Start Your Day with Overnight Oatmeal

So as I have mentioned in the past, I would post some recipes for you to try out. Of course every recipe for a meal that I will post only includes fine natural ingredients that the body can use functionally. Every recipe that I post is what I am working with in the recent and thoroughly know how to make with practice, and of course creativity, haha.

Today, I am going to share with you a healthy and filling oatmeal that provides a variety of ingredients that you will love and if you don’t, you can modify the recipe to remove and add ingredients as you wish.

The recipe I am sharing with you is the most commonly used one for me and I basically made this up out of sheer creativity with various ingredients that I normally use for smoothies and or snacking. Pretty much any ingredient In my kitchen, I have used for many different ideas.

But enough of patting myself on the back, here is what we have for today:

OVERNIGHT COCO HEMP OATMEAL

Here are the ingredients and a brief about them:

Raw Scottish Fine Oats

When I originally started making this oatmeal, I was using rolled oats, which are okay, but for the serving size, it does not compare to Scottish oatmeal nutritionally. I use Bob’s Red Mill brand currently and it has 6 grams of protein, 23g of carbs and around 6g of fibre in 1/4 of a cup! It comes in at around 150 calories per serving, so you definitely get a lot of bang for your buck out of a 4 dollar, 1 pound package. And needless to say, no sugar. We will get to the sugar part in a moment though 🙂

Water and/or Almond Milk

I generally use just water as it is used to boil and blend the oats. However, I may also top up the load with almond milk to thicken it a little. It also adds a bit of extra flavour.

Raw Hemp Protein Powder

I use the unflavoured version, but you can buy the chocolate version. Just be sure it is made with real organic cacao and has minimal ingredients. The unflavoured version has only the one ingredient.

Now hemp is a very nutrient-dense plant food with plenty of fibre and protein. A 4 tablespoon serving of this stuff contains 15g of protein, along with healthy omega fats. The brand I use currently is Manitoba Harvest Hemp Pro 70.

Extra Fine Dark Chocolate

Now normally I would use raw cacao powder for an added chocolaty flavour, but I have been using dark chocolate squares that are 90% cacao so there is hardly any sugar. There is a lot of fat and with that, comes with some added calories, so if you are calorie-conscious, you may want to stick to the cacao powder.

It is rather interesting how you can use the chocolate squares in the oatmeal when preparing it. There are 2 different ways you can have it in your oatmeal: Melted and mixed or cold chunks. I will explain more when I get to the recipe.

Pure Maple Syrup

I am currently using freshly tapped, home made maple syrup that my neighbour gave to me as a sampling in a jar. Thank goodness for the wonderful stuff Eddy!

So here is the real sugar. I use one tablespoon of this potent stuff and it really does the trick for a little extra sweetness. For those who can’t have sugar for whatever reason can try stevia.

Ground Cinnamon

Just to add a little spice to the mix. Cinnamon is an excellent addition to oatmeal. I use about one teaspoon in my oatmeal and it brings the bowl to life! I would recommend organic or a pure cinnamon that has nothing else added to it.

Sliced Almonds And Pecans

Just to make it a little nutty, I like to use sliced almonds, which I prefer over whole because it makes for a more cereal-like crunch. I use pecans for the most part in addition to the almonds. I find that they have a maple-like aftertaste to them which suits the maple syrup and the overall blend. They are just plain awesome, but are expensive. You could also use walnuts like I do when I don’t have pecans to spare.

Berries

All berries are great to top off the cold oatmeal with, but I find blueberries and raspberries to be the finest. Here, I am using strawberries which are also great but you can mix them up however you want. Berries add an antioxidant boost with vitamin C and extra phytonutrients.

Sea Salt

I put in a few pinches of sea salt just for some added sodium. A great source of sodium to retain water and minerals in the body.

THE RECIPE

Now for the recipe. This will help you out a lot instead of guessing how to make it. It is called overnight oats for a reason and you will see why in a moment.

