My Favorite Breakfast Is Loaded With Anti-Inflammatory Ingredients And My Friends Keep Asking Me For The Recipe

This warm and hearty breakfast is easy to make ahead of time for your week or a thoughtful homemade gift for anyone in your life who is on the mend.

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Reviewed by registered dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, MS, RDReviewed by registered dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, MS, RD

The text or call from a friend that they had a safe delivery is always the best message to receive, and from my local friends, these messages are often followed by: “But have you ever had curative oats at Valley Hospital? »

Valley Hospital is a local hospital in my area that makes a turmeric oatmeal bowl for women who have given birth. My friends who had babies in this hospital became obsessed with it.

The many messages piqued my curiosity as to what made these oats so special. They were bright yellow (probably full of turmeric) and topped with a variety of fresh fruits, nuts, and seeds. I decided to create a recipe for them and eventually perfected it. They’re now my go-to gift for new moms and neighbors recovering from surgery. And now you can, too.

Related: I Have Chronic Inflammation and These Are the Easy Anti-Inflammatory Lunches I Make on Repeat

What is healing oats?

My formula for warming healing oats starts with rolled oats. In the debate over which oatmeal reigns supreme, my vote is always for the one that cooks the fastest. (I have two young children at home, so speed is key!)

The oats are cooked in equal parts water and full-fat coconut milk, which gives the base of the oat bowl a smooth, creamy texture. A spice blend of turmeric, black pepper, freshly grated ginger, and cinnamon gives oats their beautiful yellow color, as well as a pleasant earthy flavor that feels like it’s healing you from the inside out. Depending on what I have available, I may also add spices such as cardamom, nutmeg and cloves.

I stir in a little maple syrup or agave at the end for a hint of sweetness and depth of flavor. Oatmeal is best served in a bowl and topped with a combination of your choice of fruit (like cherries and berries) and seeds and nuts (like walnuts, chia, and flax). They truly feel like a hug from the inside out—no wonder, since oats are packed with warming and anti-inflammatory benefits.

What makes this breakfast anti-inflammatory?

It’s no secret that turmeric and ginger lead the pack of anti-inflammatory spices, but did you know they work better together? The combination of powerful spices offers more anti-inflammatory properties in combination than alone, research suggests. Black pepper is also essential here. The spice has its own anti-inflammatory properties, but it also interacts positively with turmeric. “Combining the spice with black pepper may help increase your body’s ability to absorb the beneficial compounds in turmeric,” says Mary-Eve Brown, RD, a clinical dietitian at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

I also love adding cinnamon, a comforting spice, to as many dishes as possible, from these oatmeal to savory chicken dishes to chili and beyond. Cinnamon adds so much flavor, while also boosting the dish’s anti-inflammatory properties.

Nuts are one of my favorite breakfast foods. It’s no secret that nuts have a ton of health benefits, as they’re loaded with everything from omega-3 fatty acids to fiber. Nuts have also been found to reduce markers of inflammation and oxidative stress, which are associated with chronic disease. My favorites are walnuts, pistachios, or pecans. (Or all three!)

Finally, there’s the unscientific side of healing with homemade meals. After giving birth, my gift to my friends is always to deliver easy, quick, and hearty meals. I usually try to fill them with anti-inflammatory ingredients to promote healing. Having received a delivery of homemade meals during my C-section recovery, I know how comforting and caring it is to have nourishing food in the fridge. That’s why I keep the healing oat plant going in my kitchen, so my friends can feel cared for from the inside out all year long.

Read the original article on Eating Well.