Go-to easy healthy breakfast

I’m a creature of habit and have been eating nearly the same breakfast on weekdays for about two years.

What you ask? Well, overnight oats, of course.

I made the switch to overnight oats as one of my first steps in eliminating a lot of processed and packaged foods. It was my “gateway” to eating clean, at least at breakfast most days of the week.

If you’re the type of person that throws a couple of Quaker instant ‘peaches and cream’ packets into the microwave and calls it a day, this one is for you.

There’s something better out there for you, oat lover, and it is more filling, easy, and essentially grab-and-go.

What is overnight oats?

It’s so simple. Put a few ingredients, including oats, in a covered container overnight. Then take it out in the morning, top it with whatever you extras you are feeling for the day, and enjoy.

I typically make three separate batches at a time (that’s because I have three trusty glass Pyrex bowls with rubber tops, compliments of a big set I registered for when I got married.) That means, when I am ready for breakfast in the morning, my meal is just a minute or two away from my belly.

Basic overnight oats recipe

Here’s what you need as a base:

• 1/3 cup of almond milk (I use vanilla, but you can use whatever you like)
• 1/3 cup of Greek yogurt (I use plain, non-fat, but have tried nearly every kind)
• 1/3 cup of old-fashioned oats (there is a Quaker version that comes in a tub)
• 1 teaspoon of chia seeds (these little guys contain omega-3s and fiber)
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon (or a pie spice)
• OPTIONAL: a pinch of salt

All of that goes into the bowl, then you mix it around, cover it, and put it in the fridge.

In the morning, you will have a thick and delicious mixture. You can splash a little extra milk on top if you want it to be less thick.

Extra toppings

In case you are worried about eating the same thing everyday, you can counter that by diversifying your toppings. Once you have the overnight oats base, you can add bananas, blueberries, a scoop of almond butter, flakes of almonds, a spoonful of preserves, pretty much whatever you like.

I usually use bananas and a little extra cinnamon. Here’s what mine looked like today …

Make it fancy

If you are feeling really festive, you can prepare your overnight oats in a mason jar (which will really impress your co-workers if you take it to-go). I’ve also heard of using an empty peanut butter jar with the remnants of peanut butter still in there as a base, which adds a little more protein and a nutty flavor, but does not look nearly as classy.

There you have it. A gateway healthy breakfast, that just might get you reconsidering your obsession with those instant packets.

Question of the day

If not oatmeal, what is your current go-to breakfast? Have you ever tried overnight oats?