Breakfast on the RUN - Overnight Oats

Breakfast is my most favourite meal of the day.

I always look forward to breakfast and I often find myself drifting off to sleep thinking about what I am going to eat the next morning….this is true.

In winter I love stove cooked rolled oats (cooked in half water, half milk), which I vary with different toppings. Some of my favourite combinations include:

• Chia seeds, banana, cinnamon and a drizzle of honey
• Stewed apple and rhubarb
• Blueberries and honey
• Grated apple and cinnamon
• Spiced poached pears or quince

Traditional rolled oats (not the instant quick oats) have a low glycemic index (GI) and can help to lower your cholesterol due to the presence of beta-glucans. You will find that after a good bowl of rolled oats your energy levels will be nicely sustained and you will feel fuller for longer.

Those of you who have read my earlier posts will know that in my wedding vows earlier this year I officially declared, in front of the ones that I love, to continue to cook my husband delicious meals. During winter this year my husband and I had a ritual of enjoying breakfast together, a previous rarity in our household. There was nothing that I loved more than showing him my love through a warm bowl of delicious cooked oats each morning.

Now that I have dedicated many of my mornings to training for a long distance triathlon, my husband has to settle for weet-bix and I am looking for more ‘on the run’ breakfast options – not the same winter romance we once had.

Before swimming or a long ride in the morning I often enjoy an ‘up and go’ for a quick fix.

Following training I need a breakfast option that I can often enjoy at the office or one that takes no time to prepare. This option needs to provide the right amount of protein for recovery (~20g) and enough carbohydrates to refuel my tired muscles. I still use oats as a basis of this meal, however I have embraced the recent trend of ‘overnight oats.’

If you google ‘overnight oats’ you will find thousands of recipes, some that are extremely creative which almost sound like a dessert instead of a breakfast option.

‘Overnight oats’ are exactly what their title implies. Oats that you prepare the night before that are ready to be enjoyed the next day. As long as you are willing to dedicate a small amount of preparation time the night before, ‘overnight oats’ are the most quick and convenient breakfast option you will find.

My version of ‘overnight oats’ is quiet simple and not too sweet. If you like a touch more sweetness you may try adding a grated apple or a little more honey to the mix.

The combinations of ‘overnight oats’ are endless and I am going to aim to explore some new options throughout this summer, however this is my staple for now. I hope you enjoy.

Simple Overnight Oats

Ingredients

1/2 cup of rolled oats

1/2 cup of Greek yogurt

1/2 cup of milk

1 teaspoon of honey

1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds

1 tablespoon of slithered almonds

1 teaspoon of chia seeds

A pinch of ground cinnamon

Strawberries and blueberries

(you can use frozen berries as in the photograph, however I believe in this instance the fresh type taste better)

Method

1. Combine all ingredients and place on a jar

2. Put on the lid and pop in the ridge overnight

3. When ready to eat top with berries

Nutritious Eats for Hectic Weeks - pesto pasta

Last week we had a crazy week! Our evenings were full. My husband was playing soccer and studying and I was working and training (mostly running and riding). This meant that I had to be organised for our weekly eats. To do this I dedicated one afternoon to cooking up a storm.

Monday night was FREE so I cooked up homemade pesto pasta (pasta is a ritual in our house the night before a soccer game), a Jamie Oliver chicken and vegetable soup (I just added some green beans and white quinoa to make it a more balanced meal) and chilli con carne. All of these meals can be reheated, enjoyed as lunch and frozen in portions for a later date, so they were the perfect choice for us.

The chilli con carne just needed to be served with some rice, balanced with some salad and topped with Greek yoghurt - this dish is PERFECT for busy weeks!

Being organised meant that we enjoyed nutritional meals that provided the energy we required, without the time spent in the kitchen or picking up odds and ends at the supermarket through the week.

When I posted an image of the pesto pasta on Instagram it immediately got a lot of attention so I just had to share.

This meal is quiet famous in the Boogaard house.

Remember you can always increase or decrease the different ingredients mentioned, my recipes are purely there for inspiration, so please let your taste and senses lead the way…

Chicken pesto pasta with pumpkin and sundried tomatoes

Ingredients (serves 4)

3 cups of uncooked penne or spiral pasta

1 tablespoon of olive oil plus extra for drizzling pumpkin

½ a butternut pumpkin, cut into 1cm x 1 cm cubes

400g of chicken breast, thinly sliced

1 large red onion thickly sliced

1 cup of thinly sliced mushrooms

 ½ cup of thinly sliced sundried tomatoes (or sundried tomato strips)

Baby spinach

For the pesto

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup pine nuts

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

Place pumpkin cubes on a tray lined with baking paper, sprinkle with drizzle with olive oil. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until soft.

