Easy Overnight Pumpkin Quinoa-Oatmeal

This easy overnight warm pumpkin quinoa-oatmeal can be made in a few minutes the night before and is packed with easy to digest nutrients and added protein from quinoa to keep you going all day! Make a perfect individual grab-and-go pumpkin treat in a mason jar for easy convenience. This pumpkin spiced, nutty oatmeal can also be made in a big batch for a healthy, stress-free, family on-the-go meal.

Not only does this “real food” recipe require no-mess cooking, it is a great alternative to processed packaged oatmeal, and it’s gluten free! This recipe requires no refrigeration, so you will not be eating “cold cereal” in the winter months and it can be warmed up on the stove for a toasty touch!

Organic steel cut oats are used in this recipe. You can buy them in bulk in certain grocery stores at a cheaper price than if you were to buy them packaged. Old fashioned rolled oats are good, but steel cut oats still hold the nutty flavor and are the least processed and most nutritious verses old fashioned oats that are chopped, steamed, and flattened. Quick oats and instant oatmeal are the most processed because the bran that is just below the hull is removed. This is where most of the nutrients and fiber are contained. Of course, instant oatmeal comes with a big dose of sugar as well.

That is why it is ALWAYS a good idea to make whole food meals.

How did oatmeal get so processed? The industrial revolution brought in new ways to keep grains on the shelves longer without spoiling. This was done by stripping away the bran and fat out of the germ. This refined product does not go rancid as fast, but lacks the nutrient dense fiber of the germ.

Soaking grains was used as a method of preservation before modern refrigeration came along. Even packaged oatmeal had soaking directions on them before refined oatmeal was the norm. In fact, soaking directions on labels of quinoa can be found in grocery stores today.

Soaking improves digestion. Grains and seeds are full of enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid that resist digestion. These are the plants defense mechanisms that evolved for protection against predators in nature. So under the right conditions, such as with warm hydration, think of the soil….grains will grow and loosen their grip to release the nutrients. The starch decreases and the bioavailability of amino acids, fats, and B vitamins are easy for your body to digest. Refrigerator oatmeal is not true soaking. It has to have a warm medium.

Yes. I have noticed a difference with my digestion when I soak this quinoa-oatmeal superfood breakfast.

The soaking is what makes this recipe so deliciously easy! Just toss all the ingredients together in a mason jar and leave it at room temperature overnight. On top of a warm stove would be ideal. The pumpkin spices will infuse in the grains by the time the sun comes up!

Try the quinoa-oatmeal with this easy No-Cook Cranberry Apple Chia Seed Jam.

Soaking is the first step in traditional preservation of food by fermentation before processed foods came and stripped away most of the nutritional value. Lacto-fermented pickles are replaced with processed, distilled acetic-acid white vinegar. These Curried Pickled Peaches are made with raw apple cider vinegar.

It is easy to ferment your veggies at home and keep your immune system up with probiotic rich food during the fall and winter months!

Learn how to freeze quinoa for easy meal planning, plus many more creative quinoa recipes for every season!

Shared with Healthy, Happy, Green & Natural, Waste Not Want Not Wednesday, FoodFriendsFriday, FoodieFriDIY.