Overnight Oats Tips and Recipes

I think most of us have heard of overnight oats by now, and most of us have tried it. As a busy mom of three whose husband is gone a lot for work, overnight oats has been a lifesaver. I mean, what’s not to love; it’s a filling, healthful and easy-to-make-ahead breakfast option. Also, since overnight oats in general are served chilled, it’s a perfect breakfast (or snack) for those of us who live in warm climates like San Diego. Plus, I really love how overnight oats tend to keep the integrity of the oat intact and not get mushy. Here are my overnight oats tips and recipes.

For those unfamiliar with overnight oats, it’s a non-cooking method of making oatmeal by mixing oats with milk and other fun mix-ins then letting it rest in the fridge until served.

First, overnight oats tend to keep for a few days in the fridge, so I like to make a batch that will last me through a couple of snacks or breakfasts. I also like to make mine in mason jars because they’re easy to store or grab to go — and, let’s face it, any food served in a mason jar is fun.

For the oats, I like to use Bob’s Red Mill gluten free old-fashioned rolled oats just because instant oats will get mushy and I’m not into that at all. I also use almond milk, but of course any milk will work as well. You can serve the oatmeal with toppings like fruit, berries, nuts, seeds and other fun goodies. I like to put them on the table so each kid can add what s/he likes.

Almond Butter Overnight Oats Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 large ripe/spotty banana, mashed
• 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 Tbsp. almond butter (or peanut butter)
• 1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats
• 3/4 cup almond milk
  • ½ vanilla bean: slice open and scrape out seeds

Top with

• Fresh fruit and berries
• Coconut flakes
• Hemp seeds
• Bee pollen
•  Maple syrup
• Cinnamon
• Cardamom
• Nuts and seeds
• Raw Cocoa nibs
•  

Directions

1. Mash the banana in a small bowl with the vanilla bean until smooth.
2. Stir in the chia seeds until combined.
3. Add the oats, almond milk and almond butter, and blend until well mixed.
4. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
5. Before serving, stir the oats to combine.
6. Serve with all kinds of fun toppings from list above.