April 30, 2017
Breakfast is often touted as the most important meal of the day, but with the hectic pressure of our modern schedules, most of us wake up and hit the ground running. Which also makes breakfast the easiest meal to skimp on quality nutrition. I admittedly have been one of those “hit the ground running” types, and for the longest time (many years) breakfast was never part of my morning routine. As a matter of fact, if breakfast did cross my mind, it was long after I dropped the kids off at school, and typically well after I made my way into the office.
This would typically result in settling for a quick “convenience” breakfast. In my case usually coffee and scones (and that was the better of the choices that were made!) So it should come as no surprise my body was not thrilled with the nutritional value (or lack of) contained in my typical grab and go choices.
As one of the first cereals cultivated by man dating back to 7000 B.C., oats have long been a staple at the breakfast table. They’re chock full of beta-glucans, which have been found to improve immune function, and just one half cup of oats contains over 25% of your daily recommended amount of biotin, a B vitamin not only key for healthy digestion and metabolism, but also a top contributor to healthy hair, skin, and nails.
They’re also a great source of protein and magnesium, and have long been noted for their heart healthy benefits as well. It’s really no surprise they’ve been a popular go-to option.
The concept of overnight oats was not unfamiliar, but something about cold oatmeal was never highly appealing to me. That is until I started playing in the kitchen and made it my own. The best part of the following recipe is the ability to customize your add ins to suit your own tastes or, if you’re like me and enjoy plenty of variety in your menu, the versatility of the base makes switching up your flavours from day to day a breeze!
Easy Overnight Oatmeal
Base ingredients
- 8oz milk or milk substitute (almond milk works wonderfully)
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1 tsp flax seeds
- 1 tsp chia seeds
Instructions
Place base ingredients in a pint size jar or a blender bottle and shake to combine. Toppings may be added at this time as well or in the morning, however I have found adding them right away allows for the flavours to blend more thoroughly. Place in refrigerator overnight. If you find oatmeal consistency is too thick or thin adjust liquids accordingly.
Optional Add-ins
Traditional: Cinnamon & Raisins
High Protein: 1 scoop protein powder, peanut butter & diced bananas
Tropical: diced pineapple & 1 tablespoon coconut
Fruit: diced fruit, dried fruit, mixed fruit etc.
Your flavour options and combinations are truly limitless!
Enjoy
