You guys know by now that I love being in the kitchen. Honestly, most days I look forward to peeling off my work clothes and popping an apron over my head.
But there are definitely days, especially now that I’m pregnant, that I just need something super fast and easy to make.
Because of that, I definitely have a stockpile of quick and easy meals (you could also call them ‘semi-homemade’ or ‘meals in a snap’) that I keep on hand for days when I just need not to think through multiple steps before bringing spoon (or fork!) to mouth.
So I wanted to start highlighting some of my favorite super fast meal ideas for you guys so that you can have them on hand for those days when you just can’t bear to deal with a long and involved meal (but don’t want to resort to takeout!).
Overnight oats is definitely one of those meals for me. I love this meal in part because you can prepare it the night before and when you wake up in the morning, you have a delicious, satisfying meal waiting in the fridge for you!
It’s suuuuper easy to pull together and can really be customized into any flavor you like which is another big win for it in my book. By adding different fruits, nut butters, sweeteners (like honey or maple syrup) and toppings, you can make it into whatever you happen to be craving at the moment.
For me, right now, that happens to be cherries. I was joking with my husband the other day saying that I think cherry addiction is real. And I think I have it.
I honestly can’t go a day without at least a couple cherries. It helps that they’ve also been fairly affordable this summer too (Trader Joe’s sells them for $3.99! And not $3.99/lb, just straight up $3.99!). I used frozen for this dish (mainly because I didn’t want to deal with having to pit them!) but you can use any type of fresh or frozen fruit you like! Then all that’s left to do is pull it out of the fridge in the morning, top it with any additional toppings you want (granola, coconut flakes, nuts…the list goes on!) and you’ve got yourself a hearty, balanced meal!
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup oatmeal
- 1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup soymilk (or milk of your choice)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1/2 cup fruit of your choice
- Optional add-ins: nut butter
- Optional toppings: nuts, maple syrup, honey, more nut butter
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine oatmeal, yogurt, milk and chia seeds together, stirring until well combined (note, if you want to include nut butter, include that here)
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and pop in the fridge for at least 1 hour (overnight is best!)
- Pull out, uncover and top with your favorite fruit and additional toppings (note, if you're doing a parfait with frozen fruit defrost separately so excess water doesn't throw off proportions and add in the morning!)
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