One Brother and Two Sisters: Overnight Oats

Overnight oats have been around for a long time, and the first time I tried them, I didn't like them. The texture wasn't good. The flavor was lacking. So, I sort of gave up on them and decided they just weren't for me. However, I love most other oat things, so the thought kept nagging in the back of my mind that if I could just find the right recipe that used the right kind of oats, that maybe I actually WOULD like them... and then I found this recipe!!! I have eaten these oats four times now, and I really enjoy them... like... a lot.

So, if you were ever hesitant about overnight oats, or maybe you tried some and didn't think they were that great, I would encourage you to give this recipe a try. It calls for a very specific kind of oats that I found at Costco, which may be what made a huge difference for me. It also calls for add-ins, which I think also helps a ton.

Overnight Oats

Ingredients: (Makes 3 Servings)

1 cup (105 g) old-fashioned rolled oats or sprouted rolled oats
¼ cup (45 g) chia seeds (optional)
Pinch salt (a bit less than 1/8 teaspoon)
2 to 2 ¼ cups (500 to 525 g) milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
1 tablespoon (22 g) pure maple syrup (I used low/no sugar syrup)

Optional Add-Ins: (I put these in every time, so for me, they are not optional.)

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, more or less, to taste
1 scoop vanilla protein powder
frozen berries, if not using fresh

Optional Mix-ins for Serving:

Greek yogurt
Fresh berries, like blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, etc.
Chopped nuts, like almonds, pecans or walnuts (I like sugared/candied nuts)
Brown sugar (I use a zero-calorie brown sugar)

Directions:

In a container with a lid, toss together the oats, chia/basil seeds, and salt. Add additional add-ins, if using, like cinnamon and/or protein powder.
Add the milk and maple syrup. Mix well, scraping up seeds from the bottom.

Add frozen berries here, so they can thaw in the oats overnight.

Cover the container and refrigerate for 12 to 18 hours.
Scoop out desired portion. Serve with Greek yogurt, fresh berries, chopped nuts, and additional milk, if desired.

Marsha's Notes:

If the oats are not sweet enough for you, I like to sprinkle in candied/sugared nuts for sweetness and crunch, and/or a sprinkling of brown sugar. Because I try to keep this breakfast as low-calorie as I can, I often us zero-calorie brown sugar, low calorie maple syrup, and almond milk, but you can totally use the full fat, full sugar versions of these items.

I also feel like the chia seeds are optional, but they add bulk, fiber and keep you fuller longer. They don't bother me at all, but some people might prefer to leave them out.

The original recipe is marked as 216 calories per serving if you use almond milk and chia seeds. Adding in the optional protein powder and toppings/mix-ins will of course change your calories.