This Paleo Oatmeal Recipe Is Made Without Oats, Thanks to Surprising Ingredients
When the weather starts to get chilly, nothing seems quite as cozy as oatmeal for breakfast. However, oats are verboten when you're following the paleo diet, so that puts porridge-seekers in a bit of a pickle. But it doesn't mean you have to give up entirely. Turns out, there are plenty of paleo-approved ingredients that, when smashed together, actually resemble oatmeal. This paleo oatmeal recipe will satisfy oat lovers without derailing the paleo diet.
First things first: texture. Oatmeal, even paleo oatmeal, needs to be thick, but not necessarily smooth. That's where nuts, seeds, and flaked coconut come in. As these healthy fat-packing ingredients cook down, they become soft but never too mushy.
Next up: creaminess. As oats cook, they break down, releasing starch that helps oatmeal bind together. Though the nuts and seeds that make the base of this recipe add fat, they won't blend together like oats as the mixture cooks. And for that, turn to almond flour, chia, and flaxseeds. As it's mixed in with nondairy milk, almond flour will add the rich, starchy quality you expect from oatmeal, while the chia and ground flaxseed will gel and thicken the mixture.
Paleo oatmeal can be eaten straight from the pot, dressed up with fresh (or unsweetened dried) fruit and a bit of date syrup or coconut sugar, or you can cool it down in the fridge and treat it like overnight oats.
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients
1/4 cup toasted unsalted almonds, finely chopped
1/4 cup toasted unsalted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 Tbsp almond flour
1 Tbsp black or white chia seeds
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened hemp, almond, or cashew milk, plus more if desired
1/4 cup no-sugar-added raisins or golden raisins, optional
Pinch kosher salt
Fresh fruit, for serving, optional
Coconut sugar or date syrup, for serving, optional
How to Make It
- Mix together almonds, sunflower seeds, coconut, almond flour, chia seeds, flaxseed, and cinnamon in a small saucepan.
- Mix in vanilla extract, nondairy milk, raisins if using, and salt. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, and stir until thick. Add more nondairy milk if needed to reach your desired consistency.
- Serve with fresh fruit and coconut sugar or date syrup if you'd like. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to two days.
