Overnight Oats – My Go To Breakfast

Serves 1 30 April 2017 Dairy Free Gluten Free Vegetarian Friendly
These soaked overnight oats are my go-to breakfast. While they are traditionally eaten as a summer porridge, mornings here are chaotic at best. Getting four boys out of the door on time for school renders my own breakfast-making-time pretty low on the priority list. Soaking oats and seeds the night before before crashing into bed means the only morning prep is the opening of the fridge door. And it officially makes overnight oats the ultimate dash-and-go breakfast, either at home, or to throw in your bag and take with you to the office. And it will keep you fully satisfied until lunch.

I was first introduced to the glory of overnight oats about seven years ago by one of my oldest friends (and pilates master extraordinaire) Kim Spivack. With three boys under 5 at the time, I found it a challenge to make a sustaining energy-filled breakfast that I could both make and eat all in one sitting.  Changing my morning landscape forever, a version of this recipe has been consumed many days a week ever since. In the summer I add berries or peaches in the morning, and in the winter months I slice a banana, grate an apple or use any leftover stewed fruit lurking in the fridge.

I hope you to use this recipe as a springboard for your favourite combination of seeds, nuts, flakes, fruit and spice.

Note: To be even more prepared, I make a large batch of the dry mixture minus the dates and keep it in a jar. When you are ready to make your breakfast, simply shake the jar and pour 75g into a shallow bowl, add the chopped date, squeeze of lemon and cover with between 175ml milk of your choice and leave in the fridge.

I use white chia seeds simply for aesthetics. They look much more appealing in the mixture!

Gluten free oats can also be easily used here. Bob’s Red Mill are my favourite brand.

1 serving

Overnight Oats

  • 50g (1/2 cup) rolled/jumbo oats (not quick cooking oats)
  • 1 tbsp white chia seeds
  • 1 tbsp ground or linseeds
  • 1 tsp pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tsp sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 medjool date, in pieces
  • a squeeze of lemon juice
  • 175ml oat or almond milk
  • 1 tsp bee pollen sprinkled on top in the morning

Optional Toppings & Flavours

  • sliced almonds
  • chopped walnuts
  • cashew nuts
  • pistachios
  • ¼ tsp cacao nibs or powder
  • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
  • pinch of ground cardamom
  • dried fruit such as cranberries, goji berries, blueberries
  • splash of vanilla extract

Combine all the dry ingredients and chopped date and stir together in a shallow bowl, mason jar or tupperware if you are taking it to work for breakfast at your desk.

Pour over almond milk and a squeeze of lemon juice and mix everything together.

Cover and place in the fridge overnight.

When you are ready to eat, stir through one more time and add any fresh fruit of your choice.

Optional toppings and flavour variations:

Have you made this dish?

Let me know what you think, share your efforts and any tweaks you made to the recipe on Instagram, don’t forget to tag #BuildingFeasts or email me on info@buildingfeasts.com