Protein Packed Overnight Oats
Ah, the versatile oat - from oat flour to oat milk, oats have infiltrated our kitchens. I’m not complaining!
For those of you who are just here for the recipe, scroll on. If you want to know more about why I use these ingredients specifically, read on.
Oats have many documented benefits. There are many styles of oats and the way they are processed does change the way our body uses them. For this recipe, we are using rolled oats. Rolled oats are low glycemic load, high in dietary fibre, contain adequate amounts of protein, and are naturally low in fat. They are rich in essential minerals including manganese, phosphorus, selenium, zinc, copper. The consumption of rolled oats is associated with better heart health, gut health and blood glucose control. We will also be using a protein powder which will help keep you full for longer and unsweetened soy milk for the added protein, calcium and vitamin D. Chia seeds will also make an appearance in this recipe. These tiny seeds pack a major health punch! They contain a surprising amount antioxidants, minerals, soluble fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids support heart health by reducing inflammation, improving blood lipid profiles thereby lowering the risk of cardiovascular diseases. There will be some optional ingredients such as erythritol which marketed as “Monk Fruit Sweetener… but its actually not, or if you can’t get your hands on that, coconut sugar which is low glycemic load, cocoa, cinnamon, nuts, other seeds, berries and fruits.
Scared of soy? Don’t be! Soy does not contain estrogen and the soy we eat is organic or non-GMO. Soy does contain phytoestrogens which can actually be cardio-protective and can play a role in weight loss. All plants contain phytoestrogens, as the word suggests, in varying degrees. I hate to break it to everyone but beer(hops) has some of the strongest phytoestrogens… about 50x the strength of the phytoestrogens in soy but I don’t see anyone calling for a ban on beer.
Remember, to determine what your daily calorie budget is for the day before deciding how many servings of these oats to have. I am going to provide you with the total number of calories in this recipe which for me, makes 4 servings. If you have a bigger appetite, then it makes 3 servings… even bigger appetite, it makes 2. This is why I give you the calories for the entire recipe rather than the “per serving” amount because this give you the power to choose if you will eat 100% of the calories in one meal or 25% of the calories in 1 meal.
I have used a protein which contains 110 kcal per scoop and has 21 grams of protein. This is a powder plain in flavour because I wanted to prepare 4 different options and using a plain protein allows me to mix it up when its time to serve them.
The total number of calories in the plain recipe is 957kcal. This means it’s only 240kcal if you eat 1/4 of the recipe. That allows for a ton of delicious toppings! If you’re not a huge fan of oats like me, toppings are a lifesaver!
INGREDIENTS
1.5 cups rolled oats(460kcal)
2 tbsp chia seeds (97kcal)
2 scoops protein powder (I suggest a blend using pea, rice, hemp or other beans but you can use whichever you like) (+220-320 kcal depending on which kind you use)
2 cups unsweetened soy milk (180kcal)
2 tbsp erythritol (0kcal) or coconut sugar (+90kcal for recipe)
STEP 1: COMBINING INGREDIENTS
First, add all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl, including rolled oats, chia seeds and protein powder (vanilla, chocolate or plain).
STEP 2: STIRRING
Stir well to distribute ingredients evenly. Then, stir in unsweetened milk and the optional sweetener of choice (I like to use erythritol to keep the calories low)
STEP 3: SOAKING OVERNIGHT
Transfer the oats to a container with a lid and place it in the fridge overnight.
Pro tip: give the mixture a quick stir 1 hour after being placed in the fridge to prevent the chia seeds from migrating to the bottom of the container
STEP 4: SERVING THE NEXT DAY
The next day, serve the overnight oats recipe with toppings of choice.
Options: use one or all of the suggestions but keep the nut portions to less than 1 oz if you’re looking to keep the calories low… to put that into context, its about 4.5 walnut halves (180-ish calories… the nut discussion is more complex but for now, just keep it to 1 oz per meal, max)
Chocolate protein powder: I suggest more cacao, banana, shredded coconut, hazelnuts, raspberries or cherries (frozen fruit is fine, just let it sit for a few minutes to soften)
Vanilla or plain protein powder: I suggest raspberry, blueberries, peach, cherries, apple, pear shredded coconut, walnuts, pecans, flax seeds, cinnamon, ginger, shredded carrot… the list really does go on.
If you are trying to keep the calories low, keep the recipe simple and add only fruit to your meal.