Winter Oats - The Ayurveda Way

Sit down and enjoy the benefits of a creamy, nutritious, home-cooked porridge to boost your energy levels without weighing down your digestive system. 

So, how should my oats be prepared?  

Here are a few tips you can use to adjust your morning porridge recipe from an Ayurvedic perspective - as recommended by Ayurvedic expert, Dr. Ajit. 

1. Use fine oats rather than rolled oats 
Rolled or whole oats are harder to digest and can therefore cause or promote imbalance in your  digestive system. Using fine oats will also reduce the time it takes for you to prepare your meal.

2. Toast grains in a pan before cooking 
Toast your grains using 1 tbsp of any cooking oil until lightly browned. This activates your grains  and makes them even lighter for ease of digestion. You can then add these grains into a pot with warm water to heat.

3. Add Cinnamon & Cardamom (optional)
Not only does this add some great flavour to your porridge, the addition of these spices is especially beneficial for your lymphatic system and further improves digestion. Adding these spices into the pot before your oats are thickened will allow for greater absorption of its nutritional values. For ambrosial goodness, we suggest using a combination of cinnamon, poppy seeds and a pinch of saffron strands!

4. Add Raisins (optional)
Once your oats have thickened you can add even more flavour with a handful of raisins. Not  only is this a compatible ingredient which can further aid in digestion, it can also add a bit more sweetness to your morning meal. This is an especially great option for young ones!
 
5. Use non-homogenised milk 
We recommend using non-homogenised milk due to being a healthier option in its most natural  form. Alongside this, we suggest avoiding processed milks in general which includes Soy, Almond, Rice milk and so on. It is best to warm your milk before adding to your pot in order to maintain the temperature of your oats.

6. Avoid incompatible ingredients 
By incompatible, we mean ingredients that are opposite and mismatched which can result in  confusion within our digestive system - leading to indigestion, fermentation and other ailments.  For example, avoid adding fresh fruits and yoghurt to your porridge as this can cause more  imbalance than nourishment. 

Added tip: Remember to be mindful of your thoughts and feelings whilst cooking

Ayurveda teaches us the importance of your thoughts and feelings which can translate into the energy that is poured into every meal, so don’t forget to include a dose of love into every stir and ingredient added. Most importantly, enjoy.