Meanwhile boil water in a large saucepan and cook pasta for approximately 10-12 minutes.

Put all pesto ingredients into a food processor and mix until a paste forms.

After about 5 minutes of the pasta cooking heat oil in a pan over a medium heat then add the chicken and cook for a few minutes until starting to brown.

Add the sundried tomatoes (plus a bit of the oil from the sun dried tomatoes), onion and mushrooms and cook altogether for another 4-5 minutes until all ingredients are cooked, stirring regularly.

When the pasta is ready, drain and return back to the saucepan over a low heat. Add the chicken, pesto, baby spinach and pumpkin, heat through then remove from the heat. 

Note

This dish is also lovely as a warm salad without the pasta or as a vegetarian option by leaving the chicken out.

Vegetarian Barley Pilaf with Halloumi

When I say barley many of you likely think of beer… RIGHT? Well this little ancient grain serves more purposes than it's role in beer production. Although it is one of our oldest cultivated crops, it is starting to become a modern culinary delight.

Some people however are still yet to discover what barley has to offer in the way of versatility and nutrition.

The barley that we commonly consume today is pearl barley, which has had the tough hulls removed. The end product is a highly nutritious, nutty textured grain that can be used in soups and stews and as an alternative for risotto or pilafs.

Not only is it packed with the goodness of minerals such as selenium, magnesium and phosphorus, it has a low glycemic index (GI). This means the carbohydrate breaks down to glucose at a slow and steady rate, leaving you with more sustain energy levels and keeping you fuller for longer. Barley also contains beta glucans that can help to lower blood cholesterol levels.

So have I sold you yet?

Why not start your barley discovery with this very simple barley pilaf recipe. The recipe calls for certain fresh vegetables (pretty much what I had in the fridge when I set out to develop this recipe), however you can use whatever vegetables you desire. You may even like to use frozen mixed vegetables when the fresh produce is almost at an end.

Let me know what you think, especially if this is your first experience with barley.

Bon Appetit

Barley Pilaf (serves 3-4)

1 cup of pearled barley

250g of halloumi, thickly sliced

1 bay leaf

2 ½ cups of salt reduced vegetable stock

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 zucchini, diced

1 red capsicum, diced

1 carrot, diced

½ cup of frozen peas, thawed

½ cup chopped parsley (or herb of your choice)

1 teaspoon of lemon zest

Juice from half a lemon

Method

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.

Add onion and season with pepper and cook until tender.

Add barley and cook for approximately 3 minutes.

Add stock and bay leaf, bring to the boil then simmer covered until barley tender (stirring occasionally), this will take approximately 25 minutes.

Once the barley is tender add vegetables (except for the peas) and some extra stock if required, cook for approximately 5 minutes (or until vegetables start to cook through).

Remove from heat, stir through peas, cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

While to pilaf is standing, heat the other tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over a medium to high heat, cook the halloumi for approximately 1 minute on each side. 

Then, remove the bay leaf from the pilaf, season with pepper and stir through the the parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice. Divide between bowels and top with halloumi. 

Vegetable Chilli Bowl

Ingredients Serves 4-6

2 tablespoons of olive oil

3 red onion, roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 red capsicums, halved and cut into squares

2 zucchini, cut into chunks

1 tablespoon of chilli powder or flakes (or to taste)

1 tablespoon of ground cumin

2 x 400g cans of diced tomatoes

1 420g can of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 420g can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Ground pepper

½ cup of chopped flat parsley

½ cup of chopped coriander leaves

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

Method

Heat the oil in a casserole dish over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and capsicum and cook for 5 minutes, then add the zucchini and cook for a further 3 minutes.

Add the chilli powder and cumin and stir for a minute to combine

Add the chopped tomatoes with their juice, the drained kidney beans and chickpeas. Season with pepper. Cover and cook over low heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the zucchini is tender.

Stir in parsley, coriander and lemon juice.

I always serve this with a very generous helping of Greek yoghurt and a slice of sour dough or mixed grain bread to mop up all of the lovely flavours.