Overnight Oats

Yum! 

I may be a little late to the overnight oats (in a jar) party but I'm so happy that I discovered this super easy and nutritious breakfast or any time snack.

It's funny, for the last six months or so, I've been saving glass jars. Any and all jars - fruit spread, salad dressing, pasta sauce, applesauce and spice jars. I decided to start saving them for storing food in, using in future craft projects, to make my own vanilla extract and for drinking out of or serving cute desserts in. So when I rediscovered this recipe I saved a while back, I was equipped!

Honestly, I wasn't sure if I was going to dig it. Maybe that's why it took me so long to get back to it. Well, I did like it and find myself thinking about all the different combinations I can try. My husband loved it, too. He's already suggested a peach combo once they're in season. Sounds awesome to me! My first time making overnight oats, I used banana and blueberries. The second time (pictured above), I used bananas and mixed berries. Both were great. The mixed berries I used are the organic frozen mixed berries from Trader Joe's. Makes using berries more affordable.

One of my goals this year is to use new ingredients. This recipe provided the perfect opportunity - chia seeds. I've had chia seeds in a drink I bought and I liked it but hadn't added them to anything myself. They're sorta plain, maybe a little nutty in flavor. They can also be expensive. The best price I've seen is at Trader Joe's. $4.99 for a 5.3 ounce bag. I feel like I'm always saying Trader Joe's but it seems they almost always offer the best price. I still can't find coconut oil cheaper anywhere even when ordering bulk. Chia seeds provide fiber (5 grams per tablespoon) and omega-3 fat. Flaxseed or hempseed would also work well in overnight oats and provide healthy benefits as well. Now that I think about it, I'm gonna add hempseed to my list of new things to try since I haven't tried it yet.

Now for the recipe. Give it a try. The combinations are endless.

Overnight Oats
Makes one serving
Adapted from here

Ingredients:
1/4 cup quick oats
1/2 cup almond milk or any milk of choice
1/4 medium banana, sliced
1 tbsp chia seeds
1/2 cup blueberries or other fruit
1 tsp maple sugar or brown sugar
pinch cinnamon
1 tbsp chopped pecans, granola, etc. (for topping)

Directions:
Put all the ingredient in a jar, cover and shake then refrigerate overnight. Add pecans or other crunchy topping right before eating. Yum!