There is no better way to start your day than on a healthy note. For this reason, many people soak oats overnight in preparation of a healthy breakfast the next day. The humble bowl of oats is gaining a lot of prominence these days, with celebrities and influencers chomping on them each morning. Now, what makes a bowl of overnight oats better? The fact that they just need to be flavoured each morning and are ready to eat is one.
Apart from the ease of having them early in the morning, they also come with immense health benefits. The rolled oats used for soaking overnight are believed to be raw and less processed. This allows retention of more fibre and protein along with the slow-cooking process that further enhances the nutritional value of these oats. Here are a few ways in which you can flavour them each morning.
1. Peanut Butter And Jelly Overnight Oats
The overnight soaked oats are generally soaked in water with some salt. However, sometimes, milk and yoghurt is also used for soaking them. The oats soften through this process and you can flavour them with your favourite peanut butter and jelly. The crunch of peanut butter with the light sweetness of jelly works well in an oats jar that is packed with mashed bananas and chia seeds too. Add a few drops of vanilla extract and you are good to go.
2. Pumpkin Spice Overnight Oats
The sweet and spicy pumpkin spice is commonly used in a variety of desserts and drinks. Why not add them to your overnight oats then? The rolled oats are filled up in a jar that is loaded with mashed bananas for sweetness. Canned pumpkin is added to it, along with pumpkin pie spice. This lends the oats a beautiful orange colour and a tangy flavour. Sprinkle salt and vanilla extract and it’s ready.
3. Carrot Cake Overnight Oats
Doesn’t this sound like the most amazing breakfast? Well, you’ve got cake and that too, with nutrition. There are carrots, of course, along with some chopped pineapples and shredded coconut. The oats are mixed with some pecans and sweetened with maple syrup. To this, nutmeg and cinnamon are added for a tinge of spiciness and the oats are served chilled.
4. Mocha Overnight Oats
Want to eat healthy but can’t skip your morning coffee? Well, how about adding caffeine to your breakfast oats. The overnight soaked oats come packed with the tantalising aroma of mocha. Flavoured with coffee and cocoa powder, the oats are sweetened with maple syrup. Crunchiness is added with chia seeds and toasted walnuts. The thick oats mixed with reduced fat milk is an energising and healthy breakfast.
5. Fruit And Nut Overnight Oats
The rolled oats are made thick, sticky and chewy with water and maple syrup. These oats are then transferred to a bowl and topped with chopped apples and walnuts. Dried cranberries are also added to the bowl and you’ll find hints of cinnamon in the first bite itself. This is a rich and hearty bowl made with seasonal fruits and the goodness of nuts to add nutrition to the first meal of the day.