Overnight oatmeal

One of the "fads" that LOTS of people repin on Pinterest is Overnight Oatmeal. This is not a new thing; europeans have been eating this type of breakfast for quite some time. There are plenty of places to find recipes for this american version of the breakfast so I won't bore you with that here. I will, however, give my review! I was interested in this type of oatmeal since it is soooo hot here, but I love to have oatmeal. It is nice and filling and easy to make.

I tried making two "flavors" of this overnight breakfast cereal this week. The basic ingredients are rolled oats, milk, yogurt (regular or greek), and chia seeds. Chia...you know, Chia Pets? That kind of chia. Apparently these seeds are native to Mexico and Guatemala and are in the Mint family. They have long been a staple grain in Central American foods. They are high in omega-3 fatty acids and contain complete proteins. So, you know, typical health food.

You combine these ingredients with sweetener, spice, and fruit in a jar and let it sit overnight. I have noticed several recipes that include storing things in jars in the refrigerator including salads in a jar and overnight oats. It makes sense - the lid makes a nice seal and the glass is reusable. Also, with overnight oats, you put it in the jar, put the lid on, and shake. All mixed up!

I tried the Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal and a variation of Peach Melba. I used regular plain nonfat yogurt because it is what I had in the refrigerator and I need to use what I have. I have also seen recipes that REQUIRE the use of greek yogurt, but I used regular yogurt with no problem. The Apple Cinnamon oatmeal was good, but sour. I, like many of you too I am sure, am so used to the oversweetened flavored yogurt that plain yogurt seems so sour. I did add honey per the recipe, but I definitely need to add a little bit more. As far as I know, the chia seeds didn't make the flavor weird or anything...not sure if I even tasted them!

The Peach Melba flavor (I used strawberry preserves instead of raspberry preserves) was pretty good! Our nectarines were way cheap last week ($1 a pound at Sprouts - I got a bunch and froze some slices for later) so I used those instead of peaches. I added a little more honey to my bowl when I ate the oatmeal. That time it wasn't so sour. ;-)

So my verdict is: YES! Good recipe. Will be moving that recipe from my "Recipes to Try" board to my "Recipes I Love" board.   

Let us know here if you have tried it. Which flavors are your favorite?
--Katie

Update: forgot to tell you costs! You can get bulk bin rolled oats for 99 cents a pound at Sprouts (has to be rolled oats and not quick oats). Get jars at Walmart and use any extra for gifts at Christmas (about $7-9 for 12 jars). Chia was expensive: $5.99 per pound. But you don't need very much. Hope that helps!