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This is not your ordinary oatmeal! Grain, sugar (except for fruit) and dairy-free plus nutritional powerhouses! This Apple Cashew “Oatmeal” is just sweet enough to bring a little joy to your day!

If you need a much-needed treat or breakfast replacement while on Whole30 this is the ticket! If you are not on Whole30 or have never even heard of it this “oatmeal” is still delicious and satisfying! The cashews give it that “bite” that oats have has and the apples give it just amount of sweetness. As I write this I am two days away from the half-way mark of being on Whole30!  If you’re not familiar with Whole30 check this site out. But basically, you are eliminating all sugars (except for fruit), including my much-loved honey, alcohol, grains, legumes, and dairy from your diet to give your body a chance to reset. This is definitely not a forever thing…thank goodness! I’ve already been doing the Paleo diet for…goodness, I think it maybe a couple of years now (well, 80/20;)). You would think there wouldn’t be much of a difference between Whole30 and Paleo (short version of Paleo…grain, dairy, legume and refined sugar-free…check this site out for more info.) but I do miss that glass of wine with my hubby. And almond flour pasta covered in pesto (FYI-it is really is not a good idea to be looking at recipes when you are on a diet and hungry!). However, I think it’s going to be worth it to give my body a good cleanse and break. The sugar isn’t too hard but I do like a bit of honey in my tea or Matcha Latte.  I confess that I ate sprouted quinoa while on Paleo (I know…not Paleo) but I felt like my body needed a grain and because it’s sprouted and easier to digest I felt better about eating it. I’m also trying to not eat as many white potatoes (even though they are Whole30). This one is hard because my hubby is a meat and potatoes guy all the way! Thankfully he likes sweet potatoes, squash, and cauliflower. I do have to say that adding in so many vegis as replacements have taken a little adjusting…ahem;). I’ve also been celery juicing in the morning which my body is also adjusting to.

When I was searching the web for Whole30 snacks I came across a version of this apple oatmeal by Tracy Benjamin on her blog Shutterbean. It sounded so yummy but called for a lot of apples that I didn’t have. But I did have applesauce and I thought..aha! This could work! I went down the hall to my husband’s office and asked if he wanted to try my “oatmeal”. He appeared frightened as he has been the guinea pig of all my crazy concoctions over the years (he still calls Chia Pudding, “alien eggs”). But being the good sport he is, he agreed and low and behold, he liked it! Victory!!

Now for some of you who are familiar with Whole30, this may see this as SWYPO. However, this phrase is about kicking those unhealthy habits and making better choices. For example, for me, it’s choosing an apple and sunflower seed butter over almond crackers (my go-to snack). If oatmeal isn’t a “habit” you need to break please enjoy every sweet bite!  This Apple Cashew “oatmeal” definitely came at a much needed time for me to find foods that keep the hunger monster from coming around! This “oatmeal” can definitely help to bring a little joy and lift your spirits, especially when tackling Whole30. The bonus is that it’s loaded with nutrients by the addition of hemp seeds and ground flax. Hemp seeds are a complete protein (which means they contain all 9 amino acids), omega-3’s, vitamins and minerals including magnesium, iron, zinc and B vitamins. Find out more great benefits here. Flaxseed is also a great source of omega 3’s, protein, fiber, cancer-fighting lignans, vitamins and minerals including potassium, magnesium and even biotin (good for hair, skin, and nails :)).  See more of flaxseed’s many benefits here. *TIP*-Be sure to use ground flax seeds, as whole flaxseeds are hard for the body to digest.

The other bonus with this recipe is that you can totally make it your own. You can add raisins in, or not; cinnamon and cardamom in, or not; nuts, seeds, fruit, or not. Dried coconut is also a good topping choice! This recipe is totally customizable. I’ve made it with cinnamon and without and I actually prefer the cinnamon sprinkled on top but mixed in is darn good as well! I can even say from experience that after shooting multiple pics of the “oatmeal” it was still delicious at room temp! The hint of cardamom gives it the extra something special, but totally optional.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and maybe even brings you a little joy!  I definitely welcome questions or comments below! Would love to hear from you!

I saw this quote in an email from Yoga with Adrienne this morning and it really spoke to me…I just had to add it in!

I slept and dreamt that life was joy.
I awoke and saw that life was service.
I acted and behold, service was joy.

Rabindranath Tagore

Sources

https://whole30.com/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/paleo-diet/art-20111182
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323037.php
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/flaxseed/faq-20058354
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4152533/ https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/expert-answers/flaxseed/faq-20058354h