Ready to take your oatmeal to the next level?

I'm a fan of oatmeal. It's warm, it's filling, its comforting, it keeps things moving (ahem) and it keeps me going until lunch. This recipe is one of my breakfast staples because it adds a few game-changing ingredients.

Ingredients:

• heaping 1/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats
• filtered/spring water
• 1 tbsp organic virgin coconut oil
• 1 packet Four Sigmatic cordyceps mushroom elixir
• 1 banana
• cinnamon
• coconut milk

Directions:

• add oats to a wide-mouthed, microwave-safe bowl
• add water until oats are just submerged so that it looks something like this:

• stir in coconut oil
• microwave for 1 min 30 sec (not huge on microwaving things, but once in a while it's nice for convenience-sake)
• stir in mushroom elixir
• slice banana and add to top
• add a splash of coconut milk
• top with cinnamon

Game-Changing Ingredients:

Gluten free oats

• I know I don't do well with gluten, so finding Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats allows me to enjoy them without the nasty side effects :)

Coconut Oil

• Numerous benefits associated with this healthy fat, it tastes great, and makes my oatmeal a little creamier!
• Contains antibacterial lauric acid, as well as MCTs to give you some quick and clean-burning energy
• I tend to go for the highest quality, organic, raw coconut oil I can find, and have found that for me it's worth the investment

Four Sigmatic Cordyceps Mushroom Elixir

• I LOVE mushrooms. They're fascinating and have sooooo many health benefits that some cultures have known about for thousands of years! Here in North America, we're just starting to acknowledge their powerful properties and I'm super excited to see mushroom-based products that are high quality and are easily consumed start to emerge on the market (definitely check out Four Sigmatic for amazing products and a ton of information in their free, online "Mushroom Academy")!
• Cordyceps mushrooms, specifically, are known for their positive effects on respiratory health and immunity and give you a boost of energy without a crash that's great for pre-workout or starting your day

Cinnamon

• I actually use two different kinds: Cassia (more common) and Ceylon (harder to find)
• Cassia cinnamon is your typical one that you can find everywhere. It comes from China usually and gives a nice flavour but doesn't compare to Ceylon in terms of health benefits
• Ceylon cinnamon is the "true cinnamon", hailing from Sri Lanka and southern parts of India. It's antibacterial/antifungal, helps regulate blood sugar, is an antioxidant and has anti-clotting and anti-inflammatory properties

Unsweetened Coconut Milk

• I don't think sugar is the devil. But I do like to know how much I'm consuming and make sure it's a from good source. For that reason, I buy the unsweetened Silk coconut milk and add a bit of raw honey or maple syrup if I want that bit of extra sweetness

What are your favourite oatmeal upgrades?

Stay tuned ;)

Jackie O