Overnight no-cook steel cut oats
https://www.wellplated.com/overnight-steel-cut-oats-recipe/
OVERNIGHT STEEL CUT OATS—BASE RECIPE:
- 1 3/4 cups milk — any kind you like (I use unsweetened almond milk)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons honey — or maple syrup
- 1 1/2 tablespoons peanut butter — or other nut butter of choice, optional but delicious
- 1 cup uncooked steel cut oats — you can also use quick-cooking steel cut oats; the final oatmeal will have a softer, less chewy texture
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
OPTIONAL ADDITIONS:
- Chia seeds — flaxseeds, or hemp seeds
- Protein powder
- Ground cinnamon
- Citrus zest — I love orange zest with honey and cinnamon!
- Dried fruit — favorites: reduced-sugar dried cranberries, raisins, chopped dates
- Fresh fruit — or frozen and thawed fruit
- Toasted almonds — walnuts, or pecans (add just before serving to maintain the most crunch)
- An extra drizzle of honey — or maple syrup
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, honey, nut butter, and any protein powder you may be adding until smooth. Stir in the oats, salt, and any other optional additions (wait to add fresh fruit or nuts so that they stay fresh/crisp). Cover the bowl tightly with plastic (or transfer it to an airtight storage container) and refrigerate overnight or for up to 5 days.
- When ready to serve, stir the oats and portion the desired amount into your bowl. (At this point, you can also divide the oats into individual containers and refrigerate for the week.) Top with any desired fresh fruit, nuts, or other toppings. (If placing the oats in individual jars, feel free to add toppings to each, as they will store fine this way. If storing as a single larger batch for the week, I find it is best to wait to add the fresh toppings/nuts until just before serving so that they don't all sink to the bottom.) Enjoy cold and congratulate yourself for your breakfast-planning prowess.
- Leftover steel cut oats can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Their texture will soften as they sit, so if they are too chewy for you on Day 1, you can let them hang out a bit longer.
- The first day, the oats will be more liquidy, but they will continue to absorb more of the milk throughout the week. If at any point you'd like more milk, simply splash a little on top of your bowl or pour more in the individual mason jars if you are storing the steel cut oats that way.