Move over smoothies, this is my new favorite way to eat kefir. 

I preach about fermented foods all the time, but I know it can sometimes be hard to find practical ways to fit them into your day. I home-make my own kefir (not as hard as it sounds), so I always have lots on hand and I love to experiment with new ways to eat and love it. This one is too good not to share! So here you go, friends. Enjoy!


Ingredients:

• ½ cup rolled oats
• 1 cup liquid (start with ¼ cup kefir + ¾ cup milk of choice; gradually increase kefir each time you make it until you reach your preferred flavor)
• ½ large banana
• 1 pitted date, chopped (optional)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 ½ Tbsp ground flaxseed
• ½ cup blueberries
• 2 Tbsp chopped pecans or walnuts

 
Instructions:

1. Mash the ½ banana in a bowl. Add oats, kefir, milk, and chopped prune or date. Mix the ingredients, cover, and place in the refrigerator at least 4 hours or (preferably) overnight.
2. Top with cinnamon, flaxseed, berries, and nuts. Stir to mix and enjoy!

 
Variations:

• Apple cinnamon overnight oats: replace berries with ½ chopped apple and increase cinnamon to 2 tsp.
• Strawberry chia overnight oats: replace blueberries with ½ cup chopped strawberries and flaxseed with chia seeds. Add the chia seeds with the oats the night before.
• Peanut butter chocolate overnight oats: a great dessert! Warm 1-2 Tbsp peanut butter for a few seconds in the microwave and drizzle over the fermented oats. Top with shaved dark chocolate. Yummmmmmm.
• Carrot cake overnight oats: replace berries with shredded carrot and use extra walnuts if desired. Add a sprinkle of brown sugar if needed. 

***Note: If you're wondering, "What's the deal with kefir anyway?" --let me tell you about it. Kefir is an amazing source of probiotics that, like yogurt, has been around for a very, very long time. It's sometimes called the "champagne of dairy" because of the bubbly, drinkable texture. It's a great source of Lactobacillus bacteria, which are one of the best-studied probiotics for gut health and mental health, as well as Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is a probiotic yeast. Kefir has been shown in some studies to have benefits such as reducing constipation, reducing bloating, and improving mood--just to name a few. 

Got a favorite way to eat or drink your kefir? Share it with us below!

Interested in scheduling an appointment with a gut health dietitian? I'm a virtual telehealth dietitian, and I love to make my clients amazing meal plans with recipes like this one! Reach out to me or schedule a 15-minute discovery call to learn more.