We Can Make This in Rwanda!

Earlier this month I was staying with my sister, Liz North Boucher, a consulting dietician for The Women’s Bakery and one morning she offered me oatmeal with a twist! She explained that it was a mix of milk, oats, peanut butter, and chia seed, called overnight oats. She uses this recipe to teach her patients how to maximize their nutrient intake in the morning. After she told me all of the ingredients, I exclaimed, “We can make this in Rwanda!”

It’s often hard to find recipes in the U.S. that are replicable in Rwanda. There is always one ingredient that is just too hard to find! However, milk is a staple of the Rwandan diet, imported Quaker Oats are common in supermarkets, groundnuts are a staple crop meaning natural peanut butter is easily accessible, and Ugandan imported chia seeds are now on the Rwanda shopping scene!

The chia seeds are a nice added touch to the dish because they are loaded with vitamins like Omega-3 and protein. They are a wonderful added source of nutrients! While the cost of oats and chia seeds might make the price of overnight oats a bit expensive to sell in our bakeries, I think this idea inspires potential. If we can help to start changing the mentality and encouraging recipe creativity, we might just start seeing our communities eating more balanced breakfasts! Beyond just banana and carrot bread!

Here’s a quick Overnight Oats recipe:
Directions:
-       Combine all ingredients into a small jar.
-       Mix.
-       Let sit covered overnight in the refrigerator.
-       Enjoy.

Ingredients pre jar:
½ Cup Milk
¾ Tbs. Chia seeds
½ Cup Rolled oats
2 Tbs. Peanut butter