• Bring roughly 2 cups of water to boil in a kettle. If you don’t have a kettle, you can microwave the water and oats before you mix further ingredients.
• Put in 1/4 to 1/3 cup of oats (depending on how hungry you are) into bowl
• Add in 2 tablespoons of hemp protein powder, pour the boiled water into the bowl and thoroughly mix until consistency is reached. The longer you mix for, the thicker it gets, so add water as you go if needed be.
• Add in desired amount of cacao powder and stir. Now this is the same if you were to use dark chocolate pieces like me. You can either put in one or two squares and mix it while it melts from the hot oatmeal. The other way to do this if you want chunks is to just leave out the chocolate until the next morning when you get the cold oatmeal out of your fridge to eat. Simply break the squares into pieces and enjoy the chunkiness!
• Now while the oatmeal is still warm, we are adding in the cinnamon, sea salt and nuts as we stir.
• As you stir, it will start to thicken and harden like cement. Add in some more water (cold preferably to get it ready to store in the fridge overnight) and stir to thin it back out. As I mentioned, you can also use almond milk like I do to top it up. I use the original or unsweetened version. You can even get flavoured unsweetened almond milk which is amazing. There is no sugar or carrageenan, which makes it healthier and less calories for those of you watching your waistline.
• Once your oatmeal has cooled down enough, store it in the fridge and it will be ready for you in the morning…With one exception
• When you take it out of the fridge in the morning, it is going to be hardened. Take your spoon and stir while adding in more water or milk to thin it back out.
• So what about the berries? They must be next, and yes they are! Add in your berries to your finely mixed and chilled oatmeal and away you go! Now is the time to add in those dark chocolate chunks if you need to as well!

Overall, this bowl serves up as quite a punch of macronutrients. Generally, you are looking at around 500 calories with 20g of protein, 35g of carbs and 15g of fat. This is if you followed my measurements. It is my personal preference. You can make it to better suit your calorie and nutrient needs. If you just want more protein, add more hemp. If you want more carbs, add more oats. If you want more or less fat, control your nuts and dark chocolate chunks if you are using them.

The beauty of it is that you are using natural single ingredients so you are not cheating yourself healthfully in any way.

Be sure to check back for some more awesome recipes in the future and remember, keep it simple, keep it natural.

Brendan Kearney

Vibranatural

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Whey Better than Plant Protein?

When it comes to protein supplements like powders, there is often a lot of controversy as to which protein powder is better. Without getting into the subcategories of protein powders, I am just going to talk about the two heavy hitters in the food supplement sector. They are none other than the all mighty Whey protein and the vibrant Plant based protein powders. I am going to reveal the pros and cons of each and how they measure up to your goals and desires for your health and fitness and also why preaching the better one is irrelevant.

Whey Protein Powder has been the overall top seller for the last two decades for many reasons. It has been available and marketed since the early 2000’s as the ultimate bodybuilder’s protein supplement and has been consumed by bodybuilders and athletes of different sports and fitness grinds. Whey protein has a strong reputation for it’s effectiveness in assisting muscle recovery and growth amongst fitness folks. It is a more functional protein than it’s fellow dairy comprising powders like Egg and Casein.

Whey protein, in general, also has a reputation of neglecting health properties in favour of focusing on muscle and sport. Most of the leading brands in the industry take shortcuts and add artificial ingredients for added flavour and texture as well as scientifically engineered stuff to enhance performance (so they state in big bold fancy lettering). You can’t deny that whey’s popularity over the years has stemmed from marketing hype one way or another.

Plant Protein Powder, in general, is made up of a variety of protein-rich sources like Hemp, Rice, Pea, and Sunflower to name a few. They also come in isolated forms of these protein sources, but for now, we will just focus on plant based protein powder in general.

Plant protein powder is an alternative for vegetarians and vegans whole can still get a broad amount of protein to supplement what they may lack in their diet. It is generally a cleaner protein source because there is no lactose or any potential faulty ingredients. All of the manufacturers focus solely on healthy, compromise-free nutrition.

The sport supplement industry has not marketed plant based sources of protein so much as whey, but the potential for it to thrive in the sports department is slowly rising.

I am going to break down where these two forms of protein powder stand in 5 different areas: Taste, Natural and Healthy, Quality, Fitness and Athletic Performance, and Cost.

