Cranberry Oatmeal with Ginger Cashew Cream
This Cranberry Oatmeal with Ginger Cashew Cream makes for a warm, delicious breakfast that you can look forward to on a cold January morning, whether you just got in from a chilly morning run or just crawled out of your cozy bed. It’s also healthy, filling, and easy to prepare. AKA, everything a breakfast should be.
Oatmeal is packed full of soluble fiber and healthy carbohydrates, both providing awesome benefits to our bodies:
- Soluble fiber helps you feel fuller for longer and also works to lower the bad cholesterol in your body.
- Healthy carbohydrates provide your body with the energy it needs to perform.
Unfortunately, oatmeal can be pretty blah on it’s own, but it’s 2016 and we don’t need to eat blah breakfasts. Instead we are going to add tart, fresh cranberries and ginger cashew cream.
I know that ginger cashew cream might sound fancy (because it is), but it is super simple to make. All you need to do is blend up some cashews with water, maple syrup, and chopped ginger. The end result is like cream, except it’s healthy for you.
The longer you let your cashews soak, the creamier it will be. Sometimes I’ll soak my cashews overnight, but sometimes I’ll forget and not soak them at all. The result is delicious either way, but max the flavor by letting them soak for a while.
Once you have the ginger cashew cream you’ll make the oatmeal. Add the oats, cashew cream, water, and cranberries to a pot and let it cook for a few minutes. When the cranberries get warm they might pop a little bit, which is great because it releases more of their flavor. Cook the oats to your desired consistency, then stir in the chia seeds. This will thicken the oatmeal a little bit. Transfer the oatmeal to a bowl and top it with a swirl of cashew cream, maple syrup, and a few extra cranberries and cashews. Now you are all set with an oh so very delicious warm, hearty, healthy breakfast!
Health Benefits
I mentioned the benefits of oatmeal, but I want to give some health shout outs to the rest of the ingredients too.
- Cranberries are loaded with antioxidants, plus vitamin C and fiber.
- Ginger has antioxidants too, but is really known for its anti-inflammatory effects and immune boosting powers.
- Cashews are rich in protein and heart-healthy fats, but they are also a good source of copper, magnesium, and zinc.
- Chia Seeds are tiny magical things packed with protein, fiber, omega-3’s, antioxidants, calcium, and manganese.
Clearly this Cranberry Oatmeal with Ginger Cashew Cream is loaded with major health benefits, not to mention it is both delicious and pretty.
This oatmeal is so simple to put together, making it perfect for weekday mornings when you want a fast, warm breakfast before work. However, the cashew cream gives it a bit of decadence that also makes it appealing on the weekends. It’s like a splurge, but it’s not, because it’s healthy.
Ingredients:
For the ginger cashew cream:
- ¼ cup cashews
- ½ cup water
- ½ teaspoon ginger root, chopped
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
For the oatmeal:
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup cashew cream
- ½ cup cranberries
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Directions:
- For the cashew cream: add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- For the oatmeal: add oats, water, cashew cream, and cranberries to a small pan on medium-high heat. Stir occasionally and cook for about 5 minutes or until the oats reach your desired consistency. Stir in the chia seeds.
- Place oatmeal in a bowl and top with additional cashew cream, maple syrup, cranberries, and cashews.
Notes:
- To maximize the creaminess of your cashew cream soak the cashews in water for an hour or even overnight before blending to make the cashew cream. Just drain the cashews and use fresh water when you are ready to go!
