The Joy of Overnight Oats

If you’ve been reading here for any length of time  then you know that I love my oats.

Probably a little too much.  Oats bring me joy! And comfort and a full belly.  I eat oats everyday in some shape or form.  Typically a bowl of oats that I just made but I also have been known to inhale oatbran and a yogurt mess with granola often as well.

Recently with the very hot temperatures we’ve been having and the ridiculous amount of humidity that has made itself known, the idea of a hot steaming bowl of oats is less than appealing.  All I want is COLD stuff.  I don’t mind hot coffee but everything else must be as cold as it can get!

Even making and eating dinner is not so much fun because I don’t want to deal with the hot and my appetite has gone down a bit as a result.  Anyway, I needed to solve this problem somehow because I have to eat breakfast.  If I don’t eat breakfast, I can become cranky really quickly.  And after an 8 mile run, food is very important.  I thought about cereal and even bought some but have yet to open the box.  Cereal just does not have enough staying power for me.  I wanted the completeness of oats without all the hot.

The solution seemed to be trying my hand at overnight oats.  Tuesday I made up a mix and placed it in the fridge overnight.  Wednesday morning I was licking the bowl clean and congratulating myself on finding the best solution ever!

I know a lot of people have been making overnight oats for some time now.  This is not a new concept in the world of food but here at the HQ it’s brand new and I’m pretty stoked about my new affair.

It’s super easy to make!  Sort of the same concept as muesli really.  In a bowl combine oats and liquid of your choice.  I use plain soymilk then I add in some dried cranberries and a pinch of cinnamon.  The measurements do not have to be rocket science.  Pour some oats in a bowl (I use about 1.5C) and then cover with the liquid.  You want the oats to be covered and mixed well but not drowning in the liquid.  Cover and let sit in the fridge overnight.  In the morning give it a stir and see if you need to add more liquid or if it has the right consistency for you.  Top with fresh fruit or toppings of your choice and enjoy!

It is the most refreshing thing!  It is cold and delicious and the best thing to eat after steamy hot run and shower.

Of course if you prefer hot oats, you can still use this method and then just nuke in the microwave for a minute to warm through.  The best thing about this is that there are no dishes to clean up!  Everything is done in the bowl you are going to eat out of and it is ready to go when you are.  No waiting around for it to cook and no dirtying up a pot.  Not that making oats is a huge process but sometimes you just want to eat already!

Overnight oats are filling, satisfying, and refreshing! If you haven’t tried it before and you enjoy oats, give it a shot! You just might find a new favorite breakfast!

8 thoughts on “The Joy of Overnight Oats

  1. I love overnight oats! I just tried them a few weeks ago and never got around to doing a post on it, ha ha :)

    I did 1/2 cup plain soy yogurt with 1/4 cup soy milk in mine. Yum! I love being able to just pull it out the refrigerator, throw some fruit and pB on it and eat!

  2. I am loving the overnight oats in the summer! Sometimes, especially after a long hot run in the morning, I simply can’t bring myself to force down piping hot oatmeal. The cold oats are perfect and truly taste like cookie dough to me! :)

  3. Yum! I make overnight oats by mixing 1 cup plain greek yogurt and 1/2 cup dry rolled oats. I only wait an hour before eating so not really overnight. I’ll try it out with soymilk overnight though. I love them too!

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