Overnight oats are a life saver.

As I mentioned in my recipe for Cranberry Apple Bread, I’m not the best at time management. That being said, I find myself rushing to get out of the house in the morning, usually just making it on time to wherever I’m headed. Meaning, I almost never have time to actually make breakfast.

Luckily, just as the case with my Cranberry Apple Bread, that’s where overnight oats come in.

I absolutely adore overnight oats. I admit, when I first heard of eating oats cold I was a little grossed out. Having enjoyed a nice, steaming bowl of fluffy oats for breakfast most of my life, the idea of consuming these cold definitely turned me off. Then, one day I knew I’d be short on time the next morning and just happened to discover a recipe for overnight oats on Pinterest, so I decided to give it a go.

Let me just tell you, it completely changed the way I looked at oats.

The beauty of overnight oats is that you can prepare them the day before, saving you time (and stress) in the morning, and since they’re mixed with a plethora of healthy, liquid ingredients (ie. mushed banana, almond milk, etc.), they expand overnight to become just as fluffy as hot, stovetop oatmeal.

Overnight oats are definitely a staple at my house, so I’m naturally always looking for new recipes to jazz them up. Recently, we purchased a bunch of fresh berries at the grocery store so I figured they’d be perfect for this recipe. Prepared in a mason jar, these oats are downright gorgeous and definitely visually appealing. Plus, the combination of the sweet, fresh berries and creamy oats creates a flavor reminiscent of summer desserts enjoyed while lounging by the pool.

And I think we all could go for a bit of that right about now. At least, I know I could! 😉

Sweet Berries and Cream Overnight Oats

• 1/3 c old fashioned oats
• 1/3 banana
• 2 tbs milk of choice (I used almond milk)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp stevia (or to taste)
• 1/4 c blackberries
• 1/4 c sliced strawberries
• 1/4 c blueberries
• 1 tbs plain greek yogurt (or yogurt of choice)
• 1/4 tsp chia seeds

Mash 1/3 a banana into a small bowl. Stir in oats and continue to mash until smooth. Add milk, vanilla, and stevia to taste and mix until combined. Spoon 1/2 of the mixture into the bottom of a mason jar or bowl. Top with blackberries. Spoon 1/4 of the mixture (roughly 2 tbs) over blackberries, leveling with the back of the spoon. Top with sliced strawberries. Spoon remaining mixture over strawberries, leveling with the back of the spoon. Top with blueberries and a scoop of greek yogurt. Sprinkle with chia seeds. Let sit in the refrigerator overnight, or for at least 8 hours. In the morning, top with honey, stevia, almond slivers, granola, or other toppings of choice. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information (from myfitnesspal.com)

Calories: 204

Fat: 2g

Carbs: 38g

Protein: 5g

(Yields 1 serving)