New Meal Monday: Overnight Oats-Two Ways

Mornings in our household are hectic, to say the least. We have a fairly good system at this point, but without fail we are scrambling to get out of the door on time each morning - especially a Monday morning. Between getting in a workout, dealing with the dog, packing lunches/snacks, and chasing a toddler, I often feel like I've had a full day by the time I even get to work!  Through all the craziness, I try to prioritize breakfast (as we all know it's the most important meal of the day!) but there is certainly the occasional granola bar on-the-go kind of days. So when I saw that today is National Deskfast Day, which celebrates the workforce trend of eating breakfast at your desk, I thought I would try and find a creative recipe that makes eating at work really easy.  Now there are plenty of easy ways to eat at work - I pass 2 bagel shops and a Dunkin Donuts on my commute - but it's a bit trickier to do it in a healthy and cost efficient way. That's when I discovered Overnight Oats. It's a make-ahead option for oatmeal that eliminates any cooking, and is super easy to take on the go. You pour in all the ingredient the night before and let the oats soak up the liquid to become soft and delicious. There are thousands of combinations out there, so get creative! I stuck to my favorite breakfast flavors and whipped up a Banana Peanut Butter and Sweet Berry. 

Here's what you need:

Banana Peanut Butter

• 1/2 cup of old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup of milk (for non-dairy use almond/cashew/coconut milk)
• 1 tablespoon Chia seeds
• 1/2 banana (mashed or sliced depending on preference)
• 1 tablespoon peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon crushed walnuts
• 1 teaspoon honey (optional for a sweeter taste)

Sweet Berry

• 1/2 cup of old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup of milk (for non-dairy use almond/cashew/coconut milk)
• 1 tablespoon Chia seeds
• 1/2 cup berries (I did 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/4 cup strawberries)
• 1 tablespoon sliced almonds
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional for a sweeter taste)

Here's how you do it:

1. Combine all ingredients in a jar, seal tightly and shake.
2. Store in the fridge overnight (or at least 5 hours) and then enjoy! You can eat them cold or warm them up a bit in the microwave.