Friday, September 25, 2015

Overnight oatmeal breakfast


5 Delicious and nutritious oatmeal breakfast recipes for everyone.

Oatmeal is delicious! You can use rolled oats or steel cut oats. No need to spend time in the kitchen cooking oats in the morning to make a healthy breakfast! By soaking overnight, the oats soften and are ready to be eaten right out of the jar if you like them cold or simply put the jar in the microwave for one minute for a warm breakfast to go.

I like to add flax seed powder and chia seeds to my oatmeal to make it a very nutritious and energetic breakfast that fills me up until lunch.

Flax seed powder

Chia seeds

Some of these recipes use pudding mix for the added flavor and sweetener. If you prefer to leave that out, just use your favorite sweetener. I like Maple syrup, honey, agave nectar, coconut palm sugar.
I also like to add extra flavor to my breakfast by using vanilla or almond extracts. Oh, thinking of extracts.... what about mint and chocolate oatmeal? All we need is a few drops of mint extract and a few chocolate chips or cacao powder! I will have to try and let you all know.

You can play and adjust these recipes to your liking. The amount of ingredients I use fill the jars almost to the top so remember to use bigger jars if you plan on adding more goodness to your recipes.

You can also use different types of jars such as the half pint mason jar with arrow or wide mouth. The jars below are the ones I prefer to use.




Raspberry white chocolate cheesecake overnight oats

Ingredients

1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1 Tbsp flax seed powder
1 tsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp cheesecake flavor pudding mix
1 Tbsp of white chocolate chips
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or regular milk
3 or 4 freeze dried, frozen or fresh raspberries
1 Tbsp coconut palm sugar or sweetener of choice (optional)
1 Tbsp chopped walnuts to add before serving (optional)

Directions

Using a half pint mason jar, add the dry ingredients first but omit the chopped walnuts and then add berries and milk. Close lid, flip the jar upside down so the dry ingredients fall into the wet ingredients.and give it a very good long shake. Put in refrigerator right side up overnight.
In the morning, eat cold or microwave on high for 1 minute. Add nuts and mix well. Enjoy!

I do not like my oatmeal to be too sweet and I find that the pudding mix has enough sweetener to my taste so I prefer to omit the coconut palm sugar. My husband on the other hand requests that I add the sweetener to his.

I like my oatmeal thick but if you prefer yours to be soupy, add a little more milk before or after.



Blueberry Almond overnight oats

Ingredients

1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1 Tbsp flax seed powder
1 tsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp almond butter
1 heaping Tbsp fresh blueberries
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or regular milk
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract (optional)
1/2 to 1 Tbsp coconut palm sugar or sweetener of choice (optional)
1 Tbsp chopped or sliced almonds to add before serving

Directions

Using a half pint mason jar, add all dry ingredients BUT the chopped almonds. Add blueberries and milk. Close lid and turn upside down so the dry ingredients fall into the wet ingredients. Give the jar a very good long shake and put in the refrigerator right side up overnight.
In the morning, eat cold or microwave on high for 1 minute. Add chopped almonds and mix well. Enjoy!

Sometimes, I add a few drops of almond extract to give this oatmeal a much stronger flavor.



Apple pie overnight oats

Ingredients

1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1 Tbs flax seed powder
1 tsp chia seeds
1/4 heaping tsp apple pie spice (use 1/4 t of cinnamon if you don't have the apple pie spice)
1 Tbsp maple syrup or honey
1 to 2 Tbs unsweetened apple sauce or homemade apple puree (my favorite)
1/2 cup unsweetened Almond milk or regular milk
1 Tbsp chopped pecans

Directions

Using a half pint mason jar, add all dry ingredients BUT the chopped pecans. Add apple sauce, maple syrup or honey and milk. Close lid and turn upside down so the dry ingredients fall into the wet ingredients. Give the jar a very good long shake and put in the refrigerator right side up overnight.
In the morning, eat cold or microwave on high for 1 minute. Add chopped pecans and mix well. Enjoy!

This is even yummier when using homemade apple purée. I like lots of cinnamon so I usually use a heaping 1/4 teaspoon.

Pumpkin pie overnight oats

Ingredients

1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1 Tbsp flax seed powder
1 tsp chia seeds
1 to 2 Tbsp pumpkin pie mix from a can (or pumpkin purée plus 1/2 t pumpkin spice mix)
1/4 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
1 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp chopped pecans

Directions

Using a half pint mason jar, add all dry ingredients BUT the chopped pecans. Add pumpkin pie mix, maple syrup and milk. Close lid and turn jar upside down so the dry ingredients fall into the wet ingredients. Give the jar a very good long shake and put in the refrigerator right side up overnight.
In the morning, eat cold or microwave on high for 1 minute. Add chopped pecans and mix well. Enjoy!

I love adding a dollop or whip cream on this oatmeal during the holidays.

If you do not have the pumpkin pie mix in a can, you can make the spice yourself and add it to the pumpkin purée.

Pumpkin pie spice recipe:

3 Tbsp Ground cinnamon
2 tsp Ground ginger
2 tsp Ground nutmeg
1.5 tsp Ground allspice
Pinch Ground cloves

Banana and honey overnight oats

Ingredients

1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1 Tbsp flax seed powder
1 tsp chia seeds
1 Tbsp banana flavor pudding mix
1/4 sliced banana
1 to 2 Tbsp honey
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or regular milk
sliced almonds to top before serving

Directions

Using a half pint mason jar, add all dry ingredients BUT the sliced almonds. Add sliced bananas, honey and milk. Close lid and turn jar upside down so the dry ingredients fall into the wet ingredients. Give the jar a very good long shake and put in the refrigerator right side up overnight.
In the morning, eat cold or microwave on high for 1 minute. Add sliced almonds and mix well. Enjoy!