There are so many premade packaged foods that promise health, convenience, speed, etc. on the grocery store shelves. Most of which promise big, but when you turn over the package are more like a sugary cereal or a candy bar in a bowl. Even the ones that seem good can contain nut oils, GMO corn or soy and preservatives and stabilizers. While the health dangers of the3se are debated, what is not debated is that the closer a food is to its natural state the healthier it is. Overnight Oats, that you make yourself are economical, healthy and convenient.
(Jump To The Recipe)
COVENIENCE
It takes about ½ hour to assemble a large Mason jar of overnight oats. With an airtight seal it can remain fresh for at minimum a month. It can be kept in the large jar or separated into premeasured servings. I personally keep it in a large jar and then portion out a serving in a glass bowl with a lid what I think I’ll need for whoever is eating breakfast in the morning. The night before I add milk, Greek yogurt, and maple syrup or honey to the bowl and mix. In the morning we mix again and enjoy. You can add toppings at this point in the morning, but where I’m concerned, I assemble the mix with additions that can store a long time, but get soft and chewy overnight so that they are ready to go adding to the convenience of the breakfast routine.
HEALTH BENEFITS
There are a several reasons oats are seen as healthy. Oats are high in fiber. Fiber does several things for the body. Fiber is slow to digest, a complex carbohydrate, and therefor gives us energy over a longer period that a simple carbohydrate does. Do to this prolonged digestion period oats and other complex and high fiber foods will help you feel full longer and able to maintain your energy level with overeating. Oats contain beta glucan, which has been shown to help lower LDL cholesterol, “the bad kind.” Fiber also helps to maintain our blood sugar levels and lower cholesterol levels. Uncooked oats have a high level of resistant starch. Resistant Starch passes through the small intestines and then ferments in the large intestines. I know this doesn’t sound good, but this fermenting starch is what feeds our beneficial gut bacteria. We can add as many probiotic foods and drinks into our system as we want but without something to feed on that is healthy the gut bacteria, especially the beneficial ones can’t create an environment that leads to better gut health and digestive ease. There are lots of studies that point to gut health as an overall indicator of overall health. I encourage you to do some research. It just might change your life.
I am not a doctor, so discuss this with your physician if you are trying to solve a medical problem. Or click this link to read a blog post from The Foodie Physician. (https://thefoodiephysician.com/the-health-benefits-of-overnight-oats/#)
ECONOMICAL
Oats are inexpensive. Chia seeds are not much more expensive. The bulk of my recipes contain oats, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and flax seeds. All these ingredients are easy to buy in bulk and store well. The most expensive parts of the recipes are in the flavor and texture additions and the dairy. I am hoping you have the dairy on hand and some form of natural sweetener such as high-quality dark maple syrup, local raw honey, or coconut sugar. The most economical recipes use what is on hand. If you don’t have these basics on hand, start with what you do have on hand. I don’t recommend white sugar, but if that’s what you’ve got don’t go spend your money on something else until it’s time to replenish your pantry. As for the other ingredient it is really all up to you. Fresh fruit, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, vanilla, etc. whatever you please. The recipe I give will be more of a template. It is our favorite, but any extra item can be replaced for something you have on hand or something that you prefer. Compare this to having to pay for packaging, marketing, buying space on a grocery store, and also paying for ingredients you don’t want and only the ones you do makes this a great way to save money in a busy family or for a person food prepping once a week.
CONCLUSION
Overnight oats are delicious, easy to prepare, healthy and economical. They promote a healthy gut and cardiovascular system. Meal prepping a large -ish quantity will save you time and money, as well as lower your contribution to the landfill and overwhelming plastic waste problem. You owe it to yourself to try it out, it’s inexpensive enough to get started and someone you know will take it off your hands if it’s not for you, I guarantee it.
RECIPE
Makes 7 cups
Serving size ½ – ¾ cups
For Pre-made Mix
3 cups rolled oats
¾ cup chia seeds
¼ cup flax seed
¼ cup hemp seeds
¾ cups dried goji berries
¾ cups sliced almonds
6-8 dates sliced
¾ cups raw pecans
Mix in a large bowl and store in an airtight container, or in individual Mason jars for food prep ease.
To Assemble
The night before add ½ – ¾ cups of mix to a container. Add 2 tbs Greek yogurt and your milk of choice to cover oats and yogurt. Add sweetener of choice, I prefer 3 tbs dark maple syrup for this particular mix.
In the morning stir again and enjoy.
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If you would rather purchase the assembled mix, email me. We’ll see what we can do.
