Yes, you read the title correctly. This is a vegan oatmeal bowl with pears and parsley.
You might be wondering why I’d put parsley in oatmeal. I mean, cinnamon? Sure. Maple syrup? Absolutely. Parsley? Um…I don’t think green things are supposed to go with oatmeal.
Not true. You can actually put anything you want in a vegan oatmeal bowl. And parsley is a fantastic addition, especially in late fall and winter. Parsley is an energizing herb that can help with digestion, which tends to get a little sluggish as we move towards winter.
Oatmeal can be tricky for your body to digest, so adding a little parsley can make your morning meal move through you more easily.
Also, we tend to overdo it with the sugar in the morning. Whether it’s smoothies (which I love) or cereal or muffins or scones or oatmeal, they tend to be a little heavier on the kapha properties (dense, heavy, sugary) and lighter on the vata qualities (light, green, bitter). Since I’m not ready to add broccoli to my oatmeal (like I’ve done in the past with my smoothies), I figure parsley is a pretty good start.
Vegan Oatmeal Bowl with Pears and Parsley
Serves 1
Ingredients~
1/2 cup steel cut oats (dried) and enough water to cover (about 1 cup)
1 pear, peeled and cubed
2 Tbs goji berries or golden raisins
2 Tbs pumpkin seeds
2 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped and stems removed
optional: drizzle of maple syrup
Directions~
Make your oatmeal. I actually do this step overnight, which makes it way easier. Heat the oats in the water, cover, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, with cover on. Then turn off the heat and let it sit overnight to finish cooking. Works like a charm!
Assemble your oatmeal toppings. I like to bake my pears, which takes about 10 minutes if I peel and cut into chunks. You don’t have to. It is an extra step. But so worth it in the autumn/winter months!
Mix everything together, sprinkling the parsley on last. Add maple syrup if you need it (and I mean, who doesn’t?) and stir well.
Enjoy!
