ cup/ sultanas
- ¼ cup/40g chia seeds
- a pinch of salt
METHOD
- Stir together the oats, chia, salt and sultanas in a large tupperware.
- Pour in the coconut milk, other milk and pineapple and stir well into thoroughly combined. If you prefer a smoother texture you can blend this mixture beforehand.
- Place the lid on the tupperware and store in the fridge.
- In the morning, loosen up the oats with a little extra milk (optional), then scoop a portion into a bowl and add toppings of your choice.
