Vegan Saffron Oatmeal - Easy & Healthy

Intrigued by the benefits of saffron but not sure where to use it? This vegan saffron oatmeal recipe is a delicious way to introduce the wonder spice to your palette. Add turmeric for an even healthier start to the day! Watch how to make it step by step in this video:

Ever since I've heard of the benefits of saffron, I wanted to find more ways to routinely incorporate it into our diet. A delicious spice that is shown to be almost as effective an antidepressant as Prozac? Sign me up.

I love an Iranian tachin, or a Spanish paella to enjoy saffron in, but we don't really eat these dishes regularly. So I knew we had to either take it as a supplement or add it to something we regularly do consume... like oatmeal! I had previously applied the same trick with flax seeds so that we'd consume more ALA's, and with berries for the additional antioxidants—but wasn't sure if it would work with saffron. Fortunately, the result became our absolute favorite oatmeal variety; we've been coming back to this one for years. I cannot recommend this recipe enough.

Ingredients for the Saffron Oatmeal

I prefer using steel-cut oatmeal or groats for most recipes. Compared to rolled or instant oatmeal, these varieties provide a more creamy and pleasant texture. Even the nutrition values of these less-processed oat varieties are different. Check out this study that compared particle size vs. the glycemic index of different types of oats.

Oat groats and steel-cut oatmeal also hold for longer in the refrigerator-- that's why we make a huge batch every weekend to then enjoy it throughout the week.

For the Oatmeal Base:

• 2 cups steel-cut oatmeal
• 4 cups plant milk*
• 2 cups water
• pinch of salt

Mix-ins per 1.5 Cups of Oatmeal Base:

• 1 teaspoon saffron*, extracted in warm water
• 2 tablespoon flax seeds, ground
• ⅓ cup dried figs, chopped
• ⅓ cup pumpkin seeds
• optional: 1 tsp* turmeric & pinch of black pepper
• optional: mulberries or blackberries as toppings

How to Make Steel-Cut Vegan Blueberry Lemon Oatmeal

To Make the Oatmeal Base:

1. Add the steel-cut oatmeal to a large pot on medium heat and toast for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and light golden brown.
2. Add in the liquids and the salt, and bring to a boil. Immediately turn down the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. At this stage, the texture will be creamy but still have a bite to it. If you prefer it to be creamier, simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
3. Let it rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.
4. Save in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer in individual boxes for up to three months.

To Make the Vegan Saffron Oatmeal:

1. Add 1.5 cups of the oatmeal base into a bowl, and mix in the saffron extraction (including the strands) and the ground flax seeds. Add in the dried figs and pumpkin seeds, then mix once more.
2. For an even healthier recipe, add in the optional turmeric with a pinch of black pepper. 1 teaspoon may be far too much if you aren't a big fan of turmeric so adjust according to taste.
3. Serve with desired toppings.

Tips:

I usually use soymilk from fresh tofu stores or by the brands Silk and Westsoy. For an even richer texture, use canned coconut milk.

I love the Zaran brand on Amazon; always so fresh and fragrant.

I recommend adding all the toppings immediately before enjoying this oatmeal.

Looking for Other Oatmeal Mix-in Varieties?

Try these:

• Cinnamon Apple Oatmeal
• Blueberry Lemon Oatmeal
• Decadent Chocolate Oatmeal

Don’t forget to let me know in the comments if you make this recipe!

You can also save it for later on Pinterest, and keep in touch with me on Instagram, or by sending an email.

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