Overnight Oats

August 25, 2017

I have to admit, at first I thought that overnight oats were just a health fad that wasn’t going to last and I really had no interest in trying them.  Then, as fate would have it, the family that I was personal cheffing for twice a week wanted to try them as a quick breakfast to have before school.  So in a way I guess I was forced to look into it, and when I did, I realized that there were infinite number of flavor combinations because oats are pretty much a blank canvas.

 

The family that I cheffed for had two young boys with surprisingly developed palettes, so I had a wide range of flavors that I could try.  Of course, banana peanut butter was their all-time favorite, but I have listed several other recipes here that both parents and adults enjoyed!

 

So the base recipe, the building blocks, if you will, of overnight oats are the following:

 

1 Cup Old fashioned oats

2 C Milk, almond milk, coconut milk, or whatever liquid you want

 

After that, the world is your oyster! I wanted to add extra protein, so many of my recipes have greek yogurt in them, along with ground flax and chia seed.  

 

Banana Peanut Butter Overnight Oats:

 

Yield: 4 cups, 5-6 servings

 

1 C Old Fashioned Oats

2 C Milk

? C Peanut Butter

1 Banana, mashed

2T Chia seeds

2 T Flaxseed

½ C Greek Yogurt

 

Method:

  1. Mix the mashed banana, greek yogurt and peanut butter together in a large bowl.
  2. Add the chia, flax, oats and milk and mix thoroughly.  
  3. Place in the refrigerator overnight.

 

And that’s it! You’re done! I portioned the oats into little mason jars so they could just grab them and go, but you could easily leave it in a tupperware and spoon it out when you’re ready to eat.  I usually prefer my oats slightly warm, especially if the recipe calls for spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, but I know plenty of people that eat them cold. Also, feel free to adjust the consistency with a little milk.  I find that when I heat mine up it gets thicker, so I like to add almond milk to bring it back to the right texture.

 

Here are some other flavor combinations to try:

 

Coconut Peach Almond: Oat Base Recipe + diced peach, shredded coconut, chia, flax, sliced toasted almonds, and a little bit of nutmeg

 

Apple Pie with Pepitas:Oat Base Recipe + diced apple (I like to use something bright and crisp like pink lady, fuji, or honeycrisp), cinnamon, nutmeg, pepitas, honey (to taste), and applesauce.

 

Cinnamon Oats with Berry Puree: Oat Base Recipe + 1 t cinnamon, ½ c toasted and chopped walnuts or pecans, and Berry Puree (Your choice of 1 c mixed berries with ½ c greek yogurt, pureed together).

 

Chocolate Banana Coconut: Oat Base Recipe + 1 Banana, mashed, 1 banana diced, ½C greek yogurt, shredded coconut, chocolate covered coconut pieces OR mini chocolate chips.

 

As you can see, I try not to use any sweetener other than fruit, but a little brown sugar or honey in the oat base goes a long way if the fruit is out of season or not particularly sweet.  

 

So, that’s it!  Like I said, there’s a million combinations you can create, or ask your kids what they would like to try.

 

Leave us a comment with your favorite flavor combo!

Kathryn Wandrie is the head chef and co-owner of KC Catering. Though she is trained in French Classical Cuisine, she expands the boundaries of her culinary education by experimenting with new techniques, cuisines and methods. When she's not cheffing, you can find her on the family farm, spending time with family, or reading a good novel.

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