Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Basic Overnight Oats Recipe

This is oatmeal gone wild!  Wildly easy that is...


I happen to love oatmeal in the morning for breakfast.  Especially in the winter, it's like morning comfort food.  So I'm definitely grateful that it happens to be super good for me too.  It's yummy and incredibly filling.  However, I'm not exactly a huge fan of mornings themselves.  I like the morning when I've stayed up late to see it- not so much after I've slept.  I have some seriously unfortunate "morning man voice" when I wake up (you know- when your voice goes about 100 octaves deeper than normal), and I don't typically suggest asking me anything until it's gone, otherwise I'm honestly likely to mumble a series of yes' and later have no recollection of what I agreed to...  When Josiah gets older and figures this out- I may be in trouble...

Pre-Josiah I actually cooked my oats!  Now- just the thought of cooking oats in the morning is hilarious!  Welcome to motherhood!  I just don't have that kind of time anymore.  Lets be honest- some days Mommies are lucky to even get in a bowl of cereal.  And usually those days are the ones you need it the most, especially if you're nursing.  You've gotta keep that milk supply up (the phrase that haunts me in my sleep)!

Thank God for overnight oats!  It so EASY! They come out perfectly thick and creamy! It tastes wonderful! And the best part-- NO COOKING REQUIRED!  Doesn't get any better than that, right!?  I make some for both Charlie (hubby) and I-  He eats it in the car on his way to work or at the office, and I eat it while Jojo is nursing bright and early in the morning (I've become a fantastic multi-tasker, it's seriously amazing what you could do one handed...)  I also make Jojo a modified version since he can't have it the same way we do yet.  And I'm pleased to report that I make it for him several times a week and he LOVES it!





The Base (this part stays the same no matter how you decide to jazz it up):

1/4 c Whole Rolled Oats 
1/4 c Plain Non-Fat Greek Yogurt
1/4 c Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (or any milk of your choice, I love the flavor this gives my oats)
1/4 c No Sugar Added Applesauce

What I add to make it jazzy:

1 Tbsp Grade A Maple syrup (you can adjust this to however sweet you want your oats)
1/4 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1 Tbsp Sun-butter (or any nut butter, sun-butter and almond butter are my personal favorites)

Toppings (completely optional):

1/2 Banana- sliced 
A small handful of Chia Seeds

You just combine the first two sections of ingredients into a container with a lid.  
Top it off with the sliced Banana and sprinkle the Chia Seeds over the top.  
Stick it in the fridge.

THAT'S ALL!

By morning you'll have yummy oatmeal goodness!  If you like your oats a little runny you can add more milk in the morning.  I think its the best served at room temperature but you can eat it cold or stick it in the microwave for a minute or so to serve warm.  

Charlie can eat the whole thing but for me, it's a two part-er.  It's so filling that I need an intermission!   

Josiah's Modified Overnight Oats

2 Tbsp Whole Rolled Oats
3 Tbsp Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk (you could use water instead) 
The tiniest pinch of Cinnamon (optional)
1 Tbsp Applesauce
1 Tbsp Worth of Banana

I prepare it exactly the same way I prepare ours.
Before I feed it to him I just blitz it in the blender until the texture is one he can handle.
You can also adjust the consistency by adding more almond milk/water as you blend it to help.

There are endless combinations of how to prepare these oats, this is just my basic "I don't have to think about it" recipe.  

Keep your eyes out in the coming weeks for my Pumpkin Pie version!  It's sooo goood that I've even eaten it as desert to satisfy my major sweet tooth!

Bon Appetit!

Love,
Michelle


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