Overnight Oats: Unseasonably Awesome

dsc_8530

Usually by this time of the year, I’m professing my love for warm, hearty steel cut oats bubbling away on the stove. But something has changed: Even waking up to the cold, I still find myself reaching for the convenience of delicious overnight oats. Typically I save them for the summer when I want oatmeal without turning on the stove. But with the days getting shorter, dark mornings practically beg you to hit the snooze button. And I don’t know about you, but I hate rushed mornings (they throw my entire day off!). Why not get your breakfast ready the night before so you can relax and soak up those extra zzz’s?

Prepared in advance and left to soak while you sleep, overnight oats are a nutritious breakfast that practically makes itself. There’s just three simple steps.

1. Build the base

This part is pretty simple: oats + liquid, which can be yogurt or milk of your choosing. You’re already off to a good start with oats packing in 6 grams of protein and 4 grams of fibre and the milk chock full of calcium and vitamin D. I also recommend stirring in 1 tablespoon of chia seeds to your milk. On top of being packed with fibre, calcium and heart-healthy omega 3s, the seeds absorb a bunch of the liquid and create a delicious, pudding-like consistency. Just don’t forget to floss before you leave the house!

2. Boost the benefits

Once the base is ready, the rest is up to you. Fruit and vegetables (fresh, frozen or dried) add a ton of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fibre. Add-ins like nut butter, protein powder, nuts and seeds pump up the protein.

3. Beat the bland

If you want a little something extra, up the flavour quotient with cocoa powder, unsweetened coconut or maple syrup. There are hundreds of recipes out there, but you can also experiment using this fool-proof formula until you find your favourite combo.

The Formula for Overnight Oats

Base +Fruit/Vegetable +Topping/Add-ins +Flavour
2/3 cup plain yogurt (or 2/3 cup milk + 1 Tbsp. chia seeds) + 1/3 cup rolled oats berries; banana; diced apple; canned pumpkin; applesauce; canned fruit; grated carrot; grated zucchini; cooked mashed sweet potato; dried fruit walnut crumbs; pecans; sliced almonds; peanut crumbs; natural nut butter; hemp hearts; flax meal; protein powder cinnamon; nutmeg; ground ginger; pie spice; shredded unsweetened coconut; cocoa powder; flavoured extracts; orange juice concentrate; maple syrup; honey

Make sure to try my three favourites: Mud Pie, Apple Crumble and Carrot Cake. Each is deliciously dessert-themed, packed with flavour and all the nutrition you need to fuel your day. So go ahead, hit that snooze button one more time. Your breakfast will be waiting for you when you get up 🙂

I would love to hear some of the combinations you’ve tried! Let me know your tasty creations in the comments below.

Have an oat-standing day!

erikatown

Share This:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Fields marked as * are mandatory