Overnight oats were always something that I irrationally never gave a chance. I was firmly on Team Steel-cut Oatmeal until the hypothetical convenience of overnight oats finally convinced me to give them a try, and in my opinion, this qualifies as the 2nd game-changing breakfast epiphany of my life (see my steel-cut oatmeal post for context). ((also yes that was intentionally overdramatic just for fun))
Overnight oats are the epitome of quick, filling, and delicious, and who doesn't want to look forward to breakfast everyday!
I can attest that they are also the perfect breakfast for Zoom University because unlike cereal, there's no milk/ liquid that might spill on your 8am lecture notes (or 6am, sorry east coast friends/ Jade)
You can make a big batch Sunday night and that means you don't need to worry about breakfast for the rest of the week!
***breakfast hack: I highly recommend rotating between muesli, steel-cut oatmeal, overnight oats, avocado toast bagels, and [insert your favorite breakfast here] for the perfect amount of variety AND newfound lack of the crippling indecision that comes with infinite choices.
TL:DR - overnight oats are awesome, definitely start with the dark chocolate & almond version, and you should try them if you haven't! :D
Ingredients: (3-4 servings)
(Base Recipe)
1 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp almond butter
3 tbsp flax seeds (or chia seeds)
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk (my fav is Almond Breeze & I usually get the 6-pack from Costco!)
Topping Ideas!
(night before)
Dark chocolate chips
Vanilla extract
Apples (chop into tiny pieces, mix with cinnamon and a dash of maple syrup, microwave for 2 minutes or until soft)
1 tbsp Cocoa powder + 2 tbsp maple syrup
(day of)
Granola
Banana
Frozen fruit (blueberries, rasberries, strawberries, blackberries)
Fresh fruit (blueberries, rasberries, strawberries, blackberries)
Strawberry jam
Slivered almonds / candied walnuts
My go to combos:
Blueberry & Banana
(Night before) 1/2 cup frozen bluberries
(Day of) More frozen blueberries and banana slices)
Dark Chocolate Almond
Night before (2 tbsp chopped dark chocolate, 1 tbsp cocoa powder, 1 tbsp maple syrup)
Day of (Melted almond butter on top and banana slices)
Cinnamon Apple
Night before (Apples (chop into tiny pieces, mix with cinnamon and a dash of maple syrup, microwave for 2 minutes or until soft))
Day of (Fresh apple and banana slices)
Directions:
Mix together all of the base recipe ingredients (oats, almond butter, flax seeds, plant-based milk) Fold in all of your chosen night before ingredients. The mixture should be a bit liquid-y, as the oats will absorb it overnight.
Add the mixture in a container or mason jar if you want to be fancy. Store the containers in the refrigerator.
****wait overnight, 4 hours minimum****
Add your "day of" ingredients and it's ready to be enjoyed!
Notes:
For context, 1/2 of a jar this size is a good breakfast portion for me, so I usually add my toppings, eat half of the oatmeal, then put the remaining oatmeal back in the refrigerator for the next day!
Normally, the fruit provides enough sweetness for this recipe, but if you create the chocolate version with cocoa powder (one of my favorites when I want breakfast to feel like dessert) I recommend adding a bit of maple syrup to the recipe to sweeten it.
You really can't mess this recipe up! If it's too liquidly, sprinkle some additional oats on top and wait until the next day. If it's too dry, add extra almond milk and wait a bit.
Also, I recently discovered that Baked Oatmeal is a thing and I am looking forward to trying it out.
Source Recipe: I believe the base is from PickUpLimes, and there are so many versions on the Internet!
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