Overnight Oatmeal

I first learned about Overnight Oatmeal (aka Overnight Oats) from Kath’s blog.

There are many ways you can make overnight oats to your specified eating pleasure.  It is fun to play around with different fruits, toppings, yogurts, etc.  The possibilities are endless!

Overnight oats is basally equal parts raw oatmeal, yogurt, and milk.  Here is what Kath says,

” Overnight oats are just oats soaked overnight that absorb the liquid you put them in – any kind of liquid you like! The most common mixture is equal parts raw rolled oats, milk and yogurt (I like 1/3 or 1/2 cup of each). You can use any kind of yogurt or milk. Put in the fridge overnight (uncoverd or covered, your choice) and let ‘em soak up the liquids. That’s the base, and toppings are endless. Add the toppings the night before or the next morning – either way works. Just don’t put anything in you don’t mind getting soggy (i.e. crunchy cereals) There is NO COOKING involved at all! (Although you could heat them just a tiny bit in the microwave to take the chill out)”

Kath uses 1/3 cup oats, 1/3 cup milk, and 1/3 cup yogurt.  Adding more yogurt makes a thicker consistency and adding more milk makes a thinner consistency.  Also, the more oats, yogurt, and milk you add, the higher the PPVs.  So that could determine if you add more or less.  She also adds banana and chia seeds.

Raw oats are an acquired taste.  If you don’t’ like overnight oats the first time you try this, you might need play around a bit to see if a flavored yogurt or adding frozen berries to thaw and juice up might make it taste better.  I also like the addition of cinnamon and honey.

I like my overnight oats best if I have a peanut butter jar that is mostly used up.  I put the oat mixture into the used peanut butter jar so I can scrape up the residual as I eat it.  If I don’t have a peanut butter jar available I will mix it up into a bowl or Tupperware and then add some peanut butter in the morning.  Delicious!

Here is what I used in my overnight oats.

I made a personal decision to cut out milk from my diet so now I just use water to thin my oats out a bit.  I added 30 grams oatmeal, 6 ounces of non-fat plain Greek yogurt, several shakes of cinnamon, drizzle of honey, and one Stevia packet.  I mixed it up inside a mostly used peanut butter jar and added a little water to thin it out. 

At this point, if I was using frozen berries, I would add them in now so they can thaw as my oats sit overnight in the fridge.  I am using fresh strawberries so I add them when I am ready to eat.

My overnight oats is 8 PPVs. 

3 PPVs for the oats, 2 PPVs for the yogurt, and I count 3 PPVs for the peanut butter jar.  It can be tricky on counting PPVs for the left over peanut butter jar.  I try to be fair and just leave about 1 tablespoon worth.  However, I will count 5 PPVs if I feel there is more like 2 tablespoons in there.  If I am making my oats in a bowl and not in a peanut butter jar then I will just add my own peanut butter after and count the points.

8 PPVs can seem like a lot.  I will sometimes only put in 20 grams of oats and 4 ounces of yogurt.  I actually like mine a little thicker and needed to use up the last of my yogurt container so I added the full 6 ounces this time.  I have also cooked an apple on the stove with cinnamon and then added that to my oats when I am ready to eat.  I have also just cut up a fresh apple.  It is really good with fresh fruit and thawed frozen berries.  You can top with granola, nuts, or other toppings.  You can also add chia or flax seed as Kath does.  Chia seed will help thicken it up too so you might need more milk or water.

I hope you will consider trying overnight oats.  Get creative and comment on your thoughts!