Our morning routine to start a positive and productive day always includes a powerful breakfast. This overnight quinoa bowl with nuts, seeds, and fruits is an absolute winner.
It energizes us so we can bring out the full potential of our brains, satiates us so we don’t crash in the middle of the day, and protects and nourishes our brains and bodies while we deal with life.
It’s packed with good proteins from quinoa, soy milk, and soy yogurt, Omega-3 fatty acids in flax, chia, and hemp seeds, anti-inflammatories in berries, and so much more.
And, of course, it’s always wonderful waking up in the morning with your breakfast ready to eat — that’s the beauty of overnight oats!
Ingredients
- ½ cup (90 grams) uncooked quinoa, washed and rinsed well and cooked with 1 cup (240 milliliters) water
- ¼ cup (30 grams) rolled oats
- 2 tbsp flax seeds
- 2 tbsp chia seeds
- 2 tbsp hemp seeds
- 2 tsp monk fruit sweetener (optional, for sweetness)
- 2 cups (480 milliliters) unsweetened soy milk
- 1 tsp cinnamon or cardamom
Optional toppings: bananas, berries, unsweetened soy yogurt, walnuts, more hemp seeds, nut butter
How to make our Oat Pancakes and Blueberry Sauce
Wash and rinse the quinoa, and bring to the boil in a pan with 1 cup (240 milliliters) of water, then cover, reduce the heat, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes
Once it’s cooled, pour the quinoa into a container, e.g. glass Pyrex and add the rolled oats, flax seeds, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and monkfruit sweetener
Pour on the soy milk, sprinkle on the cinnamon, then stir it all together and put the lid on your container
Refrigerate overnight
In the morning, scoop your overnight quinoa into a bowl or jar, then top with unsweetened soy milk yogurt, bananas, berries, walnuts, or even some of the hazelnut chocolate butter from our book!
Questions from our community
Here are some questions our community have asked us on Instagram.
Is it necessary to grind the seeds? Yes, I recommend grinding the flax seeds. No need to grind the chia or hemp seeds, though. You can use many different tools for this — blenders, food processors, pepper or coffee grinders, mortars and pestles, or even a dedicated flax mill.
Why not use quinoa flakes? It’s easier and faster. Certainly, quinoa flakes can be quicker and easier to cook than whole quinoa, but quinoa flake products can sometimes be more processed and not as nutritious. They also tend to be more expensive, and not as widely-available.
Can you serve this warm after refrigeration? If that’s your preference, certainly!
The brain science behind the recipe
Quinoa is the only seed that is a complete protein source. It’s packed with nutrients essential for cognitive health, as well as brain-boosting fiber, vitamin E, zinc, phosphorus, and selenium. The word ‘superfood’ gets tossed around a lot, but with 4 grams of protein and 25 grams of fiber in every cup, quinoa has truly earned the title.
Chia, flax, and hemp seeds contain a lot of omega-3 fatty acids — a type of polyunsaturated fat. Our own study, ‘The Omega-3 Fatty Acids EPA and DHA in Brain Aging’, supports links between dietary omega-3 intake and a reduced risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Omega-3s also contribute to the fluidity of cell membranes, promote neuronal communication, and counteract inflammation. We wrote more about the relationship between brain health and good fats on our blog →
Aside from all this nutritional value, having a ready-to-go breakfast waiting for you on busy mornings can be so incredibly de-stressing, and can give you the energy to turn a hectic start to the day into a fulfilling afternoon and a relaxed, satisfied evening. This kind of stress management and balance is vital for long-term brain health, and is summed up by our ‘NEURO’ acronym: Nutrition, Exercise, Unwind, Restore, Optimize.
Join the NEURO Academy community to get exclusive access to Ayesha’s live brain-healthy cooking sessions.
- Ask Ayesha questions
- Learn about the brain health benefits of different foods
- Share your food photos in the NEURO Academy community, and exchange tips with other members!
Join the NEURO Academy community to get exclusive access to Ayesha’s live brain-healthy cooking sessions.
- Ask Ayesha questions
- Learn about the brain health benefits of different foods
- Share your food photos in the NEURO Academy community, and exchange tips with other members!
More brain-healthy recipes
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