Easy, Healthy Overnight Oats Recipes By Dubai Dietician, Baraa El Sabbagh

All Your Oats Questions Answered

Are you struggling with preparing your healthy breakfast overnight oats? For some, this skill comes as second nature. They get a perfect mixture every time! However, there are others that can’t quite get the ratio of milk to oats right or the consistency doesn’t come out great. 

I wouldn’t be your friendly neighborhood Dubai dietician if I didn’t share some secrets to make your overnight oats restaurant quality, each time! 

Ever since I moved to Dubai in 2017, life has been about making things happen by saving time in different areas of my life, especially meal prep for both my husband and I.

Overnight Oats: It’s The Breakfast That Keeps On Giving

Preparing overnight oats has been a lifesaver because we literally prepare 3-4 jars for each one of us, so we no longer have to think about healthy breakfast ideas everyday. Thankfully, I have friends like @upcloseandhealthy to send me recipes for amazing and healthy overnight oats to keep things interesting! I share the recipe below as well. It makes 3 servings, which is perfect if you want to put them all in one jar or split it among 3 jars for the week.

Three to four days of the same breakfast might sound a little crazy and boring to some of you. But the secret is with the toppings and spices you add to your different jars. I'm sharing a few recipes and tips with you below, as well as the basic recipe for overnight nights, so keep scrolling!

I have so many other meal prep hacks that I think you'll love and guarantee it'll make the whole process so much easier!

Let’s Start With The Basics

Before we get into the benefits of this wonderfully nutritious breakfast option, let’s talk a bit about what overnight oats are. They’re a mix of dry oats with a liquid, like milk. You keep them soaked overnight in the fridge. Why do we prefer it like that?

It’s a great way to add variety to your breakfast, they’re a super healthy breakfast option and preparing them helps you save a lot of time, so you can prepare them all on Saturday night (Sunday is the first day of the week in Dubai, if you live in the Middle East, you know what I’m talking about.) 

How Do I Store Overnight Oats?

Did you know overnight oats can last 3 to 4 days in the fridge? But only if they’re in an airtight container. That means you can make a batch for part of the week and you won’t have to worry about what you’ll be having for a healthy breakfast. 

One of The Healthiest Breakfast Choices

Second best thing about overnight oats is they’re dietician approved! That’s right, not only is this recipe super good and filling, it’s actually one of the breakfasts I provide in my nutrition plans to my clients in Dubai and all over the world. Oats are filled with fiber and when you add on fruits, chia seeds, and protein powder to it, you’re getting all the important food groups in one big, tasty bowl!

What Oats Should I Use?

Third point brings us to the type of oats you should be buying. Whether it’s steel cut oats, rolled oats, whole oats, instant oats, groat oats, the nutrition is all the same and the benefits are all there. All types of oats are whole grain and contain amazing amounts of fiber. The only difference will be the texture and the cooking method as steel cut oats take longer to cook than rolled oats for example. I personally love the rolled oats. Rolled oats give that creamy but smooth, chewy texture, whereas my husband likes the texture of the quick oats. Both of them work very well with overnight oats, so the choice goes back to you! 

Stay clear of the “instant” oats, these are the ones that you might find in a small one-serving packages ready-to-go. They usually include sugar and other ingredients that you want to stay away from. 

Hot, Cold, Whatever You Like

The great thing about overnight oats is you can have them whichever way you like: hot or cold. My favorite way is by opening the jar in the morning, giving it a quick stir, adding my favorite toppings, and eating them chilled straight from the fridge. 

But let’s say you made the oats the night before (check the recipes below) you wanted them for breakfast and you placed them in the fridge overnight. What if you decide you want them warm again in the morning? It’s super easy, just reheat your mixture over the stove or in the microwave. You might need to add a splash of milk before heating it up just to make sure it doesn’t get too try. There are no rules when it comes to preferences. 

Will The Overnight Oats Lose Nutritional Value by Storing them in the Fridge for 5 Days?

Oats, milk, chia seeds don’t lose value when stored in the fridge. Other cooked foods might lose value when they’re stored for longer than that in the fridge. 

When Should I Add The Toppings to My Overnight Oats?

This is my favorite part since the topping options won’t bore you of your healthy breakfast. If you mix in your toppings when you prepare oats, they might get soggy, just like oats, because of the liquid. You could add bananas, blueberries, and almonds the night before, but some people like their toppings fresh and crisp. So when to add the toppings also depends on your preference. 

The Role of Chia Seeds, Flaxseeds, & Spices

People tend to get all kinds of fancy with their oats, but you can simply make it with oats and milk and you’re set. That’s exactly how I make mine most of the time. 

But sometimes, I like to mix things up while preparing my overnight oats, which is when I use chia seeds, flaxseeds, or spices like cinnamon or cocoa powder. 

Chia seeds: These are a great addition to your overnight oats as they help thicken the mixture. Just make sure to add them the night before, that way they have enough time to plump up and absorb the extra liquid.  

Flaxseeds: We’re talking ground flaxseeds, they have loads of benefits, you can mix in 1-2 teaspoon into your oats to get the omega-3 benefits from it and it gives the oats that nutty flavor and helps thicken the oats as well. Give it a try and see if you like it! 

Spices: Add cinnamon and cocoa powder to really take the flavor to the next level. One of the secrets to not getting bored from your meal prep for overnight oats for the week is changing up the spices in each one. Just add anywhere from a teaspoon to a tablespoon to your jar depending on how intense you like the flavor and tada! You have a delicious yet different tasting version of your healthy overnight oats. 

Basic Overnight Oats Recipe

Ingredients 

• Half a cup of old fashioned rolled oats (or instant or steel cut oats)
• Half a cup of milk of choice (almond, coconut, soy, full fat, or skimmed)
• 1 teaspoon chia seeds
• ½ teaspoon of cinnamon

Instructions

• Just combine the two ingredients and give them a stir.
• Place in airtight container and keep in fridge overnight!

Optional topping ideas (it’s better to add the fruits right before eating so they don’t get too soggy)

• Strawberries
• Bananas
• Dates
• Peanut or almond butter 
• Chia seeds
• Homemade granola 
• Shredded coconut 
• Nuts: almonds, walnuts
• Protein powder 

*Note: The more solid ingredients added, the more liquid you need.*

Peanut butter & Chia Jelly Healthy Overnight Oats

Servings: 3

Ingredients for overnight oats

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1 cup nut milk of choice (I used oat)
• 1 tablespoon of chia seeds
• 2 small strawberries chopped
• 1 heaped tablespoon peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons raspberry chia jam
• 1/2 teaspoon honey (optional)

Ingredients for chia jam

• 300 grams raspberries
• 1/2 cup chia seeds
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey

 To make chia jam

• Place ingredients in a pot and smash till the juice comes out.
• Place on medium heat and stir till soft and more of the juice comes out.
• Then add the juice of ½ lemon & 2 tbsp honey.
• Increase heat and stir till thickened.
• Remove from heat and fold in the chia seeds.
• Mix well. If it’s not a jam consistency, add more chia.
• Remember it will thicken more once cooled.
• Store in an airtight container in the fridge. 

To make the overnight oats

• Mix all the ingredients together in a jar and store overnight.
• Then scoop out 3 heaped tbsp oat mix and layer chia jam and 1 tsp of peanut butter on top.

Nutritional Information For Peanut Butter Chia Overnight Oats

Serving of overnight oats (with layers as above):

370 Kcal
40 grams carbs
9 grams protein
20 grams fat

Till Next Time, Team!

Thanks for checking out this healthy recipe guys, whether you’re in Dubai or elsewhere in the world, I encourage you to check out my website for a chance to learn more about living the best life you can. I’ve got an exciting 8 week program that includes both nutrition and exercise plans for your transformation. Check it out! 

For more overnight oat recipes, deliciously nutritious desserts, and other healthy breakfast ideas, check out:

• Cocoa blueberry oat
• Healthy chocolate fudge brownie 
• Chewy chocolate chip cookie 
• Better & healthier than Nutella spread
• No bake healthy chocolate nut bar