On the road, there are often constraints when it comes to cooking – timing, a place not amenable to pulling out the propane stove, and much more. For me, breakfast used to be the hardest. That all has changed though since I discovered overnight oats. Woohoo!
Overnight Oats Are:
- Simple to Make
- Budget Friendly!
- Extremely Adaptable
That’s a win-win-win for me.
I don’t know what kind of morning person you are but I am most definitely the foggy, cranky, give-me-some-damn-coffee type of morning person. I wish I wasn’t, really. I envy those who pop out of bed ready to take on the world. Thinking about what to have for breakfast is not my strong suit. When I am in a sticks and bricks house, I usually grab whatever leftovers are in the fridge and call it a morning. Leftover chili, roasted veggies, lentil stew, tacos, it doesn’t matter, its breakfast now.
Overnight oats eliminate all the difficult morning thinking struggles. I open the jar and dig in. So wonderful! I use a 16oz mason jar since it is convenient and reusable. The basic overnight oats recipe is quite simple:
- Open jar.
- Add 3/4 cup rolled oats [or instant, or steel-cut, or even muesli –> consistency will vary widely depending on type!]
- Add 3/4 – 1 cup non-dairy milk [How do you like your oats? Thick? Runny?]
- Add sweetener and spices of your preference.
- Screw lid back on jar.
- Give it all a good shake to evenly distribute everything.
- Set in your cooler or whatever refrigeration set-up you have.
- Wait 6-12 hours. [How long do you like to sleep?]
- Open jar.
- Eat.
The Nuts & Bolts & Options of Overnight Oats:
- The Oats!
- Old-fashioned rolled oats are the classic choice. They will give you that normal oatmeal result. I use a 1:1 ratio oatmeal to non-dairy milk. This of course is adjustable to how you like your oats.
- Instant oats can be used. The consistency will be mushy. Or creamy. Depends on how you interpret things ;-).
- Steel-cut oats work well too. The liquid ratio will be different though. 2 parts liquid to 1 part oats. Although instant steel-cut oats use more of a 1:1 ratio like old-fashioned oats.
- Muesli also works great. Bonus they come already mixed with some yummy additions.
- The Liquid
- Any non-dairy milk will work — and there are SO many to choose from. Hemp, almond, soy, oat, hazelnut, rice, coconut, pea, and so forth and so on. Use your favorite one. I like to use a chocolate non-dairy milk for an extra bright and happy breakfast.
- Non-dairy yogurt also work really well. I am a HUGE fan of So Delicious plain unsweetened yogurt. Also, Forager plain unsweetened yogurt drink. There are so many to choose from. They can get a bit tangy sitting overnight so be ready for this.
- Water. The oats won’t be nearly as creamy but they can still be delicous. Then you can add the non-dairy milk or yogurt in the morning if you choose.
- The Sweetener
- Maple syrup, agave, brown sugar, cane sugar, xylitol, stevia … the type and amount is entirely up to you.
- The Spices
- A small list of ideas: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, ginger
- A dash of vanilla extract is always nice. As are other extracts like almond, anise, coffee, coconut, lemon, mint, and orange. Remember, a little bit goes a long ways.
- The Optional Extras
- Seeds: chia, hemp, flax, sunflower, sesame
- Chopped nuts: almond, hazelnut, peanut, walnut, cashews, shredded coconut
- Jam or Jelly
- Nut Butters
- Plant Based Protein Powders (adding these may require you add more liquid to your mix)
- Chocolate chips
- Cocoa powder
- The Optional Fruit
- Dried fruit can be added at night when you make them.
- Fresh fruit should be added in the morning since it may get wonky sitting in the liquid overnight.
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Tip: When traveling, I use the small single-serve tetra paks of non-dairy milk. Each evening when I am making my oats, I open a new one. Whatever is leftover from making the overnight oats, I drink right then. Since I do not have the space to keep cartons of non-dairy milks open for days, this system works really well.
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Overnight Oats Recipes – No More Breakfast Boredom – No More Breakfast Stress
There are hundreds of recipes here on the great internet for overnight oats. These a just a sampling to give you an idea of what is possible for flavor combinations.
I would LOVE to hear what your favorite overnight oats recipe is! Do you keep it classic and simple or do you let out the reins and create some wild combinations?
Comment below or share a pic on Facebook or Insta and tag me @lazyveganbaker
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Click the Links Below To See These Fun Recipes!
- Peanut Butter Apple Oats by My Goodness Kitchen
- Raspberry Vanilla Overnight Oats by Real Food Real Deals
- Creamsicle Overnight Oats by Glue & Glitter
- Blueberry Coconut Overnight Oats by My Darling Vegan
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats by Plant Based Scotty
- Overnight Chocolate Strawberry Almond Oats by Vegetarian Gastronomy
- Superfood Overnight Oats by Yes Baby, I Like It Raw
- Lemon Overnight Oats by V Nutrition
- Carrot Cake Overnight Oats by Sharon Palmer
- Two Minute Easy Vegan Yogurt Oats by My Quiet Kitchen
- Pumpkin Spice Latte Overnight Oats by Hashtag Vegan
- Raspberry and Almond Butter Overnight Oats by Rainbow Nourishments
- Easy Blueberry Spirulina Overnight Oats by Delightful Vegans
- Overnight Chia Oats by Plant-Based Cooking
- PB & J Overnight Oats by Fragrant Vanilla
