Overnight Oatmeal

I love oatmeal which is kind of strange because I loathed it with a passion when I was younger. When I moved away from home, I started buying the oatmeal packets-the sugar-filled and already flavored kinds. Not good monetary-wise but great for the fact that I lived in a very tiny apartment that did not have a microwave. Seriously, boiling water and pouring into a bowl was the easiest thing ever!

Now I have oatmeal every morning for breakfast at work. At first, every night I would just portion all of my dry ingredients and measure my soy milk and take them both to work and microwave it together. Then I started adding a banana to the top after nuking it. Then I traded up to some frozen fruits (strawberries, peaches) but that was just not oatmealish enough for me. I am strictly a cinnamon, and when I was on sugar, brown sugar type.

Now, I have evolved even more. I make it the night before! And mine is not the overnight oats as in crockpotting it overnight. Nope mine is measuring out my oats, flax-seed, raisins and tons of cinnamon then pouring in the soy milk…then just mix and refrigerate!! That is it. It is amazing to me the difference in oatmeal from overnight refrigeration and just making it in the morning at work. It is like twice the size-it just blows up, like the blob. It is great-you get the same amount of calories, but with your eyes, you are seeing an amazing amount of food.

I have also evolved my overnight oatmeal with some amazing apples! After measuring and stirring together oatmeal ingredients, I cut up a small apple into small chunks and drop them in. Cover and let blob up. After microwaving for 3 minutes, add a little water (about 1/8 – 1/4 of a cup) and stir oatmeal and apples. Microwave for 2 more minutes…and voila!

Seriously, it tastes like oatmeal-applesauce. It is great! The apples mush up like they are getting ready to be mashed up into applesauce, and with no sugar added at all in this wonderful oatmeal your blood sugar will not spike like crazy! Just be sure your container is tall enough so that your oatmeal won’t spew over the sides overnight.

My overnight oatmeal is a double-edged sword for me. It has almost 400 calories with the soymilk, raisins and apple…BUT! This meal fills me up so much that it is like 5 hours later and I am just starting to get ready for lunch! It is great like that. Just be aware of the calorie content when you do this if you are counting like I am.

Clean, Sugar Free, Overnight Oatmeal with Apple, 1 serving

1/2 C Quaker Quick Cooking Oats

1/8 C Hodgson Mills Milled Flax Seed

1/4 C Sun-maid Raisins

2 Tbsp McCormick Cinnamon

1 C Silk Light Vanilla Soy Milk

1 Small Apple, chopped into small chunks

1. In microwave safe container measure out oatmeal, flax-seed, raisins, cinnamon and soy milk.

2. Stir ingredients well. I stir for about 30 seconds since this is the only time your ingredients will get the chance to come together.

3. Chop apple into small chunks and drop into oatmeal.

4. Refrigerate overnight.

5. Microwave for 3 minutes then add about 1/8 – 1/4 C water and stir to make sure everything has liquid and is blended well. Microwave for 2 more minutes.

Fitting Into Vegan

I am making the switch from vegetarian to vegan – come with me on this journey of food, health, and fitness.