If your mornings are hectic, overnight oats are a nutritious and tasty meal that can be ready the moment you wake up. Hallelujah! All this time we had been slaving away cooking oats for years when we heard about set-it-and-forget-it overnight oats. We started pretty simple: 4 cups of water, brought to a boil; add 1 cup steel cut oats and let simmer for one minute before turning off and letting it "cook" overnight. Wake up the next morning and it's perfect!
Then we started adding the fun stuff in. Chopped bananas, a dash or five of cinnamon, mango slices, crushed almonds on top. Any combo works. These days we're pretty pleased with this decadent dark cherry version:
CHOCOLATE CHIA CHERRY OVERNIGHT OATS – RECIPE:
- 4 cups water, brought to a boil in a large pot (we use a 6 qt dutch oven)
- 1 cup steel cut oats added and simmer for one minute before turning stovetop off
- Add: 1 bag frozen dark cherries, 1 sliced banana (the riper the better), 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, 2 tablespoons chia seeds, 1/3 cup dark chocolate bits
- The next morning, turn on the burner to low-med to heat the oats.
- While it heats back up, fold in 1 single serve of plain greek yogurt
- After 5 or so minutes, it's heated through and ready to serve. Yum!
Want to take breakfast to go? Mix all ingredients (including yogurt) together in a bowl and then spoon into a mason jar. Screw the lid on tight and place in the fridge. It soaks up all the goodness overnight in the fridge and is ready to go the next morning!
