The summer days heat up as we move into July. In the spirit of Zen we practice with meeting each moment as it arises. The monk’s schedules become more fluid with the heat. It seems much kinder to work in the garden in the cool hours of the early morning and then sit in the cool Hall when the day has become hot. We follow the rhythm of what Life is offering.
It is a time when standing over a hot stove becomes less and less inviting. It also becomes a kindness to others to limit the amount of extra heat we add to the kitchen environment. A breakfast dish that wins on all of these counts is Overnight Oats. No cooking needed, not much prep time, and loads of nutrition. It’s a great breakfast to enjoy after an early morning garden work period or any time. It is beautifully simple.
Enjoy!
In gassho,
Sequoia
Overnight Oats
Serves 1
The night before, mix the following:
½ cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp. chia seeds
1/3 cup almond milk or other milk of choice
1/3 cup kefir (this too can be substituted with additional milk or yogurt)
2 tsp. maple syrup (this can be omitted or use any other sweetener of choice)
Put the mixture in a covered bowl in the refrigerator overnight.
When time to eat:
Stir the bowl of soaked oats and top with any or all of the following choices. This is the place to get creative!
Fresh fruit
Yogurt
Almond milk (or other milk)
Nuts and/or seeds
Shredded coconut
Hemp hearts
Fruit-sweetened jam