Overnight Oats 

Makes 3 servings 

Nutrition per serving (using 1% milk) –  calories: 254

fat: 5 g (saturated: 1g, unsaturated: 3g), Carbohydrates: 41g, protein: 12g, fiber: 7g, sugar: 14g 

Overnight oats are the breakfast game-changer. Mix it up the night before and grab it in the morning on your way out the door to enjoy later, cool or warmed. Mason jars are popular containers for overnight oatmeal. You’ll need three of the pint-sized jars to accommodate this recipe. The chia seeds thicken the oatmeal (and help you feel full) but can be omitted. If you heat the mixture before serving, it will thicken further, in which case you might want to add a little extra liquid to adjust the consistency to your liking. 

Overnight oats with Pears, Almonds, and Ginger 

½ cup nonfat Greek or regular yogurt 

1 tablespoon sweetener of choice, such as pure maple syrup, honey, light agave, or brown sugar 

½ teaspoon vanilla extract 

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon salt 

1 cup 1% milk or milk of choice (unsweetened soy, almond, rice, oatmeal, and coconut milk are all suitable substitutions)

1 cup old-fashioned (rolled) oats

1 small pear, finely diced 

3 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger 

2 tablespoon chia seeds

2 tablespoons toasted sliced almonds

In a medium bowl whisk yogurt, sweetener, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Divide mixture among 3 jars or plastic containers. Stir in one-third of milk, oats, chopped pears, crystallized ginger, and chia seeds into each jar. Refrigerate until the oats are hydrated and the mixture is thickened, about 4 hours and up to 3 days. Before serving, adjust consistency (add more liquid if needed) and top with additional chopped pears and toasted almonds. 

Variations 

Mango and Coconut - Start with 1 ripe banana, mashed with a fork in a medium bowl, whisk in yogurt mixture, swap 2/3 cup of diced mangos for pears and crystallized ginger, and replace almonds with 1 tablespoon coconut flakes.  

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cup -  Start with 1 ripe banana, mashed with a fork in a medium bowl, whisk in yogurt mixture.  Whisk 1 tablespoon cocoa powder and 1-2 tablespoons peanut butter with milk mixture. Top oats with chopped peanuts and chopped dark chocolate. Omit the crystalized ginger and almonds. 

Strawberry-Banana - Start with 1 ripe banana, mashed with a fork in a medium bowl, whisk in yogurt mixture.  Substitute pears and crystallized ginger with ⅔ cup chopped strawberries.  Top oats with chopped strawberries. 

Apple Cranberry and Walnut - Swap pear for a small diced apple. Substitute ¼ cup dried cranberries for the crystallized ginger.  Top with 2 tablespoons toasted slivered walnuts in place of almonds.