Overnight oats
before…
after…
The ultimate powerhouse breakfast.
Isn’t it great when you google a recipe and it directs you to someone’s page and you have to search endlessly through their site to find the one piece of information (the recipe) that actually brought you there?
Since we all know how awful that can be, here is the recipe for my favorite overnight oats. Not only does the whole thing come together in less than 5 minutes, but it’s extremely forgiving and versatile. Quantities are rough estimates and you can use whatever fruit is currently in season. In late June, I am currently using blueberries or strawberries because they’re overflowing at the farmer’s market and are truly peaking in terms of flavor.
Overnight Oats
½ cup rolled oats – I used IKEA HJÄLTEROLL muesli with berries, no shame
1 tbsp cream of wheat (farina) – this is important for consistency (makes it creamier)
1/4th cup lowfat greek yogurt – I used FAGE 2%
1/3rd cup cashew milk – I used Elmhurst since it’s delicious but other milk/milk alternatives such as almond, oat, cow’s milk would work equally as well
1 tbsp shredded coconut – can add more or less depending on your taste preference
7-8 strawberries, tops removed and cut into halves, quarters – other fruit works well here including blueberries, mango, banana it really depends on what you like/have available
Pinch of salt
…mix it up in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let it sit overnight in the fridge. Tastes like heaven the next morning, you can even let it come to room temperature a bit to take the chill off. You can even add some crunchy toasted seeds for a texture contrast. Can we take a few minutes to break it down and talk about how nutrient dense of a breakfast this is?
Oats
Oats are packed with fiber, leaving you feeling fuller for longer. This satiety is truly unmatched by other breakfast options, so trying to find a way to incorporate oats or other high fiber choices for breakfast at least a few times a week is highly recommended. What type of fiber is in oats? So glad you asked – oats are loaded with soluble fiber especially β-glucan, which has phenomenal function and nutritional properties including but not limited to cholesterol-lowering capability and optimal blood sugar control.*
Yogurt
Calcium, probiotics, and protein – just a few of the benefits you get from yogurt. Bonus – opt for greek yogurt for a thicker mouthfeel and higher protein content. Again, non dairy alternatives work well here too! Just focus on something that’s low in sugar/fat and high in protein.
Fruit
Can’t speak enough about the benefits of fruit and this recipe is an easy way to get a serving in to start your day. Lots of different fruits will work well here and even frozen fruit would taste delicious!
The important part is, don’t overthink it in terms of ingredients and ratios. As I mentioned before, the recipe is easygoing and you can use it as a foundation to be creative. Other items I plan to work into my overnight oats include: steel cut oats, powdered peanut butter, nutritional yeast, chia seeds, maple syrup, cooked wheatberries, matcha powder - the possibilities are endless.
Reference
* Sang S, Chu Y. Whole grain oats, more than just a fiber: Role of unique phytochemicals. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2017 Jul;61(7). Accessed June 28, 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28067025/
Just Plants and Fish
New Years resolutions suck. That's why I don't do them. But I do try to challenge myself continuously throughout the year, starting in January. Sound familiar? What is your promise to yourself starting in 2022? No alcohol for a month? No chocolate? Gonna stop eating every day by 6 pm and just have water and lemon for the rest of the evening?
How we frame this "resolution" can make all the difference. Rather than focusing on what we're giving up, let's try to focus on what we're including. And for Mabel and I, we're including a buttload of fish (hello potential mercury poisoning!) and plants (big green ones and everything in between). Yep - that's right people. This year, as was previously done in 2018? 2019? my fellow nutrition queen Mabel Lee (along with another registered dietitian recruit) are doing the pescetarian challenge for the entire month of January.
Why are we doing this? Because challenges are fun. They make us push our own limits all for the sake of health and wellness. I should preface this by saying how much we both love meat. Being of Italian descent, the focus is usually on sausage, meatballs, and luscious steak. I switched out these choices for leaner options like seafood, tofu, beans, lentils, nuts, seeds, etc. Also, we’re mostly doing this to make our spouses crazy and encourage them to cook their own dinner 🙂. Kidding! But in all seriousness, Americans consume thee MOST meat (surpassed internationally only by Australia, though the 2 countries like to trade positions yearly), though beef intake has been somewhat declining, chicken intake is certainly on the rise. Sadly, fish and shellfish intake has been relatively stagnant over the past few decades.
Take a look at the graph below.
So why is this the case? Why do we like our meats so much? It’s delicious - for sure. For some folks, it just doesn’t feel like a complete meal without some form of animal protein. It’s taken some un-learning, but I’ve become satisfied with a plate which doesn’t include meat. It just takes a bit of practice and an emphasis on balance. Alternate sources of protein such as plants and fish are easily digestible and FUN to eat - I promise you. You can live without the meat. Take the challenge and start with one meatless day per week. Not only is it good for your body but consuming a plant-based diet will do wonders for the environment as vegan and vegetarian diets are associated with the greatest reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions.
Food and fertility
It all begins with an idea.
When I was younger, I thought it will be so easy to get pregnant. During that time, close ones around me were popping out babies left and right. It was not until my husband and I started trying to conceive in our early 30s that we were hit with the hard truth. A year and one painful HSG procedure later, we learned that our only chance for our own child is through in-vitro fertilization (IVF). I was absolutely devastated to learn that my body is not able to do what it is intended to. But I also found I was not alone…about 1 in every 15 struggle with infertility in the US.
So, we buckled down, met with a reproductive endocrinologist to figure our game plan. You might be wondering how nutrition can help throughout a throughout fertility…
Check out the interconnection between the multiple factors that can affect fertility outcomes
Some studies have found normal vitamin D levels were associated with higher embryo quality, increased live births, and improve uterine lining. I figured as a New Yorker going through IVF in the dead of Winter, taking some vitamin D supplement certainly would not hurt. Research suggest foods rich in Omega-3s (such as nuts and fish) and antioxidants contributes to a healthy uterine lining, which is vital for a successful embryo implantation. Did I follow this diet strictly to a T? Not really, but I did my best. Was I hard on myself for it? Absolutely not. The stress of juggling multiple doctor’s appointments, ultrasounds, IVF medications, and bloodwork, with life in general can be physically and emotionally taxing on anyone. It is 100% okay to indulge once in a while. The bigger takeaway is to include more of those type of foods, not so much restricting yourself from foods you enjoy.
References
Chu, J., Gallos, I., Tobias, A., Robinson, L., Kirkman-Brown, J., Dhillon-Smith, R., Harb, H., Eapen, A., Rajkhowa, M., & Coomarasamy, A. (2019). Vitamin D and assisted reproductive treatment outcome: A prospective cohort study. Reproductive Health, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12978-019-0769-7
Panth, N., Gavarkovs, A., Tamez, M., & Mattei, J. (2018). The influence of diet on fertility and the implications for Public Health Nutrition in the United States. Frontiers in Public Health, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2018.00211