Banana Overnight Oats

Naturally sweet and filling, Banana Overnight Oats are a great way to have a well-balanced, delicious breakfast in the morning.  Make ahead with simply 3 ingredients, this oatmeal is perfect for weekday mornings.  Keep reading to find out about the two tricks for making banana overnight oats sweet without any added sugar.

I assume most people have heard of overnight oats.  In case you haven’t, here’s a quick description.  The main distinction is that with overnight oats, the oats soak in milk (use the milk of your choice – we use unsweetened almond milk) whereas, with traditionally prepared breakfast oats, the oats are cooked in water.  With time and overnight, the milk softens the oats.  Any number of things can be added to the mix for flavor and added nutrition – fresh fruit, jams, nut butter, seeds, honey, and spices.  Mason jars are handy for this one-dish meal – stir, store, and heat all in the same jar.  Be sure to remove the metal lid if you are microwaving to heat the oats in the morning.

One of the best thing about this breakfast is that it is so easy to prepare in advance.  If you love the idea of make ahead breakfast, be sure to hop over and learn How to Make Boiled Eggs in an Instant Pot.

The nutrition factor is a bonus.  Two key factors bump up the sweetness with no added refined sugar.

Secrets

• caramelize the bananas to boost their flavor and sweetness
• add ground cinnamon to instantly elevate the sweet taste

Add some nuts or nut butter for protein to make this breakfast even more satiating.  

Ingredients

• Oats

Oats are filling and have fiber.  They are bland alone but good as a base with milk, fruits, yogurts, and nuts.

• Bananas

Bananas become naturally sweeter as they ripen.  Cooking them also brings out more of their sweet flavors.  They become caramelized by grilling in a lightly oiled pan.

• Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a great way to add flavor and more sweetness.  It is a good flavor combination with bananas and oats.  I am starting to become a spice snob and have discovered intricacies in cinnamon varieties.  If you have a Penzeys spice store near you look for China Tung Hing Cinnamon.  I’ve tried a few kinds and this one tastes especially sweet and delicious.  If you don’ thave access to a fancy spice boutique, any common variety will do.

Penzeys China Tung Hing is a very sweet tasting and pleasant cinnamon

Some people say cinnamon has medicinal benefits.  I just like the taste of it!

• Chia seeds (optional)

Chia seeds are optional in this recipe.  Chia helps to thicken up the oats.  By morning the oatmeal becomes like porridge.  Chia seeds can also help keep you full.  Be mindful of how much you use as chia can become calorically dense quickly.

Do you still have a big canister of oats and want to make a power snack?  Try yummy Peanut Butter Energy Balls and see how long you can keep those around.

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