Peaches and Cream Oatmeal with Soaked Oats | Healthy Recipe

Smooth and subtly sweet peaches and cream oatmeal is a filling, healthy and delicious way to start your morning. The oats, chia seeds and rye flakes are soaked together overnight for maximum health benefits!

I really liked the Quaker peaches and cream instant oatmeal packets when I was younger. It was one of my favorite flavors!

In my own house now, we have oatmeal every day, so I thought I'd try making a healthy homemade version of one of my old favorites.

Everyone, it's amazing! SO much better (and REAL tasting... I wonder why 😉) and better for me, which gives me such peace of mind.

If it's peach season, this is a great way to quickly use up all those juicy peaches. Make it for breakfast every day and load that oatmeal with them!

Give it a try and you'll never buy those crappy packets again!

Is Quaker Peaches and Cream Oatmeal Healthy?

Quaker instant oatmeal has definitely improved over the years, when it comes to ingredients. The peaches and cream instant packets contain whole grain oats, dried peaches, sugar, dried cream, salt, nonfat dry milk, annatto extract (color), natural flavor, paprika extract, and tocopherols (to preserve freshness). Doesn't sound too horrible, right?

Each packet contains 9 grams of sugar. I don't know about you, but when I ate these as a teenager, I had to have 3 packets at breakfast to satisfy me. That would be a total of 27 grams of sugar. Did you know that the adult body can only handle 7 teaspoon of sugar a day, which is 28 grams?! I definitely want to avoid reaching that quota before I even start my day!

Because they are instant oats, it's impossible to soak them and achieve optimum nutrient absorption and digestion.

The bottom line: It's so much better to make your own!

Is Peaches and Cream Oatmeal Healthy?

This peaches and cream oatmeal recipe is made from wholesome ingredients, minimal sweetener (you control how much you add) and is soaked for the best nutrition and digestion.

Whole grain oats contain a decent amount of fibre, protein and healthy fat, along with high amounts of many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. One serving of oats contains more than 20% of the recommended daily values for 7 vitamins and minerals. Oats are also well-known for their ability to lower the risk of heart disease.

Peaches are high in many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre. Because of this, they can aid in digestion, promote heart and skin health, reduce allergies and the risk of some cancers!

Chia seeds add an extra nutrition boost and the remaining ingredients mainly used for flavor are all whole foods. I choose maple syrup as my sweetener because I love the taste and it does contain a small amount of vitamins and minerals. I still use as little as possible, because too much sugar, in any form, isn't good.

And soaking the oats makes them much healthier...

Why Soak Oats?

Oats (along with many other whole grains) contain an anti-nutrient called phytic acid, which blocks the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the body and can also steal nutrients from other foods passing through your system.

Soaking oats in an acidic substance (hence, the lemon juice) with phytase present (that's why we add some rye flakes- there's not any phytase naturally present in oats) will neutralize the phytic acid so your body can get and use what the oats have to offer.

Is Peaches and Cream Oatmeal Vegan?

This recipe is 100% plant-based if you use coconut milk for the drizzle at the end, or don't use any kind of cream at all.

Believe it or not, this is actually a very creamy oatmeal even if you don't add any cream! That's another perk of soaking the oats.

Can I Use Canned or Frozen Peaches?

Canned peaches: If using canned peaches, be sure to strain them well. They could be canned in a very sugary liquid, so you may not need to add any sweetener to the oatmeal! Use about 1½ cups diced canned peaches.

Frozen peaches: You can add 1½ cups of frozen peaches in with everything else, just as you would the fresh peaches. Cooking time may be longer since the peaches make the mixture colder and will likely release some water. Once the peaches are thawed and cooked in the oatmeal, you can use a spoon to break the slices into smaller pieces, if desired.

Can I Use a Different Sweetener?

Any sweetener can be used. I recommend maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar or date syrup since they are all natural forms, however, you could use brown sugar, white sugar, or whatever alternative sweetener you may have on hand.

TIps for Making Soaked Peaches and Cream Oatmeal

• Use steel cut oats! You can find them at almost any grocery store. If you use instant oats, quick oats or rolled oats, it will become a mushy, slimy mess after soaking.
• It can be difficult to get into the habit of soaking oats in the evening for breakfast the next morning. If you want to be consistent with it, set a reminder in your phone every night until it becomes a habit. And it will after a while!
• The chia seeds can be left out if you don't have any.
• Use filtered water if possible. This will ensure there aren't any unwelcome bacteria, viruses, or chemicals present in the oatmeal. We use the Berkey and love it! I have a full review on the Berkey water filter if you'd like to learn more.

Additional Topping Ideas

• Other Fruit - Some options that would work well are fresh apricots, mangos, berries or cherries.
• Nuts or Seeds - Top with soaked nuts or seeds, such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, hemp hearts, sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds. This will add a nice crunch! Learn how to soak nuts and seeds here (for maximum nutrient absorption and easier digestion).
• Nut or Seed Butter - Drizzle with your favorite nut or seed butter for extra creaminess and nutrition.
• Protein Powder - More of an add-in than a topping, just mix in a scoop after removing the pot from the heat for some extra protein. Pea protein is our favorite.

Tools You May Need

Saucepan

Cutting board

Wooden Spoon

How to Make Peaches and Cream Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 1 cup steel cut oats
• 2 cups filtered water (for soaking)
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds
• 1 tablespoon rye flakes
• ½ tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
• 1½ cups filtered water
• 2 ripe peaches, diced
• ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• maple syrup to taste
• heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk to drizzle on top (optional)

Instructions:

The night before, combine oats, chia seeds, rye flakes, lemon juice and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Cover and soak overnight.

The next day, add 1½ cups water, diced peaches, cinnamon, salt and vanilla to the oats. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, stir occasionally and let simmer until thick, about 15 minutes.

Stir in maple syrup (or another sweetener of choice), starting with 1 tablespoon. You may be surprised at how little you need, because of the sweetness that comes from the peaches! Taste and add more if needed to reach your desired sweetness. Spoon into bowls, drizzle with cream and top with any desired additional ingredients.

How to Store Peaches and Cream Oatmeal

Keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Because of the chia seeds, it will gel up a little bit in the fridge, so when you go to reheat it, just mix in a little bit of water to thin it out again.

Did you try this recipe? If so, I would really appreciate a 5-star rating and your comments below! Thanks!

More Soaked and Sprouted Grain Recipes

• Sprouted Wheat Tortillas
• Healthy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars
• Sourdough English Muffins
• Vegan Baked Oatmeal
• Sourdough French Toast
• Coconut Oil Granola

Grab my healthy breakfast ebook for more soaked and sprouted grain breakfast recipes: