A Trio of Dessert Flavour Overnight Oats

Mornings are enough of a bugger to shove some bread in the toaster or pour milk on some cereal. It's OK to not be a morning person but there are few life hacks you can implement to give you a healthy and delicious breakfast without the morning bother. If there is something in the fridge you can lob in your bag and eat at work or sit in front of the news with, this also diminishes the chances of grabbing a pastry or bacon butty with your morning coffee.

Breakfast boredom can be a killer. Who wants the whole day to be monotonous? A pop of flavour variety can add a spring to your step and help you face the day with renewed vim and vigour. My suggestion (and as ever they are always suggestions) are a trio of overnight oats that are wholesome and delicious. A traditional favourite, apple pie, is busting with fresh crunch apples, cinnamon and apple juice for sweetness, carrots for breakfast can be delicious and are in my carrot cake overnight oats, aromatic with spices and sweet with finely grated carrot - it's always a surprise how good it is! My personal favourite is the Bakewell tart oats, i just love the comfort of raspberries, almonds and vanilla for breakfast - it feels like a dessert in taste but without an overwhelming sweetness.

Feel free to change up the liquid used, apple juice makes it sweeter, almond (or other non airy milk) milk creamier, dairy milk richer. I wouldn't recommend water but I know people who use coconut water. Once you have the base sorted below you can experiment and use what you have in the house. That's how I came up with the carrot cake version.

A note on chia seeds, they may seem like a trendy food stuff right now but they do lend a pleasing viscosity to the oats without having to add loads of creamy or high fat stuffs.


This is the basis of all my overnight oats.

3 tbsp oats (I prefer steel cut, whole oats)
1/2 tbsp chia seeds
75 - 100 ml liquid
2 tbsp (heaped) Greek yogurt

Apple Pie Overnight Oats

1 small apple, cored and finely chopped
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tbsp mixed seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, linseed)
Liquid used: cloudy apple juice

Carrot Cake Overnight Oats

40g grated carrot
15g chopped walnuts
1/8 ground cinnamon
1/8 ground ginger
1/8 nutmeg
Liquid: almond milk

Bakewell Tart Overnight Oats

1 handful frozen raspberries (unless in season)
1 tbsp ground almonds
Squeeze honey
Liquid used: almond milk


Method:

Chuck dry ingredients in jar/container

Cover with wet ingredients

Stir contents together and leave in fridge overnight

OR

Put lid on tight and shake (more fun) and leave in fridge overnight

These badboys should last if made on Sunday evening until Friday morning as the ingredients aren't particularly perishable.