Overnight Oats

Meet my newest breakfast obsession, overnight oats.  I wanted to try overnight oats because I don’t like the texture of instant oats, and I want breakfast faster than the time it takes to cook rolled oats.  Overnight oats take 2 minutes to throw together at night and 2 minutes to heat up in the morning (you can even eat them cold if you want to).  You get all of the chewy texture of rolled oats without the fuss.  Perfect!  You can jazz them up any way you want to, but this is the recipe I have been using lately.  (For more ideas, check out my original oatmeal post.)

Overnight Oats

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup rolled oats Make sure to use certified gluten-free oats if you have celiac disease
  • 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup coconut milk You can use any liquid you like.
  • 2 Tbsp. chia seeds I used Running Food chia seeds because they sent me some to try. They soak up all the excess liquid as they plump and provide omega-3 fatty acids, protein and fiber.
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 T. maple syrup
  • 1/2 sliced banana

Instructions
 

  • Mix oats, 1/2 cup milk, chia seeds, cinnamon and maple syrup in a bowl.
  • Cover and place in refrigerator overnight.
  • In the morning, heat for 2 minutes on high in the microwave.
  • Add sliced banana and 1/4 cup milk on top after heating.
  • Eat and enjoy!

Have you tried overnight oats? What do you like in your bowl?

 

  • Rob March 8, 2011 at 3:15 pm

    I've been doing oatmeal almost daily for over a year now I think. Though I do a mix of oat and quinoa.

    I only recently started soaking the oats overnight, and had been using flaxseed, but also recently have tried out chia seeds instead.

    I'll often use some sort of dried fruit.. or fresh/frozen fruit. But one of my faves is PB&J, a dollop of peanut butter and some jelly/jam added after cooking.

  • Alysa March 8, 2011 at 3:19 pm

    I love the idea of mixing quinoa with the oats. I am also a HUGE fan of PB in oatmeal.

  • Kitty March 8, 2011 at 4:34 pm

    My Mother used to do Oats this way and I'd completely forgotten it until your post. I mix flaxseed into my oatmeal, I'll have to give the Chia seeds a try. I stopped using a microwave, but a couple minutes in a saucepan on the stove will do the trick!
    Thanks for jogging my memory!
    Kind regards, Kitty

  • Ben March 9, 2011 at 12:25 am

    I need to incorporate more oats in my diet. Awesome blog!

  • sarahlearns March 9, 2011 at 2:19 am

    i looooove overnight oats! i usually make them with oats, milk and water, flax, chia seeds, raisins, and banana. then i top them with blueberries and a bit of pb! 🙂

  • perfectconfessions March 9, 2011 at 12:47 pm

    Okay, chia seeds. I tried these a while back, but they made me so thirsty! Maybe I was eating too many at a time? Have you ever had this problem? Thanks for the reminder about them (and overnight oats, too!).
    -Heather (@WholeLivingGal 🙂

    • Cari December 15, 2011 at 4:46 pm

      Chia seeds also make me thirsty. I tried putting 1 tablespoon of chia seeds in two quarts of water. Still thirsty and experimenting. I’m down to 1 teaspoon in 2 quarts of water and will probably still have to decrease that amount. Not sure how something which is supposed to hydrate, makes me thirsty, but it does.

  • Rebecca B. March 9, 2011 at 2:46 pm

    I made them last night, with flaxseed and steel cut oats. I topped them this morning with peanut butter and strawberries – YUMMY!!

  • Alysa March 9, 2011 at 3:58 pm

    Kitty, glad I could remind you!

  • Alysa March 9, 2011 at 3:59 pm

    Thank you Ben! This is an easy way to get more oats in your diet.

  • Alysa March 9, 2011 at 3:59 pm

    Sarah, last night I put the peanut butter in with the oats, then this morning when I heated it up, the PB got nice and creamy. Yum!

  • Alysa March 9, 2011 at 4:00 pm

    Heather, I haven't noticed an increase in thirst after eating chia seeds. Hmmm….

  • Alysa March 9, 2011 at 4:01 pm

    Rebecca, sounds delicious! Isn't this a timesaver with steelcut oats?

  • Trish March 9, 2011 at 4:48 pm

    Love oats for breakfast. Sometimes I add dried fruit like apricots or prunes and sometimes almond butter or PB. Love your chia seed addition. Thanks for sharing!

  • Carrie March 10, 2011 at 2:07 pm

    I usually do quick cooking oats, but I'm trying your recipe this AM. I prepped them last night and can't wait to eat! Thanks for the recipe.

  • Michael Wills March 12, 2011 at 10:45 am

    Thank You, Alysa

    I will share this great way to prepare oatmeal.

  • Kat (Eating The Week) March 29, 2011 at 12:48 pm

    I've made these a couple times now – first w/steel cut, second with rolled – and they're really tasty. I use a little more milk (1c total) b/c I like them a bit more moist. Husband liked them too!

  • Chere Michelle June 13, 2011 at 1:41 pm

    I would love to do this but we don't use a microwave. I don't know if re-heating in a pot again, on the stove would work, or they would burn and it would take too long!!Might as well make that morning *sigh* looks good tho, and quick!

  • Alysa June 13, 2011 at 8:58 pm

    Chere, you are probably better off making them in the morning unless you want to eat them cold. I eat overnight oats in a jar cold which is great in the summer!

  • jul September 9, 2011 at 6:21 am

    I am surprised that you use a microwave. All the good ingredients are ruined.

    • inspiredrd September 9, 2011 at 10:02 am

      That’s interesting…what ingredients get ruined by heating it up?

      • Cari December 15, 2011 at 4:52 pm

        Not the heating up that is a problem, but the way it is heated up. Do a google search of the dangers of microwaving.
        Nutrients are destroyed in heating, including water. My son and I did an experiment to sprout beans. We used regular tap water, cooled boiled water, and cooled microwaved water. The seeds from the microwaved water never sprouted, and in fact just rotted, while the other two water products did sprout.