Nourished. by Jenna

Last summer when I started training for a half marathon, I was looking for healthy meals and snacks to fuel my long runs. One breakfast option that I discovered was Overnight Oats. The recipe I found not only fueled my runs, but it was pretty darn tasty too. Since then, I’ve continued making these easy oats every once in a while for breakfast. I thought my recipe was really good… until I went to visit my parents last month. Turned out, my mom had an even better version! She recently found her own recipe for Overnight Oats that she’s been making. She prepared them for me while I was there and now I’m hooked! It’s a bowl of creamy goodness. They are incredibly versatile, depending on what you’d like to top them with, but they’re equally as delicious on their own. In fact, even the base ingredients are versatile (i.e. You have gluten/gluten-free and dairy/dairy-free options). My mom used regular oats and dairy ingredients; however, I have adapted the recipe to my preferred gluten and dairy free version.

Overnight Oats (serves 2)

• 1 cup oats (I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats)
• 1/2 cup milk (I use unsweetened almond milk)
• 1 single serve cup vanilla yogurt (I have used both dairy and non-dairy yogurt and I’m satisfied with both)
• Honey to taste

Mix all ingredients in a bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, enjoy warm or cold; plain or with toppings.

I prefer mine cold with a few of my favorite toppings:

• chia seeds
• sliced banana
• blueberries (or any berry!)
• chopped dates
• cinnamon

You could also try chopped nuts, peanut or almond butter, coconut flakes, other fruit (peach, apple, pear)… the possibilities are endless!

This was breakfast (overnight oats and green tea) on my parent’s back porch. I look forward to these moments every summer. There’s something so calming and peaceful about their back yard. Or maybe it’s just the comfort of being home with Mom & Dad. Regardless, I left relaxed, happy, and completely nourished.