It is hailed as the most important meal of the day, yet breakfast often ends up being neglected.
Thanks to our increasingly busy lifestyles, many of us choose an extra twenty minutes in bed over getting up to prepare a tasty and nutritious meal first thing in the morning. And for those of us who eat at their office desk, there is the added challenge of finding a breakfast that travels well – and doesn’t spill into our handbags.
So on those days when you’re running late because you hit the snooze button one too many times, it’s easy to skip breakfast altogether or opt for a pricey convenience option from the nearest cafe. We have often found ourselves in a similar dilemma – until we discovered this minimal-effort overnight porridge recipe. With limitless variations on flavour and less than ten minutes preparation time, these grab-and-go breakfast pots will be good to go first thing in the morning – even if you’re not!
Use this simple recipe for your base and customise the rest according to taste…
You need:
Organic rolled oats
Plain Greek yoghurt or similar
Almond milk
Ground cinnamon (according to taste)
Instructions:
1. Measure out half a cup of rolled oats and mix with half a cup of Greek yoghurt and 2/3 of a cup of almond milk.
2. If you like, add cinnamon according to taste. Cover with foil and leave in the fridge to soak overnight.
3. Serve with fruit purée, berries and nuts.
Here are three more easy recipe variations to try:
Strawberry and Banana Overnight Oats by PepperLynn.com
You need:
1/2 cup rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon chia seeds
2 to 2 ½ tablespoons strawberry jam
1 small banana, mashed
Instructions:
1. Combine the oats, Greek yogurt, milk, and chia seeds in a bowl or jar, cover with a lid or plastic wrap, and allow the mixture to sit in the refrigerator overnight.
2. In the morning, stir in mix-ins and enjoy.
Blueberry Lemon Overnight Oats by Slim Pickin’s Kitchen
You need:
2 cups quick cooking wholegrain oats
1.5 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon flax seeds
zest from one fresh lemon
juice from one fresh lemon
20-30 Nunaturals liquid stevia drops, to taste (or 1-2 packets to taste) 1.5 cups Chobani blueberry non-fat Greek yogurt
Instructions:
1. In a large bowl combine all ingredients (except yogurt) and stir until well combined and the mixture begins to thicken.
2. Evenly divide about a 1/2 cup of the blueberry yogurt into four small glass jars or cups, spoon a bit of the oat mixture into each jar as well, then continue layering the yogurt and oats until the jars are full.
3. Wrap each parfait with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Before serving, add nuts, fresh blueberries, granola, etc. as desired.
Overnight Oats with Coconut, Almond and Cacao by Leafparade.com
You need:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (from the box, not the can)
1 1/2 tablespoon whole chia seeds
A pinch of salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
1 tablespoon sliced almonds
1 tablespoon cacao nibs (or carob or chocolate chips for added sweetness)
Instructions:
1. Pour the oats, milk, seeds, and salt into a jar with an air-tight lid.
2. Shake the contents thoroughly to prevent the seeds from clumping and then put the jar in the fridge overnight to set.
3. In the morning, shake some more. Pour into a bowl and top with coconut, almonds and cacao.
Credit: Image via PepperLynn.com
