Banana Overnight Oats

These banana overnight oats are as close to eating banana cream pie for breakfast as you can get while still have a healthy and nutritious meal. They consist of an oatmeal base, a creamy banana layer, and nutty topping.

If you’re a fan of breakfast for dessert, this is the recipe for you. This overnight oatmeal is sweet and creamy, but still packed with enough energy and nutrients to keep you full all the way to lunch.

How to Make Banana Overnight Oats

This overnight oatmeal has three major components:

• Base: mix rolled oats and almond milk.
• Creamy filling: combine yogurt, mashed banana, a splash of vanilla and a teaspoon of maple syrup.
• Crunchy topping: sprinkle the creamy filling with chopped walnuts, and drizzle it with a teaspoon of maple syrup.

If you're completely new to the world of overnight oatmeal, check out this quick guide on how to make overnight oats.

Which Oats Should I Use?

Most often, overnight oatmeal is made with rolled oats, but you can also use quick oats or even, in certain recipes, steel cut oats. Here’s a quick breakdown of the most common types of oats:

• Rolled oats, also known as regular or old-fashioned oats, are made when oat groats are steamed and then rolled into flakes. When used for overnight oats, they result in a creamy but still chewy texture.
• Quick oats, also known as instant oats, are a step further from rolled oats. They’re steamed longer and rolled into thinner flakes, which results in a fluffier texture. These only require 30 minutes of soaking, and can be cooked in the microwave in just one to two minutes. If you leave them soaking overnight, they will turn out very mushy, almost pudding like.
• Steel cut oats, sometimes also called  Irish oatmeal, act and look a bit differently. They are not rolled, but cut into small pieces, which makes them a lot coarser and harder to cook. If you’re looking for an overnight steel cut oats recipe, I recommend these coconut overnight oats.

What Kind of Yogurt Should I Use?

This recipe works great with any type of yogurt, dairy or non-dairy. If you use Greek yogurt, the consistency may be a bit thicker in the morning. In that case, simply add a splash of milk (my go-to choice is almond milk) before you dig in.

If you want to make your own vegan yogurt, here’s a recipe for homemade yogurt that is healthier, cheaper and tastier than store bought.

Are Overnight Oats Really Healthy?

These oats are high in protein, fibre, potassium and good-for-you fats. Plus, they’re gluten free and vegan friendly. This is mainly due to the following four ingredients:

• Oats: a great source of fibre, which makes this oatmeal filling and great for digestion.
• Yogurt: most yogurts, dairy and non dairy, are a great source of protein. Using probiotic yogurt (which I highly recommend) is extra beneficial for digestion.
• Banana: an excellent source of potassium, vitamins B6 and C.
• Walnuts: rich in antioxidants and omega-3 fats.

How Long Does It Keep?

Because of yogurt and mashed banana, these this overnight oatmeal will last in the fridge for two days tops.

If you want to meal-prep your breakfast for the week ahead, you can prepare the base (rolled oats + almond milk) for the whole week ahead, and add the creamy layer (yogurt + banana) the night before.

Possible Variations

• Use more or less sweetener to suit your taste. I recommend maple syrup, but you can also use agave or honey.
• Opt for pecans or roasted hazelnuts instead of walnuts to switch things up.
• Choose any kind of yogurt you want, dairy or non dairy. I tend to use soy because of its high protein content.
• Choose any kind of milk you want. I used almond milk because it has a very mild flavour, which makes the taste of other ingredients more prominent.

More Healthy & Delicious Overnight Oats

Click here for a complete list of overnight oats recipes.

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