TASTE

Now looking from a perspective of sheer athletic performance or health and longevity, taste is really not a concern as long as it has some flavour and is tolerable. However, for many who just like to add a protein shake to their diet via post training or as a meal replacement, we’ll consider it.

When it comes to taste, it does come to personal preference. There are various popular flavours to come by like chocolate, vanilla, strawberry and such. some people who mix their protein with a variety of fruits and butters may just go with an unflavoured version. As long as the protein powder has flavour and is at least somewhat enjoyable to consume, then it’s good to go.

I think if you are going for tastefulness first, you will find that whey protein is a much more enjoyable route to go. However, this is usually aided by artificial sweeteners that you will want to watch out for if you value your health.

I find that plant protein powder has a bit more of a gritty taste to it even when flavoured. If you can tolerate the taste of unflavoured plant protein powder then suit yourself.

NATURAL AND HEALTHY

When it comes to your health, plant protein powders are always a safer bet. The manufacturers are more interested in making healthy sources of protein than they are marketing muscle building.

It is generally believed that to give your body the health treatment it deserves for longevity and vibrance, plant protein is the way to go. The absence of dairy and animal protein gives you the assurance that the product is clean from the inside out.

Plant based protein also contains some fibre, making it better for your digestive health and pushing out toxic waste. You should be getting all the fibre you need from your diet alone anyways, so it doesn’t really help much in that department, but is a step ahead of whey in that area.

Those who advocate plant based protein will degrade whey and point out the flaws. Since whey does contain dairy, it contains lactose, which is intolerable for many people and can be overly aggressive for the digestive system. Also, dairy is known to be more inflammatory in the body. Dairy tends to cause more allergies and break outs in the skin. Keep in mind that this is the dark side of whey protein when artificial fillers are included and the lactose levels are high.

If you care about your health, you will want to eliminate these artificial ingredients as much as possible. Look out for ingredients such as Maltodextrin, Modified Starches, Silicone Dioxide, Sucralose, Sucrose, Sodium Benzoate, and Acesulfame Potassium to name a few.

If you want to keep it natural for your health, look for ingredients such as Stevia, Xylitol, Guar Gum, Soy Lecithin, Inulin, Organic Cocoa, Organic Vanilla bean or extract. There should not be that many ingredients listed for a product that has only one macronutrient present (protein). All of the above ingredients should be all you need along with some of the whey protein and enzyme blends. You may also find Peptides and pectin (a probiotic).

It is also important that you opt for a high quality manufactured protein source. This is where whey protein has a reputation for taking shortcuts. Whey protein has seen improvements over the years however, and some companies are producing healthier products with better quality protein. This is their response to the healthier movement amongst consumers.  They are becoming more natural, organic, non GMO and lower lactose levels.

Those who love their whey protein can now have the best of both worlds: The muscle building performance and natural healthiness. With the natural health movement of whey protein manufacturing and marketing, the edge could be gained over the plant sources for those who are open to either ends of the spectrum.

QUALITY

Quality protein is essential for your health and even athletic performance. When you are searching for a whey protein powder, make sure you are getting one that contains milk from grass fed cows and that have not been treated with antibiotics or hormone injections. Also, look for a non GMO labelling for added assurance and look for a label stating “undenatured” or “cold processed” This means that the protein was processed at cold temperatures that didn’t harm the quality of the protein like the amino acids it needs for it to be complete.

New Zealand originated whey protein is the most reputable amongst various origins to produce such quality. Kaizen is an example of a Canadian brand that uses New Zealand Whey protein.

A whey protein isolate is when the amino acids are isolated, making them “free form” and therefore, absorbs quicker. This is for the purpose of getting the protein to the muscles as fast as possible to repair lost protein and minerals in the body and amino acid breakdown. However, the denaturing process is quite high because it is processed to high temperatures. For this reason, don’t bother with whey isolate because the denaturing process just reverses the enhancement that was intended. Plus, whey absorbs quick enough on it’s own, so stick with the regular.

The benefits of plant based protein in the health department are obvious. They are also more carefully handled in the manufacturing process and therefore, you can count on the nutrient quality to still be more intact. They are usually organic plant sources along with no GMO’s. Plant based protein is a one-size-fits-all when it comes to health and quality. Whey is more selective.

