Macrobiotic Summer Kickoff! - Berry Chia Overnight Oats

I love to make overnight chia oats in the summer time.  It's cooling to the body and very easy.  I made this with goji and seasonal organic berries.  See the recipe below!  

Summer is officially here!!!  One of my favorite things about macrobiotics is changing your diet to accommodate the seasons. You can really tell a difference! As much as I love winter macro recipes, summer recipes are so much fun and easier because it's require less cooking time.

As we shift from a yin season (winter) to yang (summer), the heat is a sign of the energy rising from the earth and reaching peak expansion and activity. Therefore the many yin fruits and vegetables that become ripe during this time contain plenty of liquid and develop higher above the ground.

Symptoms that appear in spring and summer (e.g.,  heart, and chest pains, cramps, hyperactivity) tend to be caused by excess yang and therefore have to be balanced by eating more yin:  lighter, more expansive food, including more fresh greens, garden vegetables, fresh fruits, as well as lighter cooking methods, cutting veggies in smaller chunks, using less salt and other seasoning, and drinking more liquid.  Cooking summertime meals that center around foods at their peak of freshness such as collards and mustard, summer squash, green beans, and sweet corn, helps us keep cool when the temperature rises.  Sautéed dishes that include tofu, tofu salads, tempeh dishes, and bean salads are used this time for protein instead of seitan (seitan possesses more yang than yin qualities).

In terms of grains, the main one for summer is corn and should be taken full advantage of by using it in salads, mixed with other grains, or simply on the cob.  This is also the time to cut back on short-grain and prepare more medium- and long-grain rice dishes.  More yang grains (short grain and barley) are switched out for lighter quick-cooking ones such as quinoa and amaranth and partially-refined grains such as couscous and bulghur.  Chilling your grains is also great to increase the yin, lightly child soba is super yummy.

One of the main changes I've done to my macro diet to accommodate the change in season is switching out my breakfast from brown rice porridge or oatmeal to a lighter more yin alternative like overnight oats.  Making different flavored overnight oats is endless and it's super easy to make.  To start, try this basic recipe for some overnight oats and see if you like it.  The chia seeds may take some getting use to but I love it.  You can have fun with overnight oats by adding nut butters, vanilla, hemp or almond milk, and other cut fruits like apples or pears.

Overnight Oats
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/4 goji berries
Seasonal berries to top
1/2 tsp flax seeds

1) Place the oats, chia seeds, and goji berries into a jar.  Fill the jar with water until it's about 80% full.  Shake and place in fridge.  Let sit overnight.

2) In the morning give it another good shake and pour into a glass bowl.  Crush flax seeds and top the oats along with berries.