Breakfast Pot of Blueberry, Pear, Mango & Oats

Breakfast Pot of Blueberry, Pear, Mango, and Oats
Serves 4
Mornings can be rough. Getting my three boys out the door to school and college can be demanding to say the least. Having a good breakfast sets you and the family up for success all throughout the day by helping to keep your blood sugars regulated until lunch time. Since breakfast is the most important meal of the day, take the extra time to make it the night before. Place it in a mason jar, and leave it overnight in the refrigerator. The next morning all you have to do is grab and go. You’re taking five grams of fiber and over eight grams of protein per three quarters of a cup, along with selenium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, and iron. You could say it’s a power house of goodness.

I was brought up on porridge as a child. My mother made it practically every morning for my brother Michael, my sister Julie, and me. We took it with us on the way to catch the bus to school. I remember loving the warm, sticky, consistency, especially on the cold winter mornings in the Northeast of England standing at the bus shelter. I really don’t miss those days. Now it’s the heat of North Carolina. Good thing this dish works perfectly cold too.

If oats weren’t healthy enough, blueberries are natures wonder. They contain compounds such as anthocyanins. They are antioxidants and anti-inflammatory. As we know, inflammation and oxidative stress are the cause of every major disease such as diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and cancer. Blueberries are also the ultimate memory food. Studies suggest that adding a half cup of blueberries to your diet each day can dramatically slow down the effects of motor coordination and memory loss due to aging.

Mangos have their health benefits too. They are bursting with vitamins A, C, and K as well as potassium, beta carotene, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. All that nutrition with only an average of 135 calories per fruit. Now that’s an amazing piece of fruit.

There is even more nutrition in the unsalted pistachio nuts included in this breakfast. They are very high in potassium to sodium ratio, which can help maintain water balance and normalize blood pressure. They also have the benefits of Vitamin E, magnesium, phosphorus, and trace amounts of other vitamins and minerals.

When all of these ingredients are combined, they make a delicious and satisfying treat that is simple to make and saves valuable morning time.

Breakfast Pot of Blueberry, Pear, Mango, and Oats
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 cup steel cut oats
½ cup almond milk (Make your own, 1 cup almonds to 2 cups filtered water)
1 orange, zest and juice
2 pears, grated with skin
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup blueberries
1 cup Greek yogurt (optional)
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 tablespoon unsalted pistachios, shell and roughly chop (optional)

How to make:
Place the oats, milk, orange juice, orange zest, grated pear, cinnamon, and ginger into a bowl. Mix well and divide between four mason jars. Divide the blueberries between the 4 jars, followed by a layer of yogurt. Top with the mango and pistachios. Screw on each lid. Chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to let the oats soak up the milk. Make them the night before so anyone in your family can grab and go.