I saw this idea floating around pinterest months ago, and was intrigued enough to put it in my "to try" recipes. Basically, the idea of overnight oats is to add a mixture of yogurt, milk, fruit, and toppings to plain old-fashioned oats. Throughout the night, the oats will absorb the liquid and soften, and will be ready to eat in the morning.
I don't know why it took me so long to try it, because it's safe to say that it's now my favorite breakfast ever! Not only is it totally delicious + healthy, but you can quickly throw it together the night before and have your breakfast waiting for you in the morning!
I also love that you can change up your ingredients and toppings so that it never gets boring... because I have to admit, sometimes regular old cooked oatmeal gets pretty boring after a while. Plus, it's a good way to enjoy oatmeal during the summer, since hot oatmeal is never very appealing when it's hot out. Anyway, I hope you give it a try!
Overnight Refrigerator Oats
- 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/2 cup non-fat yogurt (whatever flavor you like!)
- 3/4 cup almond milk (I like the unsweetened vanilla)
- 1 tsp. (or more) chia seeds, optional
Toppings (mix and match)
- mixed berries (I just use the frozen berry medley from Trader Joe's)
- chopped mango
- sliced banana
- chopped pineapple, or any kind of fresh fruit, really :)
- dried coconut flakes
- dried berries or other fruits
- toasted, sliced almonds
- sweetener (sometimes I add a bit of Stevia if the yogurt itself isn't very sweet)
In a mason jar, or a small bowl with a lid, add the oats, yogurt, almond milk, and chia seeds (if using). Stir mixture until well combined, then layer on your favorite toppings. Put the lid on, and refrigerate overnight - it will be ready to go when you wake up!
The flavor combinations are endless, really, but so far my favorite has been berry & coconut. I used non-fat strawberry greek yogurt, and added the frozen mixed berries, dried blueberries, coconut flakes, and toasted almond slices. SO good!
