It kills me to write the following sentence, but:
The kids go back to school today.
I know that I, for one, have at least one member of the household that is deeply unhappy that this day has arrived.
We have spent the last two months footloose and fancy-free, flip-flop clad, jumping (literally) in lakes, exploring other cities and countries and making a game of how few nights we spent sleeping in our own beds at home.
The answer is about 3, and we are wildly proud of that fact.
But reality is now coming crashing down. Michael is starting Grade 9, and I am back teaching as of next Monday. A busy fall schedule awaits us both. *sob*
One more moment of silence as we mourn carefree, sunny summer days that were our own.
Okay. Now that that’s done, let’s turn our focus to the matter at hand: school. I’ve already loaded the freezer up with lots of healthy, quick grab-and-go lunches: homemade vegetarian pizza pockets made with yams, Trader Joe’s vegan chorizo, and beans, and individually-sized containers of Cuban rice and beans that I can quickly heat up in the microwave.
But breakfast. That’s the kicker. I usually resort to smoothies, or I’ll make breakfast cookies or homemade granola bars.
But I also love me some Overnight Oats. You see, the thing is, you can really pack a lot of good stuff into your Overnight Oats.
Like Gojis, for example. I was tickled pink to discover that there is a local farm here in Vancouver that’s growing gojis. Up until now, our only way of getting this superfood was by purchasing them dry (imported from China). I really like the fresh ones, they have a pop of tartness, and did I mention how good they are for you??
This overnight oat recipe can be customized to how you like it. Be sure to make up 3-5 to last you a whole week of healthy, grab-and-go breakfasts.
Overnight Goji Oats
Ingredients (for each individual serving)
- 250-ml mason jars with lids
- 2-3 tbsp oats (not instant)
- 1 tbsp ground, roasted flax
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp vegan protein powder(I like vanilla)
- 8-12 fresh goji berries
- 1-2 tbsp dried fruit like cranberries, dates or raisins
- 2 tbsp yogurt (or non-dairy yogourt if you want to keep it vegan)
- 2 tbsp non dairy milk
- a sprinkle of cinnamon
- a tiny pinch of salt
- a drizzle of maple syrup
Method:
- Place all the dry ingredients in the bottom of the mason jar, and give it a shake to combine.
- Now add the wet ingredients and shake/stir well to mix everything together.
- Place the lid on and store in the fridge overnight. In the morning, grab and go.
- If you like, you can add extras, like nuts/seeds, or blob of peanut butter and jelly.
