A warming bowl of veggie packed porridge (don’t worry, you won’t taste the zucchini, promise!) is the perfect breakfast to get your body preparing for a beautiful nights sleep whilst you get on with your day. Oats are a natural source of melatonin and are also rich in sleep promoting minerals calcium and magnesium, and stress-reducing Vitamin B6.
This recipe gives you options to choose a sweetener of your choice. I love making mine with naturally sweet banana. Bananas are a great source of potassium and magnesium, which work together tomato your muscles relax, as well as tryptophan, an amino acid which also promotes healthy sleep.
For a delicious crunch on top I recommend using pumpkin seeds. These little nutrition powerhouses are another natural source of tryptophan. They are also rich in zinc, which helps to convert the tryptophan to serotonin, which is then converted into melatonin, your sleep hormone.
Tip:
I love to top this recipe with some homemade chia jam, a delicious and easy to make alternative to conventional sugar-packed jams. Chia is another sleep-inducing seed that is rich in tryptophan. Just add 1 Tbsp of chia seeds with 1 punnet of raspberries, add a little water, stir and leave in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
Zucchini Oats
Ingredients:
1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup grated zucchini
1 cup coconut milk
1 1/2 cup chia seeds
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
sweetness options: half a mashed banana, 1 tsp raw honey, 1 tsp maple syrup, 2 drops liquid stevia
pinch pink sea salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
Topping Options:
- coconut flakes
- pumpkin seeds
- coconut or natural greek yogurt
- chia jam
- nut butter
Method:
- Add all porridge ingredients except the vanilla to a pot.
- Bring to a simmer and add a little water if needed.
- Reduce heat to medium and stir regularly for 10 minutes.
- Add vanilla, stir and move to your bowl.
- Add desired toppings.
About the contributor
Shannon Rosie is a clinical Nutritionist, author and previous owner of sugar-free whole food restaurant Rosies in Sydney. Shannon has a passion for helping clients heal from the inside out and believes strongly in using food as medicine. Shannon has also produced a range of gut health and weight loss nutrition programs available from her health and wellness website, Living With Rosie. Shannon has completed a Bachelor of Health Science in Nutritional Medicine from Endeavour College of Natural Health in Sydney and is an active member of the Australian Natural Therapists Association.
