Overnight Oats Recipe

Ok, so I'm a little late to the Overnight Oats party.  Having been a long-time lover of porridge, a friend recommended I try overnight oats, as an alternative for mornings when I have less time.  Overnight oats are simple rolled oats that have been soaked overnight, so they go plump and smooth and delicious, and you can add any flavour you like.  They are a good 2B breakfast because they consist of protein (milk and fat-free yoghurt) and FFCs (oats, and optional fruit), so as well as being delicious they give you the energy boost that you need in the morning, and help keep you feeling full and satisfied for longer, so that you are not tempted to snack midmorning.

The following recipe is for one portion, however, by drinking water first, I get full on half the amount, so save the rest for the following day.  Overnight Oats can be kept for up to 5 days in the fridge (though personally I only leave it at most 2 days because I make it every other day).

Basic Ingredients

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup almond milk (or other milk of your choice)

1/4 cup 0% Fat Greek Yoghurt (or vegan alternative)

1-3 tsp maple syrup (or honey or other natural syrup)

pinch of salt

Flavourings - This is where you can go as wild and be as imaginative as you want.

Snickers: 1 tbsp. cocoa powder, 1 tbsp. peanut butter

Autumn Apple: 1/2 apple chopped small, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg

Banana Almond: 1 banana mashed, 1 tbsp. almond butter, 3 drops almond essence

Christmas Cake: 1 tbsp. almond butter, 1 tbsp. flax seeds, 1 tbsp. sultanas/mixed fruit, 3 drops almond essence, 1 tsp mixed spice - I made this up yesterday and ate it this morning.  It was *DELICIOUS!*

Cherry Bakewell: 1 tsp almond butter, 2 drops almond essence, small handful of frozen cherries - I've not actually made this one yet, but I love the combination of almond and cherries.

Method: 

Thoroughly mix all the ingredients and flavourings.

Put into an airtight container and leave in the fridge for at least 8 hours or overnight.

(This is the point where I split my mixture in half and store in 2 containers.)

Add toppings, give a quick stir and enjoy.

Toppings:

Lots of overnight oat recipes suggest toppings, that you should only add before you eat, so that they keep their crunchiness and texture.  Eg. Chopped nuts, chopped fruit, chocolate chips etc. depending on the flavour you're going for.

Personally, I don't have time for extra faff in the morning, so have not been adding any toppings at all, and the oats have still been delicious.