Make a batch of these Overnight Oats and wake up to the perfect healthy make-ahead breakfast. All you need is a few minutes prep and a handful of ingredients – once you master the basic overnight oats recipe, the variations are endless.
Looking for more Slimming World Breakfast ideas? Try my Crustless Quiche, Baked Oats, Healthy Oat Waffles and Slimming World Pancakes.
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They say a habit is something you do without even thinking about it – like brushing your teeth every day. Having a filling healthy breakfast should also be a habit but it’s something I frequently go without – and generally regret later in the day.
Whenever I skip breakfast, my stomach starts demanding lunch well before noon. And if no lunch is available I might reach for whatever is handy, usually ruining all my good intentions in one fell swoop.
In order to break the (bad) habit of skipping breakfast I have been turning to overnight oats and they had been a bit of a morning saviour.
Not only are they generally SW Free / only 5 WW SmartPoints, filling and tasty, they only need under 5 minutes prep time the night before. I always sport a little halo and a smug little smile while I tuck into my overnight oats jar – I love this one from Kilner.
What ARE overnight oats?
The clue is in the name… a very easy recipe in which oats are mixed with milk or yogurt (or both) and then chilled overnight. The moisture in the milk / yogurt softens the oats to a porridge /oatmeal consistency without any cooking.
There isn’t ONE definitive recipe for overnight oats, it really comes down to preference. The good news is that you can easily make vegan overnight oats simply by swapping dairy to plant milk (and yogurt).
I like using both yogurt and milk in my overnight oats to achieve the perfect creamy consistency. It is not the best looking breakfast but you can bet it is super tasty!
Here’s what you will need
This healthy recipe is a slimmer’s breakfast secret weapon. All you have to do is keep an eye on any healthy extras, especially if you are adding any honey, fruit, nuts or seeds.
Your basic overnight oats recipe is made up of
- Skimmed milk – For vegan overnight oats use almond /soya plant milk.
- Fat free natural /Skyr/ Greek yogurt / Dairy Free Coconut Yogurt
- Rolled oats You might be tempted to use instant oats or steel cut oats… these are not the best choices though. Stick to rolled oats – gluten free oats if you have a gluten intolerance.
Optional overnight oats extras
Once you master the basic recipe you can freestyle to create endless variations. But keep an eye on your optional toppings because those hidden calories can add up!
- A little sweetener if you like ‘em sweet. I like Sukrin Gold which a tablespoon of which is calorie-free. Sukrin also do a range of ‘calorie reduced’ syrups which also contain added fibre. They taste quite good and are slightly lower in calories than maple syrup or honey.
- Fruit – as long as you use fresh or frozen whole fruit this is a low calorie and fibre rich food so lets tick this column! I prefer using frozen fruit as it is both cheaper and doesn’t totally dissolve overnight. Extra fruit as a topping is a must too.
- Chia Seeds – I love adding chia seeds to my overnight oats! Chia seeds are rich in fibre and they will swell up making your overnight oats more pudding-like.
- Milled flaxseed/linseed – optional but good for adding fibre
- Mixed nuts
- Seeds – such pumpkin or sunflower seeds
- Vanilla extract or paste – optional but yummy!
- Ground spices – cinnamon, nutmeg, turmeric or spice drops
How to make overnight oats
The best way to keep on top of your hidden calories is to create separate jars for each serving. That way you can also pop one into your bag to bring to work – it’s overnight oats FTW! I usually make a batch that’s enough for two servings and then serve half.
STEP 1. Combine your choice of milk, fat free yogurt and rolled oats in a large clean jar. Stir together.
STEP 2. Add your optional extras – frozen berries, chia seeds, sweetener, vanilla paste etc and stir again.
STEP 3. Cover the jar and refrigerate overnight.
STEP 4. When ready to serve, stir the oats again and add a little more yogurt or milk until they are your desired consistency.
STEP 5. Serve a portion into a bowl and top with fresh fruit plus any extras like nuts, seeds, maple syrup etc.
How long do overnight oats keep?
Since overnight oats last for up to five days in the fridge it’s worth making a big batch so you have breakfast sorted for a few days. The oats will continue to soften over the week – I prefer to prepare a batch to last me a couple of days at a time.
A word of warning… Don’t add any fruit into your overnight oats if you are making a big batch to keep you going through the week – they will soften too much. Save the fruit to add as a topping.
Are overnight oats served cold?
Overnight oatmeal is usually served cold, straight out of the fridge. If you are craving something warm you can heat them up, briedly, in the microwave provided they don’t contain any fruit.
Overnight Oats Variations
- Strawberry Overnight Oats: use a fat free strawberry yogurt, your choice of milk and rolled oats. Add a handful of fresh or frozen strawberries and a tablespoon of chia seeds or flaxseed. Serve with extra strawberries.
- Chocolate Overnight Oats: stir in 1 tbsp tablespoon cocoa powder or 1 tablespoon Sweet Sensations Choc Shot. Add frozen cherries to turn to Black Forest oats.
- Apple and Cinnamon: stir in some ground cinnamon and a little unsweetened apple purée (apple sauce). Serve with extra apple on top.
- Matcha Overnight Oats: stir in 1-2 teaspoons matcha powder and 1 tbsp sweetener. Best served with strawberries.
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Overnight Oats
Ingredients
- 80 g | scant 1 cup rolled oats HEB
- 120 ml | ½ cup skimmed milk /dairy free milk HEA
- 120 g | ½ cup fat free yogurt / dairy free yogurt FREE
- 1 tbsp chia seeds (optional) HEB
- 1 tbsp sweetener (optional) FREE
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- handful frozen berries (optional) FREE
Instructions
- Combine your choice of milk, fat free yogurt and rolled oats in a large clean jar. Stir together.
- Add your optional extras – frozen berries, chia seeds, sweetener, vanilla paste etc and stir again.
- Cover the jar and refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to serve, stir the oats again and a little more yoghurt or milk until they are your desired consistency.
- Serve a portion into a bowl and top with fresh fruit plus any extras like nuts, seeds, maple syrup etc.
Video
Notes
- A little sweetener if you like ‘em sweet. I
- Fruit – as long as you use fresh or frozen whole fruit this is FREE. I prefer using frozen fruit as it is both cheaper and doesn’t totally dissolve overnight. Extra fruit as a topping is a must too.
- Chia Seeds – I love adding chia seeds to my overnight oats! Rich in fibre and they will swell up making your overnight oats more pudding-like.
- Milled flaxseed/linseed
- Mixed nuts
- Seeds – 2 tbsp pumpkin or sunflower seeds
- Vanilla extract or paste – optional but yummy!
- Ground cinnamon, matcha powder, any other ground spices – free
- Strawberry Overnight Oats: use a fat free strawberry yogurt, your choice of milk and rolled oats. Add a handful of fresh or frozen strawberries and a tablespoon of chia seeds or flaxseed. Serve with extra strawberries.
- Chocolate Overnight Oats: stir in 1 tbsp tablespoon cocoa powder or 1 tablespoon Sweet Sensations Choc Shot. Add frozen cherries to turn to Black Forest oats.
- Apple and Cinnamon: stir in some ground cinnamon and a little unsweetened apple purée (apple sauce). Serve with extra apple on top.
- Matcha Overnight Oats: stir in 1-2 teaspoons matcha powder and 1 tbsp sweetener. Best served with strawberries.
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