Lazy chefs, you’ve come to the right place.
If you want to start your days off with a healthy breakfast but can’t bring yourself to set the alarm early enough to cook anything, then overnight oats are the gift you’ve been waiting for.
(And if you’d rather just skip breakfast, then by all means, keep sleeping in and eat your oats later!)
Now, you might fall into the camp of people who believe that oats are too boring to qualify as anything more than “slightly better than swill.”
I’ll admit, quick-cooking oats are one of the blandest foods around. These healthy oatmeal recipes are most definitely not, though.
They’re far from the flavorless mush you’re envisioning and the best part is, they require no cooking at all.
All you’ll have to do is set aside a few minutes each night to prep your oats, let the whole shebang sit overnight in the fridge, and voila, you’ve got yourself a delicious and nutritious meal.
So, experiment with any of these great recipes or design your own. No matter which you choose, you’re guaranteed to wake up to a hearty and flavorful breakfast.
Enjoy!
Picture courtesy of Minimalist Baker
Oatmeal will start your day off right with complex carbs and fiber. And when you need an even more filling breakfast than, simply mix in additional ingredients based on the flavors and nutrients you want.
Swirling in a spoonful of peanut butter, for example, adds protein plus the fat needed to power up your brain.
For more ways to meal plan without it being stressful, particularly during your busiest weeks, pick up Everyday Cooking: 101 Entirely Plant-Based, Mostly Gluten-Free, Easy and Delicious Recipes by Dana Shultz, also known as Minimalist Baker.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
3/4 Tbsp. chia seeds
2 Tbsp. peanut butter (or almond butter)
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup (or stevia to taste)
1/2 cup rolled oats
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 460
Protein: 16 grams
Carbs: 52 grams
Fat: 24 grams
Picture courtesy of Kara Lydon
Start your day with a burst of color and flavor with these mango overnight oats. Blending fresh mango with coconut milk will help thicken up the mixture, so you’ll hardly need more than oats and spices.
On top of the standard cinnamon and ginger, this recipe includes ground turmeric to make the orange pop. Plus, it’s a great anti-inflammatory that can help with muscle cramps and joint pain.
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 cups rolled oats
4 mangos
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. turmeric
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. pure honey
2 cups coconut milk beverage
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 325
Protein: 7 grams
Carbs: 65 grams
Fat: 5 grams
Picture courtesy of Simple as That
While any fruit can be mixed into overnight oats, something juicy and soft like strawberries will help thicken it up so in the morning you’ll have more to spoon up than soggy oats.
This recipe also includes a couple ingredients to make these strawberry overnight oats taste like cheesecake: a single serving of Greek yogurt and a touch of cream cheese.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 cup strawberries, diced
¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. pure honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 oz. plain cream cheese
1 cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp. chia seeds
Pinch of salt
1 graham cracker, crushed
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 373
Protein: 15 grams
Carbs: 53 grams
Fat: 12 grams
Picture courtesy of Nutritionist in the Kitch
Craving cookies for breakfast? Skip the chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin, and enjoy this version of overnight oats instead.
To recreate the flavor in a healthy way, cashew butter lends the richness of a real cookie, while maple syrup adds not just sweetness but also flavor. Top with chocolate chips, raisins, or a sprinkle of cinnamon.
Serves 1
Ingredients
½ cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 Tbsp. buckwheat groats
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp. vanilla brown rice protein powder
¾ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 Tbsp. cashew butter
1 Tbsp. mini dark chocolate chips
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 450
Protein: 21 grams
Carbs: 57 grams
Fat: 18 grams
Picture courtesy of The Seasoned Mom
Eat your favorite summer dessert for breakfast with these peach overnight oats.
Diced peaches are mixed right in – and you can serve it with more fresh fruit – but what really sets this apart is the rest of the topping. To give it that cobbler flavor, there’s a mix of pecans and graham cracker crumbs.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 Tbsp. WHEY+ vanilla protein isolate
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 Tbsp. pure honey (or sweetener of choice)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. almond extract
1 small peach, diced
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of nutmeg
2 Tbsp. crushed graham cracker crumbs
1 Tbsp. chopped pecans, toasted
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 481
Protein: 25 grams
Carbs: 68 grams
Fat: 11 grams
Picture courtesy of Healthy Homeschool Mama
Start your day off with a bowl full of chocolate. These brownie overnight oats are full of cocoa powder and chocolate protein powder, but what takes the recipe to the next is a combo of almond and coconut.
Altogether, the flavor combo makes it taste like a brownie mixed with an Almond Joy candy bar. Other combinations of extracts could work too, including mint or raspberry.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/8 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (optional)
1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional)
1/4 tsp. coconut extract (optional)
1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped almonds
2 Tbsp. WHEY+ chocolate protein isolate
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 394
Protein: 30 grams
Carbs: 28 grams
Fat: 21 grams
Picture courtesy of The Organic Kitchen
In this easy breakfast recipe, the maple flavor is enhanced by adding Medjool dates and pecans.
