Spring is here in Northern California in full force!  It is my most favorite season of the year, but this year, I have been holding out on winter hoping for more rain.  But I can’t deny it any longer.  The indomitable wild flowers are popping up everywhere.  The hillsides are green and yellow and considering the lack of rain, they will be brown in just a couple of weeks, so let’s enjoy spring for a bit.   (V is traveling on the east coast this week, and he is wondering what I am going on about spring considering the freezing temperatures there.  Now try denying climate change!)

As I mentioned in the previous post, I am on a major fermented and cultured foods kick these days and have been exploring recipes that use “kefir“.  Kefir is delicious and can be drunk straight up on a hot, summer day.  And hopefully by this summer, I will master kefir-making.  For now, I am using store-bought plain organic kefir with live cultures.

Oats with Kefir, Blueberries and Chia Seeds

Browsing for recipes online, I was inspired by a simple, make-ahead breakfast recipe for oats by Sara Bradford of nourishrealfood.com.  I made a variation of that with blueberries using a wide mouth mason jar.  The next morning I screwed the lid on and took it to work for my breakfast.  Super convenient!

Oats with Kefir, Blueberries and Chia Seeds

Recipe for Make-Ahead Kefir Oats with Blueberries
Inspired by Kefir Peach Overnight Oats by Sara Bradford of nourishrealfood.com
[Printable Recipe]

Ingredients:
For one serving

• 1/2 cup plain old-fashioned Quaker oats (or any other rolled oats, but not instant)
• 1/2 cup kefir (plain, unsweetened, organic with live cultures)
• 1/2 cup water / unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 cup frozen blueberries
• 1 Tbsp date sugar (or honey)
• 1 Tbsp chia seeds (or flax or hemp seeds)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder (optional)

Method:

• In a wide-mouth mason jar or a plain old bowl, layer the oats, kefir, water, blueberries, chia seeds, date sugar, and cinnamon powder (if using) and leave it on the counter overnight
• The oats will soak and the blueberries will thaw overnight
• Mix everything up in the morning and enjoy!

Oats with Kefir, Blueberries and Chia Seeds

What other variations would you do to this recipe?  Do let me know in the comments below.