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| Banana-Nut & Blueberry |
This is a breakfast that I always get asked questions about over on Instagram. What are they? How do I make them? Is it easy to make? There are multiple different ways to make overnight oats, multiple different flavours and other things that you can add in (if you're feeling a little wild). The basic idea is that you mix together oats and whatever yoghurt you want, and then throw in different fruits/nuts/nut butters/spices according to personal taste. You then chill them in a fridge overnight, and they amalgamate into something delicious and nourishing. They can be a life saver on busy mornings. I can pre-prepare these, chow down with minimal effort post morning workout, and still be at the library by 9:30am. I know it's also exam season, and so these are great if you need to be more relaxed, maybe have a slower start (or extra time to cram, because we both know that you haven't revised, you little rebel you) in a morning. Overnight oats can be adapted for vegans, and they're also incredibly cheap to make depending on what you put in them; yoghurt is 50p for most own brands, and a bag of porridge oats about £1.
Below I am going to give you the recipe for the base of this hearty breakfast, and then a few of the combinations that I personally enjoy...
The Base
- Heaped 1/4 cup of porridge oats (the proper ones, not the stuff that comes in sachets.)
- Heaped 1/4 cup of yoghurt (I use low fat Greek, natural, or frommage frais. Quark also works, and vegans you can add in a soya or coconut yoghurt)
The Flavours
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| Raspberry and Apple |
With the yoghurt and oats combine chopped strawberries or raspberries, and 1/2tbsp melted peanut butter. Pile into a dish, and top with more berries, and another 1/2tbsp PB.
Same as the above, but this time add 1/2 either a chopped or mashed banana to the oats and yoghurt, and top with the other 1/2, sliced up into coins.
Buy yourself some flavoured coffee granules- chocolate flavoured ones. Mix 1tsp of this with 1tsp boiled water, and allow to cool slightly. Add this to the oats and yoghurt, along with 1/2 chopped banana. Top with the other 1/2 banana, and a spoonful of nut butter if desired.
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| Sticky Pear and Ginger |
Chop a pear into small, or chunky, pieces. Place half into a bowl with a good pinch of cinnamon, and slightly more of ginger. Stir and microwave until just turning soft. Add this to the oats and yoghurt, along with 3 finely chopped prunes, the other half of the pear in chunks, and a drizzle of honey
(I love to top this with some walnuts and a little nut butter too sometimes!)
Chop up an apple into chunks, and microwave half with a dash of cinnamon until just soft. Add half of the blueberries and return to the microwave for a few seconds more- 10 seconds maximum. Mix the cooked apple and blueberries with the yoghurt and oats, along with the other half chopped apple, and some fresh blueberries. Top with more blueberries and a little cinnamon if desired.
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| Cherry and Apple Crumble |
Exactly the same as the above, only using raspberries this time.
Follow the instructions as for the 'Apple & Blueberry' flavour, but using cherries. Add in 10g of chopped walnuts, and a then (if you like) a drizzle of honey.
Chop up a hefty amount of strawberries, cherries, blueberries, and raspberries. Cook half in a microwave for a few seconds, until just soft. Stir into the oats and yoghurt, along with the uncooked berries. Top with more berries.
Mash 1/4 of a banana, and stir into the oats and yoghurt with a dash of cinnamon. Chop the other 1/4 into chunks, and throw that in too, along with the blueberries, and 10g chopped walnuts. If you like retain a couple of banana slices, three blueberries (threes always look the best), and a walnut half to use for decoration. Top with 1/2tbsp nut butter of choice for extra nut-age.
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| Nutty Café Latte |
Combine 1tsp coffee granules with 1tsp boiled water, and cool slightly. Stir this into the oats and yoghurt. Now, add 1/2 tbsp. nut butter of choice (hazelnut, cashew, or almond work well), 10g chopped walnuts, and 3 chopped prunes, into the oats and yoghurt; stir until well combined. Top with another 1/2tbsp nut butter, or some more yoghurt, and a walnut half for decoration.
Combine, with the oats and yoghurt, 1/4-1/2 cup 100% pumpkin puree (I love the Libby's canned pumpkin that Tesco recently began stocking- just make sure it is 100% pumpkin, no added sugar, spices etc. Because you are going to add the flavour). Chop 3 prunes, and 10g walnuts, and add these to the mix, along with 1/2tsp cinnamon, 1/4tsp mixed spice, and 1/4tsp ginger. Top with a walnut half and a sprinkle more cinnamon.
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| Topical Blueberry |
With the oats and yoghurt combine one chopped peach, reserving one slice for decoration, a handful of blueberries, reserving 3 for decoration, and a dash of cinnamon. Top off with the remaining peach and blueberries.
So there you have it- just a handful of the numerous combinations you can make. But get creative! I usually don't make a set flavour, but just throw in what I have. I always add in cinnamon, as personally this is one of my favourite flavours. Why not pour some cow/goat/coconut/almond/soy milk over the top too, and create a bircher muesli affair? If you're feeling fancy chuck in some chia seeds, or macha powder or whatever else is the newest instalment at Holland and Barrett's. Or just add a sprig of basil; that's how I make my mornings fancy.
Labels: banana, beginner's cooking, easy breakfast, exam breakfast, Food, food on the go, healthy breakfast, healthy recipes, nut butter, oats, overnight oats, recipe, student food, summer food, walnuts
