Overnight Oats without the “Overnight” – This Instant Overnight Oats Base is the perfect quick and easy foundation for all of your favorite overnight oats flavors. It’s ready to utilize in only 1 hour!
If you were to cross traditional overnight oats with a chia pudding, the result would be these tasty chilled oats; They’re more creamy and less chewy due to the quantities of yogurt and chia seeds, though the key feature is the use of Quick Oats instead of Old Fashioned Rolled Oats. They absorb liquid much more quickly, readying them for your favorite toppings and mix-ins right away!
If you’ve never done overnight oats before, here are a few flavor ideas:
Stir all of the ingredients together in your container of choice
Cover and refrigerate for approximately 1 hour or until the oats and chia have sufficiently absorbed enough liquid (You will be able to tell, it will appear more solid)
Perfect for the autumn season (or any day really!), this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Baked Oatmeal is for anyone with a serious morning sweet tooth. The texture is that of a thick and creamy oatmeal, all overflowing with melty chocolate chips in a base of pumpkin and cinnamon fall flavor!
Due to the heavy chocolate presence, you only need the lightest drizzle of maple syrup and pinch of sea salt on top of your serving. It’s already quite sweet, but the flavors really pop with these light toppings!
The best part – All of the ingredients are mixed right in the pan!
Servings: About 5
Ingredients:
1 15 oz Can Pumpkin Puree (plain, not pumpkin pie mix)
1 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips (I used 54% Cacao)
Oil To Grease The Pan (I used Avocado Oil)
Maple Syrup And Sea Salt To Taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°
Lightly grease a 9×13 pan with the oil
Pour the pumpkin puree directly into the pan
Add the honey and evenly combine the two
Pour in the oats, oat milk, and greek yogurt, and stir everything until evenly combined
Add in the cinnamon and combine again
Add the chocolate chips and gently mix in
Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the liquid has absorbed and the top and edges look a bit more solid
Let cool to a safe temperature, and top each serving with maple syrup and (a pinch) of sea salt to taste
Enjoy!
[Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed container, or in the cooking dish itself if well-covered. To freeze, cut into pre-portioned amounts, store in a sealed freezer-safe container, then simply reheat in the microwave once ready to eat.]
Meal prep doesn’t get easier than this Greek Pasta Salad! Perfect for use as a ready-made side dish or main meal, this recipe takes only minutes to prepare and can last you all week long! The real best part is how customizable it is: If you have alternate vegetables you’d prefer to substitute, use them! If you want a bit more protein, add meat! If you enjoy extra cheese, add more feta. There are endless variations!
If experimenting in the kitchen isn’t your thing, fear not. I promise this particular ingredient combo will be a crowd-pleaser at your next summer cookout, potluck, or family dinner. No occasion? No problem! I love having this dish on hand for pre-made meals to go. It’s the perfect work lunch!
It’s packed with tons of colorful veggies for a nutrition bonus, and depending on the serving size the batch can stretch a long way!
Servings: 5 – 6 medium/large (or around 10 very small sides)
Cook the pasta according to the package instructions and then set aside to cool off
Chop up the tomatoes, peppers, and cucumber into bite-sized pieces
Using a very large bowl, coat the cooled pasta in half of the greek dressing (Cooled cooking pots or baking dishes work well too. Choose whatever you have on hand.)
Add the chopped veggies to the bowl
Add the black olives and feta to the bowl as well
Add the remaining dressing and toss until all is evenly mixed
Add sea salt and black pepper to taste
Garnish with fresh parsley
Enjoy!
[Leftovers can easily be stored sealed/covered in the refrigerator.]
If you’re looking to transform mac and cheese from a simple weeknight meal into a restaurant order copycat, I have the secret: A crispy breadcrumb topping! It makes all the difference!
This pasta bake is quick and easy with only simple ingredients needed. It’s also quite customizable. Should you have a preference to use a different type of cheese or vegetable, it can be made entirely your own.
That being said, I highly recommend this particular combination! The broccoli is very complimentary in both taste and texture, and there’s just the right amount of subtle kick from the pepper jack that really ties all of the flavors together.
The contrast of the crispy cheese and breadcrumb topping paired with the saucy pasta center makes this meal perfect to serve hot from the oven, but in a smaller household it can easily be stored as leftovers for readymade meals or sides in the days to follow. This recipe makes 6 servings, and whether you’re feeding a group or meal prepping for yourself, it’s designed to make the cooking as easy as possible. (Cue the cheese slices in lieu of shredding!)
Cook the broccoli (I microwaved from frozen), cut into small pieces, and set aside
STEP 2
COOK THE PASTA
Prepare the elbow pasta according to the package instructions. Be sure to rinse it with cold water once drained
STEP 3
CREATE THE SAUCE
While the pasta is cooking, in a wok/vessel of similar size, melt the butter
Stir the flour into the melted butter until evenly combined
Stir in the sea salt, half of the black pepper (about 5 rotations from the grinder), and the cayenne
Add in the oat milk and vegetable broth, cooking and stirring on medium heat until well blended
Melt in the 8 slices of cheddar, stirring until smooth
STEP 4
COMBINE THE FILLING ELEMENTS
Add the cooked pasta into the sauce
Add in the cooked broccoli pieces
Add in the other half of the black pepper (5 rotations from the grinder) and the paprika
Transfer into the greased baking dish
STEP 5
CREATE THE TOPPING
Tear the 2 muenster slices and the 2 pepper jack slices into small pieces, and evenly disperse over the top of the pasta
To follow, top with the bread crumbs
STEP 6
BAKE
Bake for around 17 minutes
To brown and crisp the top, broil for an additional 2 and 1/2 minutes. Rotate the pan, then broil a second time for 1 and 1/2 – 2 minutes (or until lightly browned)
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly
If desired, an additional sprinkle of salt can be added when serving
Enjoy!
[Leftovers can easily be stored in the refrigerator by simply covering up the cooking dish and storing it in there as is.]