FITNESS PERFORMANCE

Overall, Whey protein dominates in the area of fitness and athletic performance. It appeals to body builders and strength training athletes. Often times, bodybuilders and weight trainers will be oblivious to the health properties when they are so focused and influenced on the marketing hype whey protein provides for gaining muscle.

This isn’t to say that they are mislead. Whey protein has an edge in this area mainly due to the higher amount of calories and protein per serving. Whey protein is also fast absorbing, getting the amino acids in quicker to do their magic via post workout training for recovery.

Whey protein also contains a full spectrum of amino acids that plant protein often misses. Look for a full spectrum of amino acids labeled on both whey and plant protein supplements containers.

Plant based protein sources tend to be more “hippy like” and advocate nature’s beauty. They appeal to people that are more interested in health and naturalness. however, you can never underestimate the power nature and the quality nutrition it provides us.

Aside from the marketing hype of whey protein and building muscle, plant based protein may actually have it’s place in the athletic performance area. Just look at Vega, the vegan plant based manufacturer of performance nutrition. Vega is the first plant based company to merge into the athletic performance sector with  company founder Brendan Brazier’s creation.

Brendan is a long distance trainer who competes in triathlons such as Iron Man. His mission throughout life was to experiment with what type of food works best for athletic performance. Low and behold, the verdict was plant based nutrition. Vega’s Sport Recovery protein formula is at the forefront of quality performance protein powders. It’s an all natural vegan source of multiple plant protein sources flavoured naturally. You can find the Vega Sport Recovery Protein Powder as well as their other products anywhere. Health food stores aren’t the only ones carrying their goods. Grocery and drug stores now carry Vega products. It’s a true revolution.

When it’s all about building muscle however, whey, egg and casein protein will be your best choice. If you are interested in keeping it clean and healthy, I would suggest an all whey protein powder. Optimum Nutrition provides a quality All Natural Whey Protein Powder for fitness enthusiasts. It is one of the leading brands of whey protein amongst so many in North America.

PRICE

Price is of concern when shopping on a budget. In general, plant protein powders are significantly more expensive than the typical whey protein powder. This is because plant protein companies put more time and emphasis on making their products nutritionally sound. A 1 lb. tub (which is roughly 15 servings) of a plant source of protein powder will usually cost around $30, which is as much as a 2 lb. tub of cheap whey protein. Keep in mind though that you are paying for quality and if you are serious about your health and fitness gains, a higher grade product is worthwhile the investment.

For example, a 2 lb. container of high quality all natural, undenatured whey protein will cost $45 to $60, roughly the same as a 2 lb. container of a plant based source on sale. In my opinion, when it comes to the best of both worlds (health and performance) Vega and Optimum Nutrition (Natural Edition) are the best whey and plant sources of protein for the money.

CONCLUSION

Overall, it really comes down to personal preference, your goals and values. If you want to build muscle regardless of health properties, then whey protein will do as long as it’s at least of decent quality. If you are in it for the long haul and want to be healthy, a plant based source may be a better option. If you want to build muscle while keeping it natural and healthy, nothing less than top grade all natural, undenatured whey will do the trick. If you are a vegetarian, vegan or lactose intolerant, plant based protein is your only choice. If you want to keep it plant based but want to be as close to fitness performance oriented as possible, then go for Vega Sport Recovery protein powder because Brendan Brazier knows what’s going on in it.

The overall image portrayed by each rival are distinct. Whey protein has more of a fit and sexy appeal with top fitness models posing for the company’s product. This helps generate huge sales as it appeals to the fitness masses.

Plant based protein on the other hand tends to appeal to those more serious about their health and longevity but realize that many of their consumers are training hard in their fitness grinds and are just as aggressive.

The two top rivals in the protein supplement industry are really shaping up by addressing their weaknesses where the opposing contender excels. Whey protein manufacturers see the benefits of having a clean, healthy nutrition base, whereas plant based protein manufacturers see the benefits in having sport oriented qualities.

You can expect Whey and Plant based to continue to merge into each other’s territory to claim their spot all over the map. This is another reason to add that one is not possibly better than the other. It’s based on your personal preference, goals and values.

Now have fun protein shopping!

Brendan K

Vibranatural