One of the ways to reduce our own environmental footprint is through food. We can chose to eat more locally grown and organic food, less meat and animal sourced products, drink tap water instead of bottled beverages when possible, and cook more ourselves. This doesn’t always apply as efficiencies in our food chains can at times be counterintuitive, but broadly, I’d say these are some good pointers for sustainable food. And, of course, DON’T THROW AWAY FOOD! I write in capital letters as some 30% of all food that reaches retail is thrown away globally.
I try to live as I learn because I know how important this is for our planet. There is just one problem; I don’t particularly like cooking unless I have guests, and while I want what I eat to be nutritious, I really want cooking to be something I don’t have to put a lot of time and thoughts into. I also try to not buy groceries more than once a week as there are so many things I prefer to do with my time other than shopping. Instead of giving up this seemingly impossible equation, I have developed a few dishes that are easy and quick, and fairly healthy, that I thought I’d share to encourage cooking among likeminded.
First out is overnight oats: the new trendy breakfast that cafes charge ridiculous amounts for. The great thing with this breakfast is not only that it’s quick and cheap, but also that you can make a batch and keep for the week. (For how long exactly? Golden rule, if it tastes weird after a few days, you probably shouldn’t eat it! But according to other recipes that I scanned, they said 3-5 days, depending on the perishability of your ingredients.)
There are a bunch of different versions of the overnight oat recipe, including with greek yoghurt, nut butter, vanilla extract, and maple syrup, but mine is the most basic and without unnecessary added sugars. For 5 portions, mix 2 cups (5 dl) of old fashioned rolled oats with 2 cups (5 dl) of milk (I normally use regular soy milk, haven’t tried with almond.) Mix in a bowl and divide into 5 jars. Put in the fridge over night and grab one in the morning. Add berries, or pieces of fruits, and maybe some nuts or chia seeds on the day that you will eat the oats. Off season, I keep frozen berries in the fridge, which is perfect to drop the jar in together with a few coconut flakes, and then take along to work. Just remember that while berries are almost calorie free unless eaten in large amounts, nuts quickly adds to the calories amount. So limit to a few for flavor and healthy fats!
And an attempt to visualize the process:
1. I use small glass jars // 2. Mix oats and milk in a bowl // 3. Put in jars and put in fridge over night // 4. The day of eating, add berries, fruits, and/or nuts and chia seeds // 5. Bone appétit!!
