Afraid of eating oatmeal because of the carb count? I was too until I read The End of Diabetes by Joel Fuhrman, MD (affiliate link) and noticed that most of his breakfasts were oat-based. Variations of Spiced Overnight Oats with Applesauce and Chia have become a go-to in our house.
I’ve been intrigued with the idea of soaking oats overnight for quite a while. The CompostMaster said he remembers his mother doing it when he was young, but when he asked her for instructions late in her life, she had no idea what he was talking about.
Then I saw The Healthy Maven’s recipe for Pumpkin Spiced Latte Overnight Oats. I wasn’t particularly interested in the coffee aspect of the recipe, but I remembered having a bit of leftover pumpkin after making Pumpkin Pineapple Muffins, so I thought I’d give it a spin.
I went to the refrigerator in search of the pumpkin and couldn’t find it anywhere. I finally asked the CompostMaster if he knew where it was. “Remember those mashed sweet potatoes I made the other night?” he said. “Guess what the secret ingredient was?”
Still determined to try the oats, I substituted some of my incredibly easy to make Cinnamon Applesauce that was in the refrigerator and switched up the spices. I haven’t tried the original pumpkin flavor yet, but I’m extremely pleased with how my apple version turned out.
The trickiest part about making spiced overnight oats is remembering to soak the oatmeal. I can’t tell you how many mornings I got up thinking we were going to have oatmeal and then realized I’d forgotten to soak the oats the night before. I ended up putting a sticky note on my cabinet to remind me.
Make Spiced Overnight Oats Portable
If you are the eat-breakfast-at-the-office type of person, this recipe is perfect for you. Mix it up in a bowl and separate it into 2 or 3 containers. On your way out the door in the morning, grab one of the containers (and a spoon).
Variation
I don’t always have bananas and homemade applesauce on hand. My favorite variation on this recipe is to combine 1 cup rolled oats, 1 cup steel-cut oats, 2 tablespoons chia seeds, and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon in a large Mason jar and shake to combine. Add 1 cup unsweetened almond milk plus and 1 cup water. If the liquid doesn’t completely cover the oats, add more water. Stir and refrigerate overnight. To serve, top with slivered almonds, pumpkin seeds, and chopped apples or pears.
Spiced Overnight Oats with Applesauce and Chia
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats NOT quick oats
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 large banana mashed
- 1/2 cup Cinnamon Applesauce or unsweetened prepared applesauce
- 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 teaspoon sliced almonds
Instructions
- Combine oats, almond milk, banana, applesauce, apple pie spice, and chia seeds in a glass jar and stir well.
- Attach lid and refrigerate overnight.
- Serve cold or heat in microwave for about a minute. Top with sliced almonds.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition Info Per Serving
I can’t believe you are able to eat 52 g of carb in the morning! That’s about all I eat in a whole day.
Hi Brenda – Thanks for your comment. I didn’t eat oatmeal too often in the morning until I read The End of Diabetes by Joel Fuhrman, MD (affiliate link). Many of his breakfasts are variations on oatmeal (similar to this recipe). If I’m following his eating plan (which is mostly vegan), this type of breakfast works for me. Also, I usually exercise 1-2 hours after breakfast and find that the oats give me enough energy to make it through my workout and all the way to lunch. If I eat a low-carb breakfast, I end up eating a snack before lunch. Your mileage may vary – do what works for you!