Tried this- Overnight oatmeal makes breakfast fast and easy

Overnight oatmeal makes breakfast fast and easy

Hamilton Spectator
By Melissa D’Arabian
The trick to making a nutritious breakfast a daily habit is never being more than 60 seconds away from something healthy. In the morning rush, it's too easy to grab something unhealthy.

Lately, my go-to quick and healthy choice has been oat pudding, mostly because my kids love it. But I also like the staying power the complex carbs and fibre have to keep us feeling full.

Oats or oatmeal — plain, not the flavoured quickie pouches — are on just about every list of heart healthy foods, as it has a nice dose of both soluble and insoluble fibres.

Oats also bring a few grams of protein to the party, while having less than a gram of sugar.

Even non-instant rolled oats are really only a few minutes away from being cooked into the iconic breakfast porridge I grew up eating (at the insistence of my grandma).

But sometimes five minutes feels about four minutes too long, at least at our house. More to the point, my family doesn't love oatmeal as much as I learned to.

Oat pudding solves these problems and more.

Oat pudding is made the night before, only takes a few minutes and can be customized to your tastes. It's easy to add almond butter, cocoa powder, maple syrup, berries, cinnamon, applesauce, fresh or frozen fruit, shaved coconut, or whatever else you enjoy.

The key is to mix about equal parts oats and liquid, add the flavourings, and let the pudding rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour and up to 48 hours.

Pull the pudding out of the fridge, top with any extras, such as fruit, nuts, honey or maple syrup, and enjoy. Or pop in the microwave for a minute for a warm pudding.

Easy and so much better than grandma's big pot of sticky porridge.


Overnight Cherry Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pudding


Serves two

½ cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt

½ cup low-fat milk

1 ½ tablespoons cherry jam

2 teaspoons chia seeds (optional)

1/8 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

1 tablespoon mini chocolate chips

½ cup rolled oats or oatmeal (not instant)

2 tablespoons slivered or sliced almonds, toasted

In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, milk and jam until smooth. Add the chia seeds, vanilla, chocolate chips and oats and mix until well blended. Cover and chill for at least one hour or up to two days. To serve, top with toasted almonds.

Nutrition information per serving: 250 calories; 70 calories from fat (28 per cent of total calories); 8 g fat (2.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbohydrate; 3 g fibre; 18 g sugar; 11 g protein; 50 mg sodium.


The Associated Press
from the Hamilton Spectator March 4, 2015
http://www.thespec.com/living-story/5457393-overnight-oatmeal-makes-breakfast-fast-and-easy/