What are Overnight Oats and…
And how to make them!
I first started eating overnight oats when I was on through-hiking trips. Not having a stove, and limited space in my backpack, soaking oats with powdered coconut milk, cinnamon & raisins was a relatively tasty and nutritious breakfast option. Lately, my acceptance of overnight oats as a decent breakfast option has grown into full-blown obsession and it’s not often a day goes by where I don’t eat them.
I love how easy they are to make (preparing them has actually become part of my nighttime routine) and that I can wake up in the morning with a tasty breakfast ready to go. Plus, there is no end to the flavour combinations you can come up with which means you never really feel like you're eating the same thing.
So here’s how to do it.
To start with, you’ll need a container with a lid. You can use a mason jar with a lid, or in my case an old peanut butter jar that I would probably be lost without.
Add the dry ingredients to the jar and mix well. In addition to oats, you can add protein powder, cinnamon or nutmeg, chia seeds, pepita seeds, and/or dried fruit. I like to add nuts in the morning so they don’t get soggy.
Add your milk. Plant based milks work best with overnight oats because they don't thicken quite so much . Coconut is my personal favourite, but soy, almond, or rice milk work fine, too.
**Tip** Add the milk in gradually so your dry ingredients don’t clump at the bottom of the jar.
Add in honey or maple syrup.
Cover with the lid and put in the fridge to soak overnight.
Wake up, add any extra toppings like extra honey, nuts or fresh berries, eat & enjoy!
** If in the morning you find that your oats are too thick you can add a little extra milk to suit your liking.
Here’s a basic recipe to get you started:
1/3 cup oats
1/3 cup plant based milk
1 1/2 tsps chia seeds
1 1/2 tsps honey
1/4 tsp cinnamon or nutmeg
Top with fresh fruit of your choice.
And a special recipe to show you the possibilities: