Back-to-School Breakfast...Featuring Banana Cream Pie Overnight Oats #backtoschool #overnightoats #nocookbreakfast #kidfriendly #healthyanddelicious

 

It's back-to-school time in Texas...with kids all across the country heading back to the classroom in the next few weeks. That means busy parents need quick, healthy breakfast options. Enter overnight oats! If you're new to this chilled oatmeal experience, now's a great time to give them a try. A few minutes of prep time before bed...and you've got a hearty, delicious breakfast ready for the next morning. Saving time is a lifesaver on hectic weekday mornings! 

I've been tweaking nutritionist Joy Bauer's ultra creamy Banana Cream Pie Overnight Oats recipe for the past few years. It's a keeper! This recipe uses staple ingredients I always have on hand in my kitchen. After hanging out in the fridge overnight, breakfast literally takes a minute or two to assemble the next morning. For maximum banana flavor, make sure you use a **very ripe** banana for this recipe -- it provides a perfect amount of natural sweetness to the finished oatmeal. If you're not a fan of cold oatmeal, simply warm the chilled oatmeal in the microwave for a minute or two before topping and serving.

Banana Cream Pie Overnight Oats

adapted from Joy Bauer's Superfood 

Ingredients (makes one serving -- but is easily multiplied to serve more people):

• 1 very ripe banana, peeled and mashed
• 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese [NOTE: I use Good Culture Low-Fat Classic]
• 1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk -- or other milk of choice
• 1/3 cup uncooked old-fashioned oats
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 1 Tbs. chia seeds
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• Suggested toppings: sliced banana, toasted nuts, shredded coconut, honey, or agave

Directions:

Step 1: Microwave the mashed banana in a bowl for about 30 seconds. Remove from microwave, and add cottage cheese. Stir until the ingredients are well combined. The mixture will be a bit lumpy from the cottage cheese curds, but this is normal.

Step 2: Add the unsweetened almond milk, oats, vanilla and almond extracts, cinnamon, and chia seeds. Stir everything together until combined. Spoon the oatmeal into a container -- a small mason jar or covered plastic container works perfect!  The oatmeal mixture will look very thin, but it thickens up nicely as it chills in the fridge. Cover and refrigerate **at least** 6 hours. Overnight is perfect. 

Step 3:  The next morning, top the chilled oatmeal with your preferred toppings. My favorite combination is sliced banana, chopped pecans, and a drizzle of raw honey.  

This overnight oats recipe is so creamy and decadent that even picky eaters will never suspect how healthy it is! Because the banana is mashed into the oatmeal base, every bite is bursting with banana flavor. I especially love the textural contrast provided by the crunchy pecans. 

The nutrition facts for this oatmeal are excellent: each serving provides a whopping 21 grams of filling protein and 10 grams of fiber. When people ask about the texture of chilled overnight oats, I tell them it's similar to creamy rice pudding. Overnight oats are an ideal way to enjoy oatmeal during warmer months. One taste, and I was immediately hooked!