Overnight Oats Mango Parfait

A good breakfast or pre-workout snack always makes me feel better in the morning. Typically I eat my oats the traditional way, cooked over the stovetop with milk, water, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Overnight oats, however, are an even quicker way to have oats ready to eat when pressed for time or hurry. There is no need to warm the oats up either, but you can if you want to! The point of leaving them overnight is for them to absorb the milk and flavour. You will get a nice, smooth consistency similar to porridge.

I used old-fashioned rolled oats as that what I had in the pantry, but you'll want these over instant oats if possible, so the overnight oats maintain their integrity and don't end up soggy from the milk.

I took this a step further by transferring the oats to another container and building a parfait (which is a popular way to eat them) with more fruit and the same yoghurt mixed in before, but you can eat them as they are too!

Ingredients

2/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup fresh mango, chopped + extra for topping

2/3 cup almond milk (or milk of your choosing)

1 cup mango peach almond yogurt (I used two containers from Silk)

2 teaspoons maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Pinch of nutmeg

1 teaspoon chia seeds

Instructions

Directly in a mason jar, add all the ingredients (but use only 1/2 the yoghurt) and mix until evenly distributed. Place the jar on the fridge overnight. (This serving is for a single person - or two! - So double the recipe accordingly and use multiple jars).

The next morning, get a second jar for each serving when you are ready to build your parfait. Layer the fresh mango, the remaining yoghurt, scooping the oats from the first jar to the second. Finally, top with whipped cream and diced mango. Enjoy!

Berbere-Spiced Cherry Chocolate Oats

This sweet and spicy combo is brought to you by the wonderous breakfast vehicle the oatmeal bowl! I love them because they are versatile, rich in fiber, and you can have fun with the toppings as well as with infusions.

Africa is a vast continent with many cultures within it that take a lot of time and care to make their dishes, partly because cooking is a social event. However, that doesn't mean all the dishes are difficult and time-consuming. You can also borrow elements and apply them to all kinds of food.

On that note, I add berbere to the oatmeal, a seasoning I've made before. It's a spice blend that is a mainstay in Ethiopian cuisine. It's a complex, rich, seasoning that is typically used in savory dishes to add depth of flavour but can be applied to desserts as well. I decided to add it to an already known pair that works - cherry and chocolate!

The cocoa powder and spicy berbere blend together seamlessly, and with the added cherries and brown sugar. Try it out!

Ingredients

1/3 cup cherries, pitted and chopped

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons berbere spice (adjust according to preference)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup oats

1 1/2 cups plant-based milk

1/2 cup water

Instructions

Add the dry oats and milk to a pot and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, and mix in the sugar, salt, and chopped cherries. 

As the oatmeal cooks, prepare the berbere spice blend.

Add the berbere to the pot with additional water. Simmer for until the oats are fully cooked, season to taste. Total cook time is around 10 minutes. 

Serve with cherries, whipped cream, and syrup! Enough for two.

Blueberry Chocolate Oatmeal Bowl

Blueberries are a superfood offering a wide range of benefits including antioxidants. Oats are also rich in nutrients, containing an ideal amount of soluble fiber (which make you feel fuller for longer). Why not combine the two for a morning boost? The great thing about oatmeal bowls is that you can top them with whatever you like!

Recipe: On a stovetop, for about 5-7 minutes on medium heat, cook your rolled oats with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 cup blueberries, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1/3 cup milk, and 1/3 cup water. Once oats are cooked, add about 1/3 cup or so of milk. Top with another 1/4 cup blueberries and other dried fruits, peanut butter, chocolate chips, and/or honey.

Papaya Oatmeal Bowl

Looking to infuse your overnight oats? Leave them mixed in fruit like papaya mixed with coconut milk, honey, and chia seeds.

Peanut Butter, Blueberry and Banana Oatmeal

A number of people seem to have a problem oats/porridge with it but it's delicious!

You just have to prepare it right. Think of it like any other bowl you can decorate like a painting 🎨 it's rich in fiber and can keep you full for hours especially if you use high protein toppings.

They are considered the healthiest grain by many nutritionists, also high in vitamins and protein.

Chocolate Banana Oatmeal

🍌 🍫 Banana and Chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combinations ever! What's yours? Why not pimp up your oatmeal?

Recipe: Cook 1/3 cup oats on the stove with 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, a drizzle of honey in equal parts water and milk for about 2 minutes. Top with fresh bananas and peanut butter.