Super Simple Overnight Oatmeal Recipe

Just last week I made a delicious discovery. My boyfriend and I were wandering in downtown DC where we stumbled into The Corner Bakery. Apparently it's a chain and I had no idea! Shame on me because it was fantastic. To paint a picture of this restaurant to those who are not familar with it.. I'll say this: if Starbucks and Panera Bread had a love child, The Corner Bakery would be it. Does that clear things up?

Anyways, I ordered chilled oatmeal. CHILLED!? Who chills oatmeal? Wouldn't that insult the Quaker Man?... but you know what? These cold oats (mixed with yogurt, bananas, cranberries, apples and other yum yums) WAS AMAZING. I can easily say it was in the Top 5 of my favorite breakfasts. How could I've been so naive? I'm embaraased to say the least.

CEREAL FACT ALERT:

According to Quaker, the "Quaker Man" was the first registered trademark for a breakfast cereal... in 1877!

As homange to the Quaker Man, I've created my own cold oats recipe. You only need 3 main ingredients which makes it so easy that a caveman could do it!

Ander's Super Simple Overnight Oatmeal

  what you'll need:

1/2 c rolled oats

1/2 c greek or plain yogurt (I use flavored yogurt to give the oats some zip!)

1/2 c almond milk or any other milk

(if you want to make a larger batch, just make sure the measurements are about equal; ie. if 1 cup oats then 1 cup of milk and yogurt... just eye ball it )

Add-ins:

walnuts (check)

apples   (double check)

bananas

cranberries

    what to do:

mix all the ingredients together well, cover, then place in the refridgerator overnight! Follow the pictures for a step-by-step:

REFRIDGERATE for 12 hours AND....

BAM. Welcome to Heaven in your mouth. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Yogurt

Hello all. I apologize for the lack of posts. Undergraduate and graduate work has been consuming my every minute; and, sadly, my creative juices recently have been sucked right through a bendy straw. However, today is a wonderful day because it's December 1st without a flake of snow on the ground and I can finally take a breath and relax. 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Turkey Day and enjoyed time with their loved ones. I was feeling reminiscent of the holidays and craving some pumpkin pie this morning. Well, I didn't have pie and it was terribly sad; however, I did have yogurt. Hmm. Can I make yogurt taste like pie? Probably not but I can try, dammit. 

I'm adding: pumpkin seeds  

                  + cinnamon 

                  + chia seeds 

                  + flax seeds 

                  + agave nectar to my vanilla Greek yogurt

                  = a whole cup of yummy

The seeds give it a pumpkin feel , the cinnamon enhances its pie-like taste, the seeds add a crust-like crunch and the agave gives it an umph of sweetness! Plus it's way healthier than indulging in half a pie (not that I would, ahem, do such a thing....)

FUN FACT ALERT!

Cha...cha...chia! Yes, these are the same seeds that have been used to grow hair on Chia Pets. You're probably thinking ew and wondering why they're on my yogurt. Yes, they are edible and surprisingly packed with nutritional benefits. For a visual, they are the little black rounded seeds below.  These little guys are provide a huge kick of fiber and can keep you full for hours. They also have more Omega-3 fatty acids than flax seeds. They'll have you doing the cha-cha all the way down the health food aisle.

Spice up your bland yogurt and you'll be satified until Christmas dinner--- then I highly encourage digging into the real thing, I will.

Enjoy!