Chocolate Overnight Oats

To say that I'm not a morning person is putting it mildly.  I've accepted that fact and I'm actually okay with it.  The problem is, that I live with an EXTREME morning person.  Only my fellow non-morning followers will understand my frustration with the whistling, singing and general merriment that happens in my house before 7:00 AM.  Uuuggg.  The struggle is real.  The fact that I don't drink coffee in the morning doesn't help my situation either.  (I'm starting to see the connection now.)   

It occurs to me that this resistance to mornings may actually be a genetic trait.  I've got one child who thrives in the early morning hours and another who takes after her mom, and is, let's just say is less than gleeful in the morning.  

I like breakfast food but because I prefer to sit quietly and eat my breakfast while sipping my hot tea and scrolling through email rather than cook breakfast at 7:00 am, I don't often eat a hot breakfast.  Eggs, french toast, pancakes and oatmeal all sound like great ideas - if I could hold off until 10:00 to eat my breakfast.  (Which we all know - is NOT going to happen.)  My solution is to make my breakfast before I go to bed.  Overnight oats are a game changer for anyone who doesn't love early morning cooking - or is just pressed for time in the morning.  

There are literally thousands of recipes for overnight oats on the internet.  Everything from tropical fruit oats, to carrot cake oats to strawberry cheesecake oats.  My goal is to try as many as I possibly can.  

Mason Jar Overnight Oats
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 Tablespoon flaxseed
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup plain yogurt
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
pinch of salt
​pinch of cinnamon 
​1 Tablespoon cocoa powder
​1 Tablespoon mini chocolate chips, almonds or coconut

Combine all ingredients in a bowl except chocolate chips.  

Stir to combine. 

Pour ingredients into a mason jar.  Seal and refrigerate overnight. 

In the morning, warm oats in the microwave, stir in chocolate chips, almonds or coconut and enjoy. 

You can make these gluten free by using gluten free oats.  You can make them sugar free by swapping out the brown sugar for mashed banana.  You can use milk alternatives like coconut, soy or almond milk in place of cows milk.  You can also experiment with different sweeteners like maple syrup, honey or agave.  I love that these are totally customizable.  

Be sure and send me your fabulous flavor combinations.  I want to try them all.  

Ciao!

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