Being a busy grad student, I do not have time (unfortunately) for complicated and also expensive meals. Having spent a full year as a pharmacy student I have learned a lot about how to make fast, convenient, inexpensive and YUMMY meals/snacks for myself. In this post I want to highlight one of my all-time favorite options for breakfast.
Overnight Oats
Overnight oats are my go-to breakfast choice- a healthy and sustainable source of energy to kickstart your day! The reason I love overnight oats so much is because, like the title eludes, they can be made overnight. Compared to OG oatmeal, overnight oats are made at night, and ready for you the next morning, The best part about this breakfast choice is that it allows for less time in the morning. Most nights I prep my oats at 8 or 9pm, throw them in the fridge, and voila! the next morning they are waiting and ready to go. Below I will outline how I make my oats, as well as some add-in options, macros and tips! Cheers-
Recipe
Here I will talk about how I make my oats, what you need and how to jazz up your plain old Quakers!
Prep Time: 5 minutes | Total time needed: 6 hours | Good for: up to 5 days | Yield: 1 serving
Needed Ingredients:
- 1/2 c. Oats (of choice)
- I like to use Quaker Steel Cut
- 2/3 c. Plant Milk
- I like unsweetened vanilla almond milk
- 1 tsp. chia seeds
- 1 tsp. flax seed
- Sweetener of choice: maple syrup or honey are great options!
- Optional: Hemp Hearts, Protein Powder, Cinnamon, Vanilla, Turmeric, Collagen
Add-In Ingredients:
Coconut Crunch: Coconut Flakes, Shaved Almonds, Semi-sweet Mini Chocolate Chips or Cacao Nibs
Nut Butters of Choice: I love adding almond butter for extra creaminess, especially with fruit or coconut
Fruit: Fresh or frozen- add frozen fruit in the morning to prevent sogginess. My favorite add-in’s are bananas and blackberries!
Apples and Cinnamon: add chunks of apples, cinnamon and a nut butter of choice
Chocolate PB: add semi sweet chocolate chips or cacao nibs and a nut butter of choice, or chocolate protein powder
Instructions:
- Find a container that is OK to refrigerate overnight. I like to make my oats in a mason jar, and transfer them to my Healthy Human Cruiser to take on the go!
- Next add the Oats, Flax and Chia to the jar. I like to give them a mix while they are dry to even out all the ingredients
- Add your plant milk. Though I would start with 2/3 c. this is a a preference step because some people prefer thicker/thinner oats. Just make sure to mix in the milk to ensure no oats go dry in the fridge.
- This is a great time to add-in other ingredients. Without tasty add-ins, the dish is pretty bland. My favorite add-ins are fruits like bananas, berries and spices like cinnamon and vanilla extract. Depending on what I am adding, sometimes it is best to wait until the morning to add ingredients that may become soggy overnight. Add your sweetener in too!
- Give it all a good stir and add a lid!
- Place in the fridge for at least 6 hours
- Enjoy!
Tips:
- As mentioned above, don’t add ingredients that could become soggy overnight. I like to add fruits like bananas and apples overnight but frozen berries go in the next morning.
- The bulk food section is a great area to get creative with add-in’s and toppers. I typically will create a bulk food bag with mixtures like: coconut, almond and mini chocolate chips, then when I get home I transfer them into a reusable container (like washed Talenti gelato containers #recycle) and it makes adding yummy ingredients that much easier. One and done!
- Get creative! Do not be afraid to add in other ingredients. The best part about overnight oats is that it is very easy to individualize and have fun with. Make-up flavor combo’s so you don’t get bored!
Macro’s: using MyFitnessPal
Oatmeal: 150 calories: 3F | 23C | 5P
Almond Milk: 17 calories: 1F | 1C | 1P
Chia Seed: 19 calories: 1F |2C | 1P
Flax Seed: 9 calories: 1F | 1C | 0P
Total: 195 calories: 6F | 25C | 7P
Well, there you have it! A quick and easy breakfast appropriate for anyone’s busy schedule. Let me know what your favorite of overnight oat is!
Cheers xo.
BlondiePharma 