What the?! Two posts in two days! Craaaaazzzyyyy!

Shock and awe aside, today I decided to share with you two recipes for my current favourite breakfast option: Overnight Oats. 

Not only are these oats packed with fibre, protein and just plain delicious, but they are also so easy and convenient! I usually throw them together in a screw top jar before I go to bed and take them to work with me in the morning. No fuss or messing around when your trying to get out the door!

Now because variety is supposedly the spice of life, I have two different variations of these oats and I want you guys to let me know which you prefer!

PB + Heeyyyyy!

The first flavour is a little number I call PB + Heeyyyy! 
This is my usual go to simply because its super quick and easy. As you will see in the recipe below I like to use PB2 rather than normal peanut butter purely for the sake of calorie cutting but you can use the traditional version if you prefer (PB2 is essentially peanuts which have been roasted and had a lot of the oils removed so you have all the flavour but less of the fat ). Also, in the recipe I used almond milk but you could use coconut, soy, dairy, whatever you choose.

Carrot Cake-Walk

The second flavour is a little number I made up yesterday called Carrot Cake-Walk.
Basically I had seen versions of raw carrot cakes around the Internet and thought, why should your oats be missing all that carrot loving? Well no longer! Time for that great carrot cake sweetness to make the move to breakfast. 


Both sound pretty good right? So here is what you'll need:

Ingredients:

 

PB + Heeeyyy

1/3 cup Rolled Oats (or instant)
2 tbsp Chia Seeds
1 tbsp PB2 powder (or normal peanut butter)
2 tsp Sweetener (you can use stevia, natvia or even equal if you choose)
5 or so Pitted Dates, roughly chopped 
1 cup Almond Milk (or coconut, soy, dairy, whatever you like)
 

Carrot Cake-Walk

1/3 cup Rolled Oats (or instant)
2 tbsp Chia Seeds
1 small Carrot (shredded or blended in a food processor)
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Mixed Spice
1 heaped tbsp Shredded Coconut
2 tsp Sweetener (you can use stevia, natvia or even equal if you choose)
5 or so Pitted Dates, roughly chopped 
1 cup Almond Milk (or coconut, soy, dairy, whatever you like)



The process is exactly the same for both, simply stick everything into a jar, stir or shake to make sure it is all well combined and stick in the refrigerator overnight. Voila! 


So now you all know how simple it is go and test out these wonder jars of oaty-goodness and let me know which flavour you think comes out on top. Though lets face it, when your eating these babies, everyones a winner!

 

 

To all those reading this recipe and thinking "oh, that sounds like a nice, healthy snack/meal" BE WARNED! 

Oh yes, this granola may be a mix of nutritious oats, nuts, oils, seeds and full of healthy fats, carbs and proteins but don't be fooled! It will create in you the most unhealthy of obsessions! 

Think you can have one spoon and walk away? Think again!

Surely one bowl will be enough? Wrong!

Well surely after eating the whole batch I will be so satisfied I won't want to touch the stuff again for at least a few hours? Oh you poor, simple fool!

Seriously, I am not exaggerating when I say only chopping my hands of Jamie Lannister style will stop me devouring buckets of this stuff... and even then I may just dive in head first.

As of late I have been taking the vegan/clean/natural lifestyle for a test drive, to admittedly amazing results! I feel full of energy, I eat when I want without any feelings of guilt and just feel generally happier and healthier! This weekend alone I played two full games of football (AFL, not that other rubbish) without any breaks, hit the gym for a pretty intense cardio session and still felt amazing and ready to keep running! Any who, as part of my new eating plans I have been scouring the web for inspiration when I stumbled across this recipe from My New Roots. I actually had a bag of buckwheat seeds that I was wanting to make into a breakfast granola, so you can imagine my delight at adding chocolate into the equation!

I did stick the recipe in a general, using-what-I-have-on-hand sort of way and what eventuated was a deliciously sweet (but also kind of savoury...) mixture of rainbows and puppy dog smiles!Really you can just throw in whatever ingredients you have on hand and add more and less of those things you love or just like.

If you do manage to resist eating the whole thing hot from the oven (I applaud you and your restraint!) there are 101 ways you can enjoy this granola! Serve it as a breakfast cereal with the dairy/nut/soy/whatever milk of your choice. Layer it with frozen banana 'nice cream' (see my earlier recipe here). Sprinkle it on freshly sliced fruit... 

Excuse me. I have to go... not make another batch... right now!

Chocolate Buckwheat Granola

You will Need

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 cups raw buckwheat, soaked in water for an hour and then drained
1 ½ cups / 65g coconut flakes
2 cups raw nuts, roughly chopped (I used a mix of walnuts, cashews and brazil nuts)
3/4 cup chia seeds
½ tsp fine grain sea salt
¼ cup coconut sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup coconut oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup cacao powder

 

Preheat your oven to  175°C and line a large baking tray with baking paper. 

In a large bowl combine the oats, drained buckwheat, coconut, chia seeds, sugar and chopped nuts.

Mmmmmm... soaked buckwheat!

In a small saucepan combine the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla and salt and heat over a low flame until the coconut oil is melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cacao powder.

Trying not to eat this chocolate pool of magic as it is, pour it into your bowl with the oat mixture and stir well to make sure every nut, oat and coconut flake gets some chocolate loving. 

 

 

Dump the whole mixture onto your lined baking tray and stick in the over for about 15-20 minutes. When the time is up, grab a spatula and flip the mixture over to expose the bottom and stick it back in the oven for another 10 minutes or so, stirring and mixing around frequently to make sure the entire mix gets nice and toasted. You should be able to smell when it's ready, the nuts will be giving off a delicious toasty smell so if you see some drool pouring down your chin... its probably done! 

 

And that's about it! If you have the strength, let your granola cool in the tray before hoeing in... or just go for it. I promise not to judge.