And since dates are such a great natural sweetener, you can swap out the maple syrup for a sugar-free version or an extract.
For the vanilla, you’ll get better flavor from a paste or by scraping a vanilla bean pod, but extract will work too.
Serves 2
Ingredients
6 dates, pitted and thinly sliced
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
¼ tsp. ground cardamom
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
½ tsp. vanilla paste (or vanilla extract)
¼ cup pecans, chopped
Pinch of sea salt
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 377
Protein: 8 grams
Carbs: 56 grams
Fat: 16 grams
Picture courtesy of The Low-Carb Diet
Looking for a low-carb overnight oats? Believe it or not, this recipe doesn’t contain any oatmeal.
Instead the jar is filled up with Greek yogurt, whey protein powder, and seeds. By using ground flaxseed instead of oats, each serving contains less than 20 grams of carbs.
Thanks to that, this breakfast has more protein than any other nutrients.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
3 Tbsp. WHEY+ vanilla protein isolate
3 Tbsp. sugar-free maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
3/4 cup raspberries
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 270
Protein: 18 grams
Carbs: 17 grams
Fat: 12 grams
Picture courtesy of Back to Her Roots
To enjoy oatmeal without having to cook a single thing, all you need is something to soak them in. That could be milk, yogurt, juice, fruit puree, or just water. The concept is that easy.
When you want to create your own overnight oats recipe with what you have, use these ingredients and ratios as a base. Change out the milk for another liquid if you prefer, and then mix in any add-ins you have on hand.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup rolled oats
2/3 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbsp. chia seeds (or ground flaxseed)
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
1 Tbsp. pure honey (more or less to taste)
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 382
Protein: 15 grams
Carbs: 55 grams
Fat: 13 grams
Picture courtesy of SkinnyTaste
Preparing breakfast doesn’t get much simpler than overnight oats, but that doesn’t mean the result has to be run of the mill.
Swap out the standard fruit for figs, and you’ll have a grown-up version of oatmeal that doesn’t even need to be cooked. And if pecans aren’t your favorite, this will also taste awesome with pistachios.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1/4 cup quick oats
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 fresh fig, sliced
1 Tbsp. chopped pecans
1/2 Tbsp. pure honey
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 259
Protein: 6 grams
Carbs: 39 grams
Fat: 11 grams
Picture courtesy of Sweeter Life Club
Turn a scoop of protein powder into a well-balanced breakfast by stirring it into bowl of oatmeal. All you have to do is dump all the ingredients into a mason jar, put a lid in it, and shake.
Leave it in the fridge for at least five hours. Once they’re ready, overnight oats will stay good for a day or two, so while you’re in the kitchen, you may as well double the recipe.
Serves 1
Ingredients
½ cup rolled oats
1 tsp. chia seeds
2 tsp. psyllium powder
1 scoop WHEY+ chocolate protein isolate
2 tsp. cocoa powder
½ cup unsweetened almond milk
Stevia to taste (or sweetener of choice)
½ cup water (or more as needed)
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 323
Protein: 30 grams
Carbs: 41 grams
Fat: 7 grams
Picture courtesy of Oh She Glows
Don’t want to down a green smoothie in the morning? Fill up with a bowl full of oats instead.
This has all the same ingredients you’d expect in a green smoothie: a banana, almond milk, chia seeds, and a handful of spinach.
After that’s blended up, stir in the oats, and leave it in the fridge overnight so you’ll have a healthy breakfast ready when you wake up.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1/4 cup spinach
1 large banana
1 1/2 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup rolled oats
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 356
Protein: 11 grams
Carbs: 59 grams
Fat: 13 grams
Picture courtesy of Amy’s Healthy Baking
To really amp up the banana bread flavor in any recipe, take a few minutes to roast them.
All you have to do is throw the banana in a hot oven – peel and all – for about 15 minutes. Once it’s cooled down, just mash up the fruit, and mix with oats and yogurt.
Roasting them is a great way to keep bananas from being wasted as they’ll keep in the fridge for a few days, or can be cut up and frozen.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mashed banana
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
12 drops vanilla crème stevia (or sweetener to taste)
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 143
Protein: 9 grams
Carbs: 25 grams
Fat: 2 grams
Picture courtesy of The Oatmeal Artist
Overnight oats are a good use of fresh fruit, but it’s not necessary to make a breakfast that’s healthy and delicious. This version is inspired by Oreo cookies, but instead of processed sugar, there’s all-natural date puree.
