Chia Banana Oatmeal
Switching it up with an easy breakfast recipe… Chia Banana Oatmeal!
Well folks, it’s that season. Even in San Diego. Mr. VP got slammed with a nasty cold last weekend – though he did recover in about 48 hours, which is amazing considering how many tissues he went through. My mom got hit with the cold a few days ago and is just today starting to get over it. At work last week, I had a handful of students with persistent coughs, and many more with sore throats. I must have dispensed about two dozen salt-water gargle cups over the week (the kids aren’t allowed to have cough drops unless they gargle first). The air has been really dry, and now I have a sore throat too… though I’m determined not to let it progress into a full-blown sickness.
As my dad would say, we’ve been “recycling our colds.”
I normally wouldn’t post a recipe so seemingly mundane as oatmeal. Like, who doesn’t know how to make oatmeal?! But, because I have changed the way I eat it since becoming vegan (ie, nix the milk and butter) and my throat was in need of some soothing comfort food this morning, I thought this chia banana oatmeal recipe would be appropriate.
Honestly, I wanted to title this post “Sore Throat Oatmeal” (or how about “Sore Throatmeal”? Eh?). The warm mushiness feels so nice on it’s way down the hatch when your throat hurts. It’s also really easy to make (comes together in about 5 minutes), which is perfect when you don’t have the energy to cook anything remotely elaborate.
But, alas, “Sore Throatmeal” wouldn’t make a very SEO-friendly title (doesn’t sound very appetizing, either).
So “Chia Banana Oatmeal” it is.
Normally I would add some chopped walnuts to my oatmeal. I believe bananas and walnuts are a match made in heaven. But when my throat hurts, I don’t want any crunchy things – just pure, silky softness. The chia seeds here become gel-like as they cook with the oatmeal and bananas, and they pack a healthy portion of fiber, protein, and omega-3’s.
Wondering about the adorable-yet-unusual backdrop? It’s my brother’s baby blanket. Still around nearly 20 years later. Because this oatmeal is like a baby blanket for your throat. Whoa… did I just do something artistic?
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2 and 1/4 cups water
- 2 Tbsp. chia seeds
- 1 ripe banana, sliced
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp. maple syrup, or to taste
- Optional: non-dairy milk of choice, to serve
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring rolled oats and water to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Add chia seeds and banana; stir continuously for 2-3 minutes until water is absorbed and oats are soft. Be sure to break up the banana slices as you stir to help achieve a uniform consistency.
- Remove from heat; stir in cinnamon and maple syrup.
- Serve topped with non-dairy milk if desired (it helps to cool the oatmeal and make it creamier).
Nutrition information below for 1 bowl of chia banana oatmeal (1/2 recipe). Does not include optional non-dairy milk.