Bircher muesli-style overnight oats made with a grated apple, yogurt, raspberries and lots of fun mix-ins.
One of the things I love about January is that it’s the time for making big plans – and I absolutely love making plans. Doing the plans is a whole other matter, but that’s something for future me to worry about.
One of my plans for this year on the blog is to have a recipe ‘theme’ every month. Last year I greatly enjoyed making recipes loosely based on US states during the primaries. Since that roller coaster is over (thank goodness), and I have no intention of ever bringing it up again, I’ll have to think of a few other themes.
For January, the theme is… berries!
Since fresh berries seem to be out-of-season and/or overly expensive 360 days a year, most of this month’s recipes can be made with frozen or dried berries instead. But if you can get your hands on some fresh berries, then nothing beats a beautifully sweet and supple fresh raspberry.
To kick of this theme – and the new year – today’s recipe is one of my old favorites: overnight oats. This simple recipe is actually one of my absolute favorites, even though there’s no chocolate or pumpkin involved.
The reason why I love these overnight oats is because every bite is interesting. A grated apple, berries, shredded coconut, nuts and dried fruit gives every spoonful of these oats a fun mixture of textures. Creamy, crunchy, chewy – it’s all there.
For convenience (and budget friendliness), this breakfast can be made with fresh or frozen raspberries. And when it comes to the chopped nuts and dried fruit, feel free to use whatever you have on hand. I went with hazelnuts, raisins and – to continue the berry theme – dried cranberries.
This recipe makes two bowls because grating half an apple is a pain. But if you’re by yourself at breakfast time, then you can simply store the other bowl in the fridge for another morning – which gives future you one less thing to worry about.
Overnight oats generally last a couple of days in the fridge. If any apple juice or whey (from the yogurt) rises to the top, just give the oats a good stir and everything should be fine and dandy.
Fun Fact: Raspberries aren’t just red/pink – they can also be purple, black or gold.
- Overnight oats
- ⅔ cup rolled oats
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup Greek-style yogurt
- ⅔ cup apple juice or milk
- 1 apple, coarsely grated
- ½ cup fresh or frozen raspberries
Mix-ins and toppings- ¼ cup shredded coconut
- ¼ cup chopped nuts or seeds
- 2 - 4 tablespoons dried fruit
- Raspberries
- In a bowl or container, combine the rolled oats, chia seeds, cinnamon, vanilla extract, yogurt and apple juice (or milk). Add the grated apple, and mix until completely combined.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (or put the lid on the container) and leave in the fridge overnight.
- In the morning, stir approximately half of the shredded coconut, chopped nuts and dried fruit into the overnight oats. If the oats are too thick, also add a little extra milk.
- Divide the overnight oats between two bowls. Top with the remaining coconut, nuts and dried fruit, as well as some raspberries.
Plain, vanilla or raspberry Greek-style (i.e. thick) yogurt are all ideal for this recipe. If your yogurt is quite sour and/or you have a sweet tooth, you may wish to add a tablespoon of maple syrup or honey.
Chia seeds
The chia seeds can be omitted. If leaving out the chia seeds, reduce the apple juice or milk to ½ cup.
Gluten Free
To make this recipe gluten-free, use certified GF oats.
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