No time for breakfast? I have a delicious solution for you.

Overnight oats have become quite popular, and for good reason! Especially with the warmer weather creeping upon us, there is just something so comforting and satisfying about cold, creamy oats first thing in the morning.

These oats have to be among the quickest and most nutritious breakfast options out there. The night before, simply combine the ingredients in a Tupperware container or mason jar and let the oats soak up the liquid, yogurt and spices overnight. In the morning, a fiber- and protein-rich breakfast is awaiting you. Trust me, jump on the overnight oats bandwagon and you will zero desire to get off.

One of my favorite things about overnight oats is how creative you can get with your add-ins. I love adding mashed banana, frozen berries, vanilla extract, spices and different flavors of protein powder.

Among my favorite toppings: sliced banana, almond butter, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, chia seeds, nuts and granola. If you’ve been following my blog for any amount of time, you know there is not such thing as “too many toppings” in my book. The more the merrier!

Another grandiose thing about this recipe is you can actually turn the oats into pancakes if you wake up and you’re not in an ‘oats mood’. Simply spoon the oats onto a heated skillet into 3-4 rounded pancakes and let them cook for 3-4 minutes per side. The pancakes come out so light and fluffy and require zero additional ingredients. Toppings, of course, can remain endless 🙂

I sweeten my oats with mashed banana and little flavored protein powder which adds the perfect dose of sweetness. If you prefer your oats on the super-sweet side, I would add a touch of honey, agave or a granulated sweetener of your choice.

Give these oats a shot for a simple solution to your busy weekday mornings. Your taste buds will thank you!

Overnight Oats – My Staple Recipe

Makes two servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup old fashioned oats; Use Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free rolled oats for gluten-free
• 1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk, or milk of choice
• 1/2 banana, mashed
• 2 tbsp. 0% fat Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp. protein powder of choice — I use Select Protein in Snickerdoodle
• 1 tsp chia seeds
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Additional optional add-ins: 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, 1/3 cup frozen or fresh berries, nuts, shredded coconut, PB2

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients in a mason jar or Tupperware container.
2. Let sit overnight or at least 4-5 hours to allow oats to soak up liquid.
3. Top with toppings of choice and dig in!

Nutrition Facts per serving (1/2 of entire recipe, not including toppings):

Calories: 238; Total Fat: 5 gm; Saturated Fat: .5 gm; Cholesterol: 2 gm; Sodium: 139 mg; Carbohydrates: 38 gm; Fiber: 6 gm; Sugar: 5.5 gm; Protein: 12 gm