Apple, Date, and Almond Butter Overnight Oats + Terrain!

I love making resolutions. As a list-maker and checkbox-ticker, resolutions are my jam. I love the idea of making goals that are so much bigger than what my day-to-day lists consist of like laundry, water plants, call insurance company, and confirm dental appt. Yeah, those lists are way less cool.

While I'm not going to share my full list of resolutions, I do have a few things that I'm focusing on like eliminating mind clutter, staying more connected to friends and family, and being more strategic about grocery shopping. For the last one, I'm not talking about strict menu planning, but rather, I'd like to start cooking many of the recipes that I've dogeared in the cookbooks I have, recipes I've pinned from blogs, or copied and pasted in some long lost file on my computer. This has been a struggle in the past because I tend to go to the market and grocery store without a list, buy what looks good, and then come up with a recipe when I get home. Fun stuff because I love creating new recipes and cooking by the seat of my pants, but I know that I can also learn a lot about more complex flavor development and more unfamiliar spices, etc. if I were to actually follow a tried and true tested recipe.

In the spirit of resolutions, I've teamed up with Terrain, Anthropologie's beautiful home and garden shop (and where we happened to get married), to bring you a series of tips to make healthy happen in the kitchen. No matter where on the healthy eating spectrum you lie, we can always use a little reminder and inspiration for how to make healthier decisions in the kitchen and tips that are easy to incorporate into your every day. Many of us know how to eat healthier; it's usually a question of how to fit it into the craziness of real life.

In the first installment, I talk all about why I love overnight oats, and finish with a recipe for Apple, Date, and Almond Butter Oats that I know you're going to love. It's been a favorite around here since I could buy apples at the local market. The best part is that you can make a big batch on the weekend, store it in cute jars, like Terrain's Weck jars, and then enjoy a nutritious breakfast (or snack) ALL WEEK LONG. Amazing, right?

Check out Terrain's blog for the recipe and my tips.

For more recipes for overnight oats, check out my pumpkin pie oats, coconut oats, and chia seed variation.

What New Year's resolutions did you make this year?

Chia Seed Overnight Oats

Overnight oats are a workhouse around here. They are filling, packed with protein, and make the perfect Sunday assembly project for the work week ahead. Perhaps most importantly, they are extremely versatile. I've made a few different variations here on the blog already (pumpkin, chocolate, and coconut), but this one is a true blank slate. Oh, and it's vegan. Instead of yogurt, which often acts as a thickener and protein boost in these soaked concoctions, chia seeds thicken the mixture and add healthy fats and plant-based protein.

Depending on the season, my toppings change, but I love a blueberry and almond butter combo with a dash of cinnamon. Another fave? Peanut butter, banana, chocolate chips, cacao nibs, and toasted coconut.

As the weather starts to cool, there's a natural craving for something warm and cozy in the morning. You can make the base overnight without the fruit, and in the morning warm it over low heat on the stove (or in the microwave) to take the chill off. Then top with fruit. It also makes a perfect afternoon snack (for kids and adults!). 

Chia Seed Overnight Oats

¾ cup unsweetened nut milk
1 tablespoon peanut butter
2 teaspoons maple syrup
½ cup rolled oats
2 teaspoons chia seeds
Pinch of salt
Optional toppings: additional nut butter, blueberries, chopped strawberries, sliced bananas, ground cinnamon, cacao nibs, chocolate chips, toasted coconut

Mix together nut milk, peanut butter, and maple syrup until smooth. Stir in oats and chia seeds. Add toppings of choice, and cover and refrigerate overnight. Serves 1.

Chocolate Almond Overnight Oats with Coconut Whipped Cream

One of my favorite things about Valentine's Day has always been seeing couples so smitten for one another. Something about the day puts people on their best behavior. I love seeing the guys with bouquets for their special someone, and the girls all dressed up on their way to a fancy prix fixe dinner.  We used to do the whole fancy dinner thing when we first started dating, but we are much lower key now. I actually prefer our quiet night in, leisurely making dinner and lounging on the couch. My fiance also used to get me the most beautiful lilies on special occasions, but then we got a cat who eats anything that she should not have, like lilies, which happen to be poisonous to frisky felines. To be honest, I do sort of miss the flowers, but I can make the sacrifice if it means no vet visits. One thing that has stayed the same over the years is the extra consumption of chocolate on Valentine's Day. Chocolate for dessert is a given, but why not have chocolate for breakfast?

