healthy breakfast

Breakfast is definitely my favorite meal of the day. Not only does it get my day started off on the right foot, it is also the only meal where it is socially acceptable to eat sweets. (Think about it, muffins are just breakfast cupcakes and pancakes are literally pan cakes!) While I will happily take full advantage of the pancake/waffle section of any brunch menu on the weekends, during the week I do try to be a bit healthier in my breakfast choices while still satisfying my 24/7 sweet tooth.

Which is why I love this new(ish) overnight oat trend! It takes a good ol’ breakfast standby (oatmeal) and turns it into something that could almost be dessert. Or in the case of these apple pie overnight oats, it takes a favorite dessert and turns it into a respectable breakfast.

I should say, a very respectable breakfast. To make these apple pie overnight oats, I didn’t use a single gram of sugar. I did use honey and maple syrup to sweeten it up a tad, but if you are watching your glucose intake, you could cut them out completely.

First, I mixed together the applesauce and the apple pie spice in the bottom of a jar. Then I poured in the milk. In this case, I used unsweetened almond milk, but you can use whichever milk product you prefer. Lastly, I poured in the oats and mixed them in with everything else so that everything was evenly distributed.

I popped the jars into the fridge so that they would be ready for me in the morning!

The oats are delicious on their own. But to really conjure up that apple pie flavor I made an apple topping that is basically just apple pie filling, minus most of the butter and all of the sugar.

The apples on top also added just a bit more sweetness to the oats which really made me feel like I was eating dessert for breakfast. Except unlike the muffins, pancakes, or waffles I have most weekends, this breakfast is actually pretty dang healthy.

One other benefit of overnight oats that I forgot to mention is that you can make a bunch up ahead of time; then, in the morning you can grab your oats and go! I have found that the oats stay good in the fridge for three or four days. So I make up a couple jars on Sunday night, and I have breakfast planned for the rest of the week!

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Lately I have turned to making my own overnight oats as a quick, yet healthy breakfast option that I can just throw in my lunch bag on my way to the train in the morning. My first few attempts were pretty bland and, frankly, not all that good. In search of something a bit more palatable, I turned to my all-time favorite flavor combination: peanut butter and chocolate.

When I make these peanut butter chocolate overnight oats, I actually make a big batch and portion it out into 4 jars so I have breakfast for most of the week. I start with the peanut butter oatmeal. I mix together old fashioned rolled oats (not quick/instant oats), milk (I use whatever nutmilk I have on hand), honey, and peanut butter powder.

Next is the chocolate chia seed pudding. For this, I mix together chia seeds, milk, coco powder, and stevia or honey. Both the oats and the chia seed pudding need to sit overnight so that all the moisture is absorbed. What I am left with is thick and creamy peanut butter oat meal and rich and chocolatey chia seed pudding. Then I spoon about a quarter of each into a small jar and keep them in the fridge until they are ready to be eaten.

I don’t know about you, but I am in a frenzy running out the door to work in the morning. Which is why I love these peanut butter chocolate overnight oats. They keep in the fridge all week. They are a mix of complex carbs and healthy fats that keep me full until lunch. And not to mention, they are delicious!

And for those weeks when I am trying to be extra healthy, I add protein powder to the oats which really makes them a complete breakfast. I will definitely be experimenting with more flavors of overnight oats. They have quickly become my favorite week day breakfast.

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Apple Pie Overnight Oats

Peanut Butter Chocolate Overnight Oats