How to Make Overnight Oats + Healthy Inspo

I’ve been on a health kick as of late for both practical (read: work-related) and personal reasons. If you’ve been a follower of any social media accounts for a while now, you know that I’ve always been on-and-off with it, and that when I’m on, I’m on. Blame it on the stars (I’m an Aries by birth). My mantra, for better or worse, is all or nothing, and now, I’m trying to make health and fitness everything.

In the ideal world I’d work out for at least an hour a day and eat clean every 2.5 hours, but truth is, life gets in the way of my grand plans—hence the sporadic bouts of fitness obsession. What I’ve finally understood though, is that health isn’t just behavioral changes: it’s a mindset first, a lifestyle second. It’s all about rearranging perspective. Case in point? I can’t say I like working out (yet); I never really did, and that’s why I haven’t been able to stick with exercise consistently. What I do love, however, is movement. I adore the human body for all that it is, and admire it for all that it can do. Body language is beautiful, movement is both an art form and a necessity.

That is why I work out. That’s why I should be working out, and that’s why I need to be working out. (Plus, if I blog about it, I have the Internet to hold me accountable, right? Let this be Day 1, officially.)

“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”

But you know what they say: abs are made in the kitchen. And with breakfast being my favorite meal of the day, I’m not kidding when I say I get unnecessarily excited about planning my pre-rehearsal meal. As of late I’ve been enjoying overnight oats, a new discovery that has made early fall mornings that much cozier. It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s clean, it’s delicious.

(Plus, points for productivity because it makes use of my insomnia!)

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Overnight Oats

(makes 2-3 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Quaker Old-Fashioned Oats
• 1 – 1 ¹⁄₄ cups Silk PureAlmond Milk (I prefer the original flavor; soy milk works too)
• 1 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
• 1 dash of cinnamon
• ½ – 1 tbsp honey (raw + local = better!)
• Optional: chia seeds, flaxseed, nut butters, fresh berries (I’m partial to some combination of blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries), pumpkin seeds, chopped nuts, etc.

Directions:

1. Combine the oats, almond/soy milk, Greek yogurt, cinnamon and honey in a bowl. (If you have chia seeds, add them in now as well.) Stir well and leave overnight—hence the name—in the refridgerator.
2. You’ll notice that the mixture becomes quite thick and creamy. I like that texture so I just stick with one cup of whatever milk I’m using, but if you prefer something less dense and more liquid-y, feel free to add as much more milk (¹⁄₄ a cup is pretty ideal) to your oats now.
3. Top with sliced banana, a tablespoon of your favorite nut butter, and/or fresh berries of your choice. The possibilities are endless! If I have a sweet tooth or am craving comfort food before bedtime, I’ll have a bowl of this and garnish the oats with sliced strawberries, raspberries, and chopped bits of dark chocolate. It’s divine, I promise.

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xx