Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana
- 1/2 cup almond milk (or any other preferred milk)
- 1/4 cup nonfat or low-fat plain Greek yogurt (or part-skim ricotta cheese or whipped cottage cheese)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds or ground flaxseeds (aka flaxseed meal)
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch salt
- 1-2 teaspoons maple syrup or honey (optional)
- 1-2 tablespoons toasted, chopped pecans (optional)
Chef notes
While oatmeal is typically eaten warm, this type is eaten cold, straight out of the fridge. It reminds me of an indulgent chilled porridge, and this rendition features energizing ingredients and a satisfying, dessert-like flavor. It’s super creamy and has all the cozy feels of banana bread. It takes about three hours to set, but because it’s so convenient to prep the night before, we usually let it sit overnight, hence the name. I find it’s a perfect remedy for hectic morning meals.
Joyful note: The riper the banana you use, the sweeter it’ll be, and the easier it is to mash. If your banana is firm, you can peel it, slice it up and microwave it for about 20 seconds to soften (it’ll blend more seamlessly into the other ingredients). If you’re adding toasted pecans, wait until right before serving or they’ll soften up if they sit in the oat mixture overnight. Also, while I personally think this is sweet enough without adding honey or maple syrup, feel free to mix in 1 to 2 teaspoons if needed. And if you love blueberries, give my Blueberry Muffin Overnight Oats a try!
Preparation
In a small mixing bowl, mash the banana with the milk, yogurt and vanilla extract until well-blended. Mix in the oats, chia seeds (or ground flaxseed), cinnamon, salt and the maple syrup, if using. Stir until everything is mixed together.
Transfer to a small mason jar or pretty container with a lid, cover and stash in the fridge for at least 3 hours to overnight. Right before eating, add toasted pecans, if using, and dig in!
This will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days.
