My mum introduced me to her amazing overnight oats a couple of years ago. She was having some refurbishment work done at home and was staying at ours for a while. Perfect time to pick her brains on cooking. I mean, there’s nothing quite like mum or gran’s cooking is there?
Overnight oats have been popular for some time now. But, when I tried to make some before mum’s intervention the outcome was rather underwhelming.
What Are Overnight Oats?
Overnight oats is a delicious and nutritious breakfast option. They are really easy to make. Prepare them at night and they’ll be ready for you to grab them and go the next morning. They are fully customizable to your taste preferences so there are endless possible combinations.
Why Are Overnight Oats Beneficial For Your Health?
Oats are an excellent source of fibre, protein and other essential nutrients. Eating oats regularly has been linked to a range of health benefits. From reducing the risk of heart disease, regulating blood sugar levels and aiding digestion.
How To Make Overnight Oats
Making overnight oats is so incredibly easy and it only requires a few basic ingredients. Here’s mum’s recipe. Note this recipe makes enough oats for 6 servings.
- 2 large bananas, mashed
- 100g oats
- 400ml almond milk (oat milk is also a good replacement if you prefer this kind)
- 1 tbsp natural Greek yoghurt
- 25g chia seeds
- 25g flax seeds
- 25g flaked almonds
- 100g raisins (I love the jumbo flame variety as they are lovely and plump)
- Sprinkle with cinnamon
In the morning, mix well. I also top my individual portion with some berries (I love blueberries and strawberries) and some chopped walnuts.
Variations
Here are some other variations which you could try using mum’s recipe as the starting base:
- Apple Cinnamon: Add 1 cup of grated apple, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of honey to the basic recipe. Refrigerate overnight. In the morning, add chopped nuts or raisins if desired.
- Chocolate Peanut Butter: Add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter, and 2 tablespoons to the basic recipe. Refrigerate overnight and top with sliced bananas or chopped nuts in the morning.
- Peach Pie: Add 100g of diced peaches, ½ teaspoon of cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of honey to the basic recipe. Refrigerate overnight and in the morning top with granola or chopped nuts.
- Mango Coconut Overnight Oats: Swap the almond milk in the basic recipe with coconut milk. Add 100g diced mango and 2 tablespoons of honey. Refrigerate overnight and in the morning, top with shredded coconut or sliced almonds.
- Banana Nutella: Add 4 tablespoons of Nutella to the basic recipe.
- Strawberry Cheesecake: Add 230g strawberries (mashed), 2 tablespoons of cream cheese, and 2 tablespoons of honey to the basic recipe. Refrigerate overnight and add fresh strawberries and/or crumbled digestive biscuits.
- Pumpkin Pie: Add 120g of pumpkin puree, ½ teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup to the basic recipe. in a jar or container. Refrigerate overnight and in the morning, top with chopped pecans or whipped cream.
- Cherry Almond: Add 120g of pitted cherries, and 2 tablespoons of honey to the basic recipe. Refrigerate. Overnight. In the morning, top with sliced almonds and/or dark chocolate chips.
Morning Gamechanger
Knowing that you have a healthy breakfast choice ready to go as soon as you wake up is a total gamechanger.
And, with so many variations there’s no way you can get bored with your breakfasts.
Hope you enjoy these oats as much as I do. Let us know which combinations are your favourites or if you have any suggestions for us!
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