Tahini overnight oats

Cooking time: 30 minutes

I am fully obsessed with these oats by chef, author, speaker and all-round well-being guru @liorabels . So much, that I try and make a batch big enough for several days but it rarely makes it past one. Tahini might sound like an odd one for breakfast, but we’re all about expanding minds here, so just go with it, k?

Why are oats good for my brain?

As Liora points out, tahini is a nutritional powerhouse. A paste made from ground sesame seeds, it has a nutty flavour that's more mellow than nut butter, but with the same ooey-gooeyness. Among other things, sesame seeds are high in antioxidants (as seen in blueberries ) that can cross the blood-brain barrier, which means they can leave your bloodstream and directly affect your brain and central nervous system, which may help to protect against cognitive decline. Also in this mega-brain breakfast is turmeric - famed for its therapeutic uses for many neurological conditions. And lastly, maca. We've not touched on maca much, but this powered root is said to boost libido, energy, balance hormones, boost mood and studies show it may have the ability to aid memory and learning.

This super nutrient-dense breakfast is full of minerals and fibre which work together to boost energy, brain function, aid digestion, support heart health and the immune system. Above all it's delicious!

Ingredients:

• 1 large, frozen ripe banana, cut into chunks

• ⅞–1 c up/200–250 ml fresh almond milk, or more if needed

• 1 Medjool date, pitted

• 3–4 tablespoon rolled oats, soaked overnight in filtered water and rinsed well

• 1 tablespoon raw unhulled tahini

• 1 teaspoon maca powder

• ½ teaspoon ground turmeric

• pinch of ground vanilla bean powder

• pinch of ground cinnamon

Toppings:

• bee pollen

• ground cinnamon

• unsweetened shredded coconut

• goji berries

• hemp seeds

• nuts and seeds

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a high-speed blender and process on high speed until creamy and smooth. Pour the mixture into a bowl and garnish with your choice of toppings.

Tip from Liora: You can add a pinch of freshly ground black pepper to enhance the absorption of turmeric

For more breakfast ideas, try this list of oatmeal recipes.

About the author:

Laura Sugden