Pumpkin Overnight Oats

On cold frigid mornings there are few things I would rather eat than a nourishing bowl of oatmeal. They are very filling and easy on our bodies, with a soothing effect on our digestive systems. However, my fantasy of leisurely mornings spent slowly boiling oats over the stove and creatively dressing them up rarely comes to pass. Packaged oats have the advantage that they can be taken on the road and prepared anywhere that boiling water can be found. Yet they do have a very notable downside- many of them are full of preservatives and added sugars that are not the most ideal for our bodies, especially when breaking our long fast from the night before. Luckily some brilliant person somewhere came up with the idea of overnight oats, mixing oats and complimentary ingredients and storing them in the fridge overnight, during which time they turn into a perfectly creamy, ready to eat meal. There are countless combinations out there but this my basic no added sugar version that has enough to it that I don’t even miss spoonfuls sprinkles of brown sugar. To make it seasonal I added in some pumpkin and topped it with a homemade apple and pear sauce and some pumpkin seeds and pecans. The chia seeds and almond milk are the two secret ingredients- the chia plumps it up and the milk makes it nice and creamy. Between all the basic ingredients used there is a high amount of gentle fiber (nothing as abrasive as the type of fiber in bran which can be really hard on our intestines), essential fatty acids, carbohydrates and protein, plus several vitamins and minerals. All the ingredients together energize you for the day and digest well so they move quickly through the system, thus though they are filling and nourishing they have a debloating effect on the body.