Remember eight months ago when I got a kidney stone? Yeah, well, it happened again. I won't bore you with the details, but the pain was awful enough that I couldn't bother to work on a new post yesterday/today.
I did, however, manage to come up with something. If you haven't noticed, the baked oatmeal recipes have been much rarer lately. That is because I've been making refrigerator oatmeal instead, which essentially allows me to enjoy stove-top oatmeal without waiting for the oatmeal to cook on the stove!
It also occurred to me that I've been taking all my favorite recipes and just making them in the fridge. I figured instead of posting each of them as overnight recipes, I would just post a how-to for how to take ANY of my stove-top recipes and convert them to an overnight masterpiece.
1. Stick to half a cup of rolled oats. Another excellent option is quick-cooking steel-cut oats. I've had great success with the Country Choice Organic brand. If using this option, use only 1/4 cup oats.
2. Use only 1/2 cup of liquid. Almond milk is perfect. Do NOT use all water.
3. Chia seeds make the final product creamier and pudding-like, but it's not necessary, especially if you're using banana (which also yields creamy oatmeal). A small spoonful is all that's needed. Alternatively, you can use flax.
4. Combine all listed ingredients at once and shake, shake, shake. Exception: if you're working with fresh berries or chocolate chips, I sometimes hold off adding them until the morning.
5. Chopped dates work beautifully as a sweetener in refrigerator oatmeal because it has all night to absorb the sweetness. Consider replacing any honey, maple syrup, or agave with a chopped date! Any dried fruit will also help.
6. Frozen fruits work great in overnight oatmeal (better than in stove-top, in my opinion).
7. You can eat these cold, but I rarely do. Typically, I transfer the oatmeal to a real bowl, add a tiny bit of water if the mixture is too solid, and microwave for a minute and a half. Perfection. :)
And yes, I know this recipe has "LAZY" written all over it. Cut me some slack; I'm a little preoccupied trying to get a spiky little rock out of my body!
I did, however, manage to come up with something. If you haven't noticed, the baked oatmeal recipes have been much rarer lately. That is because I've been making refrigerator oatmeal instead, which essentially allows me to enjoy stove-top oatmeal without waiting for the oatmeal to cook on the stove!
It also occurred to me that I've been taking all my favorite recipes and just making them in the fridge. I figured instead of posting each of them as overnight recipes, I would just post a how-to for how to take ANY of my stove-top recipes and convert them to an overnight masterpiece.
1. Stick to half a cup of rolled oats. Another excellent option is quick-cooking steel-cut oats. I've had great success with the Country Choice Organic brand. If using this option, use only 1/4 cup oats.
2. Use only 1/2 cup of liquid. Almond milk is perfect. Do NOT use all water.
3. Chia seeds make the final product creamier and pudding-like, but it's not necessary, especially if you're using banana (which also yields creamy oatmeal). A small spoonful is all that's needed. Alternatively, you can use flax.
4. Combine all listed ingredients at once and shake, shake, shake. Exception: if you're working with fresh berries or chocolate chips, I sometimes hold off adding them until the morning.
5. Chopped dates work beautifully as a sweetener in refrigerator oatmeal because it has all night to absorb the sweetness. Consider replacing any honey, maple syrup, or agave with a chopped date! Any dried fruit will also help.
6. Frozen fruits work great in overnight oatmeal (better than in stove-top, in my opinion).
7. You can eat these cold, but I rarely do. Typically, I transfer the oatmeal to a real bowl, add a tiny bit of water if the mixture is too solid, and microwave for a minute and a half. Perfection. :)
And yes, I know this recipe has "LAZY" written all over it. Cut me some slack; I'm a little preoccupied trying to get a spiky little rock out of my body!
**You can also find hundreds of other oatmeal recipes (as well as tons of other meatless recipes) on my Pinterest account! You can also like The Oatmeal Artist on Facebook. Thanks!
perfect for when you know your morning will be busy! thanks for this method!!
ReplyDeleteI made this last night with my favorite oatmeal ingredients and was AMAZED at how good it came out this morning!! The flavors really absorb into the oatmeal and I didn't need any sweetener because of the dried fruit!! I ate it cold and thought it was just fantastic!
ReplyDeleteOnly one problem that I perceived- it seemed to me that the same 1/2 C oats that I usually eat was not as filling as when I usually make it on the stove. Maybe when it is on the stove it expands more?
Yes!! I've noticed this, too! Earlier this week, I actually made oatmeal on the stove at night and then stored it in the fridge to eat in the morning (not something I usually do). It filled the entire jar, whereas overnight oats normally fill just half the jar. It ended up being my breakfast for the next two days!
DeleteGreat! I will have to try that! Actually that gives me a good idea to make a huge pot one day of plain oatmeal and keep it in a jar to last for a few days to flavor each day as I want.
DeleteI actually tired the overnight oatmeal recipe against last night BUT instead of oats I used grapenuts (my favorite cereal after oatmeal) and thought it was really mussy and really good too!
I'm a new reader here...and I gotta tell you, I can't quit reading!!! :-) I want oatmeal right this second and it's 10:10pm. lol
ReplyDeleteI hope you put some oatmeal in the fridge for the morning! :) Thank you so much!
DeleteHello! This is my first time here, someone shared your blog on FB and I gotta say I am happy to have found it, and also very impressed. I'll be using this little guide for oatmeal in the fridge very often, already made one for tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteHi! Omg I love your blog, you have converted me to an oatmeal lover. I really used to despise oatmeal, I guess i just wasn't making it correctly haha. Question... How long can i store overnight oatmeal? Can i make a few days worth at once?
ReplyDeletedo you have to use a glass jar?
ReplyDeleteNope! I rarely do anymore (because I keep losing the lids...). You can use any tupperware that has a cover. :)
DeleteHi !
ReplyDeleteI've discovered your blog a little while ago, and you have been a great part of my inspiration to try making oatmeal for breakfast, but previously i had only made it for week-end breakfasts, because well cooking it takes some time (esp. when i insist on having caramelized peaches with it) BUT this method for overnight oatmeal is about to change that. Actually, i bought two jars and made some last night (with dried apricots instead of dates, because i hate dates, and a peach, and greek yogurt, and in the morning i added a few nuts and a teaspoon of honey because apricots are not as sweet as dates or maybe i just have too sweet a tooth) and it was a hit so i will be doing that again.
I have yet to try any of your actual recipes (carrot cake, pumpkin pie, here i come, but also apple and chestnut ??? yes please and i am very enthusiastic about baklava oatmeal but pistachios are expensiiiive) so i'll probably be leaving you a few passionate reviews in the future ! (probably crying that i couldn't make the boyfriend try them because he basically refuses to try any "elaborate" oatmeal, saying that it is a wonder that he likes oatmeal at all so he doesn't want to risk not liking one ??? i don't get it but welp.)