These little cups are rich tasting, but still light on the belly. Nutty almond butter and rich cocoa powder make for a satisfying combo that tastes a bit like a brownie batter, and whipped coconut cream takes it to that extra special Valentine's Day level. If you have never made whipped cream with coconut milk, it is super simple. The hardest part is remembering to refrigerate the coconut milk overnight. Angela from Oh She Glows has a wonderful step-by-step tutorial for Coconut Whipped Cream if you need a visual. Considering the oats have to soak overnight anyway, I promise you cannot and will not miss that crucial first step.

Do your sweetheart a favor- or yourself for that matter, and make this. Combine everything the night before, whip the coconut cream in the morning, and win major brownie points. Pun most definitely intended.

Chocolate Almond Overnight Oats with Coconut Whipped Cream

1 cup rolled oats
3 tablespoons almond butter
1 1/4 cups almond milk
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 1/2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon dark chocolate shavings, divided
fresh raspberries, for serving
2 dollops of coconut whipped cream, for serving (see below)

Combine oatmeal with almond butter, almond milk, cocoa powder, honey or maple syrup, and pinch of salt. Mix well and allow to soak overnight. In the morning, divided into two portions, sprinkle with chocolate shavings, fresh raspberries, and a dollop of coconut whipped cream. Enjoy! Serves 2.

Coconut Whipped Cream

1 can full fat coconut milk
2 1/2 teaspoons honey or maple syrup

Place can of coconut milk in refrigerator overnight. Scoop the thick cream from the top and add it to a medium bowl. The liquid left behind can be added to smoothies. Using an electric mixer, beat the coconut cream until fluffy and light, for about 2-3 minutes. Stir in honey or maple syrup. Store in fridge for up to 3 days. Re-whip as necessary.

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

Here is a quick breakfast recipe you can assemble the night before and have it ready for the morning. In fact, you can make it this weekend and have it for a few days this week.

It tastes like pumpkin pie but is a whole lot healthier with all of the benefits of fiber-filled, cholesterol-lowering oats and protein-rich Greek yogurt, And if you cannot imagine pumpkin pie without pecans, simply swap out the walnuts for pecans. No harm done. If it is a bit chilly and you would like warm oats, you can pop the soaked oats in the microwave when you are ready to eat. I just recommend leaving out the walnuts and yogurt until after heating the mixture.

Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats

1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups milk of choice, dairy or non-dairy
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 -2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon*
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger*
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves*
pinch of salt
1 cup Greek yogurt, I used 2% (optional)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted

Combine everything but yogurt and walnuts in a bowl and stir to mix. You can divide into small jars at this point or just place in a large container with a top. Top with yogurt and chopped walnuts. Enjoy! Serves 3-4.
**The spices can be replaced with 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Soaked Coconut Oats with Pistachios and Raspberries

Overnight oatmeal, soaked oats, muesli....all of these are more or less the same thing. Take a scoop of rolled oats, add some liquid, maybe a few other treats like nuts, nut butter, seeds, or dried fruit, stir the whole thing together, allow it to sit overnight, and voila! wake up to a yummy morning treat.

These sorts of breakfasts can be a life-saver when you are finding yourself always running a bit late in the morning. Assemble the whole thing in a cute little jar- I am partial to Weck jars because they stack and store so well- and it makes breakfast so fun and glamorous. I have made too many variations of this sort of breakfast to count, but I am finally getting around to featuring one here on the blog.

This one is exceptionally pretty with toasted coconut, bright pistachios, and rosy raspberries. I use homemade coconut milk and homemade almond milk to bind this all together, but nearly any milk (diary or non-dairy) would work. I just love the rich flavor and silky texture that the coconut milk gives- almost like rice pudding. It also makes for a bit more of a filling breakfast. 

If you have never tried overnight oats, give this a try. If you find you would like them a little runnier, add more coconut milk. If you would like them a little stiffer, reduce the amount. Really, it is that simple. I love the chewy texture that large flaked coconut gives to this bowl, but you can use the smaller unsweetened shredded coconut if that is what you have on hand.

And one final note about soaking oats. Whatever fresh fruit you choose to add, do it right before serving. The fruit retains its juiciness and brightness best this way. If using jam, feel free to swirl that right into the oats when you prepare them.

Soaked Coconut Oats with Pistachios and Raspberries

2/3 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup almond milk or other milk of choice
1-2 tablespoons honey, depending on desired level of sweetness (maple syrup if vegan)
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons chopped pistachios (I prefer raw, but unsalted roasted work too)
3 tablespoons flaked or shredded unsweetened coconut, toasted
1/2 cup fresh raspberries, washed and drained

Combine all ingredients except raspberries in a bowl. You can reserve a bit of the coconut and pistachios for garnishing after soaking. Divide the mixture into two jars if you would like single servings or in another lidded container. Place in the refrigerator and allow to sit overnight or for at least 8 hours. Top with raspberries before eating. Enjoy! Serves 2.