For more sweetness, the homemade chocolate PB2 can be made into a chocolate cookie butter by stirring in enough honey.
To top it all off, a scoop of WHEY+ cookies and cream protein powder will boost the macros while adding stevia and some tiny chocolate cookie crumbs.
Serves 1
Ingredients
Overnight Oats:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/3 cup shredded zucchini
1 Tbsp. buckwheat groats (optional)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. date puree (or chopped dates)
Pinch of salt
Ground cinnamon to taste
Faux-Reo Cookie PB2:
3 Tbsp. PB2
2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 333
Protein: 16 grams
Carbs: 52 grams
Fat: 8 grams
Picture courtesy of Mr. Breakfast
Making something taste like key lime pie takes more than squeezing citrus. To get the richness of a custard pie filling, you’ll need more than skim milk.
Just a tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk will do the trick, plus some butter (or butter flavoring). Crumble a graham cracker over top, and it’s like an upside-down pie crust.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1/4 cup steel-cut oats
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk (or coconut milk)
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. pure honey
1 graham cracker, crushed (optional topping)
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 393
Protein: 10 grams
Carbs: 51 grams
Fat: 18 grams
Picture courtesy of Behind the Plates
When you’re still waiting on the fall chill to signal the change in seasons, you can get a taste of pumpkin spice with these protein overnight oats.
It’s the perfect breakfast or high-protein snack to transition out of the warm summer weather. And if you wake up surprised by a sudden drop in temperature, overnight oats can be warmed up in the morning to eat like a regular bowl of oatmeal.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
2/3 cup pumpkin puree
1 scoop WHEY+ vanilla protein isolate
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. flaxseed (optional)
1 Tbsp. chia seeds (optional)
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 314
Protein: 21 grams
Carbs: 43 grams
Fat: 9 grams
Picture courtesy of Kath Eats
Whenever you’re at the bottom of an almond butter jar, it’s time to make overnight oats. You don’t even have to dirty any dishes except a spoon.
Stir in equal amounts of oats, milk, and yogurt. Then mash half a banana to add to the mix. Of course this works to clean out other jarred foods too, like jam, peanut butter, and Nutella.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1/3 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 banana
1 Tbsp. chia seeds
Pinch of salt
Ground cinnamon to taste
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 327
Protein: 16 grams
Carbs: 44 grams
Fat: 12 grams
Picture courtesy of Boys Ahoy
Most overnight oats can be eaten hot or cold, so you can still use this prep method in the winter, then warm up the mixture in the morning.
But if you’d rather have that oatmeal ready to go first thing in the morning, forego the fridge overnight, and cook it in a Crock Pot instead.
That way the oats stay warm while cooking, which creates a more traditional oatmeal texture.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1 cup steel-cut oats
4 cups water
1/2 cup skim milk
1 large pear, sliced or chopped
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 244
Protein: 8 grams
Carbs: 47 grams
Fat: 3 grams
Picture courtesy of Oatgasm
One watermelon goes a long way, so if you don’t know what to do with extra slices, get creative by making these overnight oats.
Watermelon is, well, watery, so it’s a great fruit to use when you don’t want to add yogurt or dairy to the mix. You could even replace the almond milk with juice, like strawberry, raspberry, or cucumber.
Serves 1
Ingredients
1/2 cup watermelon
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk, divided
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. rolled oats, divided
1 Tbsp. pure maple syrup (or sweetener of choice)
Pinch of salt
1/4–1/2 tsp. mint extract
Fresh mint to garnish
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 289
Protein: 8 grams
Carbs: 55 grams
Fat: 5 grams
Picture courtesy of Food Network
Here’s a smart way to serve your overnight oats. Cut a cantaloupe in half, scoop out the seeds, and fill it up with the refrigerated oats you prepared the day before.
Then you have an edible breakfast bowl with fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. If you’re not in the mood for blueberries, try other summer fruits like kiwi, peaches, or strawberries. Or just go for good ol’ fashioned vanilla oats.
Serves 2
Ingredients
1/2 cup quick oats
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
1 Tbsp. pure honey
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cantaloupe
1/2 cup blueberries
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Calories: 298
Protein: 13 grams
Carbs: 44 grams
Fat: 10 grams
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Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!
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That means you can say “yes” now and decide later. You really have nothing to lose.
Many companies use shipping and handling fees to increase their profit margins, but here at Legion, we hate profits, so our shipping is free!
Okay, so we do dig on profits, but we also go in for happy customers, and free shipping works like gangbusters. So, if you’re outside the USA, your order ships free when it’s over $199.
Why the restriction on international orders? Unfortunately, shipping abroad is very expensive, and if we didn’t require a minimum order size, we’d lose a lot of money. But! We're also hustling to improve our international logistics and will be passing our savings along to our international customers.
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