How To Make Overnight Oats
I love a good re-branding story. Like the gooseberry to kiwi fruit or, the more recent, birchermuesli to overnight oats. The overnight oat was one of those food internet sensations. It was as if the world had never heard of it before. As if the internet wonderland just invented something totally new. I hate to throw nails onto the internet superhighway, but overnight oats has been done before. Most folks just called it something different – birchermuesli. It is a fine re-branding story, but an even tastier dish. And, no matter what you call it – how to make overnight oats is a good thing to know. It is a heart healthy breakfast that is easy to personalise to your own tastes.
How To Make Overnight Oats – The Overnight Part
As the name suggests, knowing how to make overnight oats includes something that happens overnight. If this internet sensation has somehow passed you by, let me fill you in. The oats get soaked…(yep, you got it,) overnight. BOOM! This softens them up and makes them nice and creamy. Regular old rolled oats will do the trick and the choice of soaking ingredients is large. I mostly use milk, but any vegetarian alternative to milk is sure to work. If those don’t suit, juice will also do the trick. Apple juice will soak an oat just like any of the above. You just mix the liquid and oats then cover and refrigerate.
How To Make Overnight Oats – The Many Additions
I like to build on the creaminess that the soaking liquid brings. My first addition is nonfat Greek yogurt. You can use flavored or plain. You could even make your own yogurt. I like to use plain and build the flavor with different fruit. This is just one way to do it, though. With the myriad of flavored Greek yogurts out there, there is no limit to the flavor variety that can be achieved. Use the yogurt you love and go from there. Within the how to make overnight oats theme, it is inherent that the overnight oats you make would be ones you like!
How To Make Overnight Oats – More Additions
As suggested, the flavor building is endless. I like to start with a shredded, green apple, add some sugar or honey, then add another bolder fruit – like blueberries, blackberries or raspberries. Since the green apple is not that flavorful, nuts and honey could be the direction. You could also choose brown sugar and maple syrup. I just happen to like my overnight oats fruity. You could be naughty and indulgent by adding dulche de leche and mini chocolate chips. Of course, don’t forget the spices – pumpkin spice? Sure. Ginger? Why not? It goes on and on.
The ‘How To Make Overnight Oats” video is below. It will walk you through the basics of making this great dish. The full recipe follows. Remember – have fun with it and shake it up!
- 1/2 pound of rolled oats
- 2 cups of milk
- One medium green apple
- 12 oz of nonfat plain Greek yogurt or your favorite
- 3 tbsp of sugar, honey or maple syrup
- 1 tsp of vanilla
- 1/2 lb of fresh blackberries
- In a large bowl, mix the oats and milk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
- After the oats have soaked overnight, grate the green apple on a box grater.
- Add the grated apple, sugar, yogurt and vanilla to the soaked oats.
- Stir in the fresh blackberries.
- Serve with extra fruit.
- Overnight oats will store well in a sealed container for a few days in the refrigerator.
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How do you make overnight oats? Let us know in the comments or on Facebook.
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