• 2 cups old fashioned rolled or steel oats

  • 6 cups water

  • 2 tablespoon coconut oil or unsalted butter

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 2 cups milk (almond milk, soy milk, oat milk, recommended)

• 1 cup Greek yogurt (or 1/2 extra cup of milk)

• 2-4 teaspoons maple syrup, honey, or agave (optional)

• 4 teaspoons chia seeds or flax seeds (recommended)

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (recommended)

• pinch or two of sea salt or similar

• toppings:

  • fruit

  • peanut butter

  • chocolate chips

  • nuts

  • seeds

  • cinnamon

COOK OATS:

1. In a large saucepan, combine the water and milk. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat. In the meantime, melt the coconut oil (or butter) in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Once shimmering, add the oats and coconut oil to cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and fragrant, around 2 minutes. This toasting step greatly enhances the flavor of the oats.

2. Stir the oats into the simmering liquid. Reduce the heat to medium-low, adjusting as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is very thick.

3. Stir in the salt. Continue to simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally and reducing heat as necessary to prevent scorching on the bottom, until almost all of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. (If you doubled the recipe, oatmeal might need an extra 5 minutes cooking time here.) The oatmeal will be very creamy when it’s done.

PREP:

1. Add oats, milk, yogurt, maple syrup, chia seeds, vanilla and sea salt into a jar or storage container with a lid. Stir ingredients together. Place in the fridge overnight. If you’re in a rush you can shorten the soak time to 2-4 hours.

2. The next morning (or when ready to eat), remove lid and give oats a big stir. If they seem too thick you can add a little more milk to loosen the mixture. Top with your favorite toppings and enjoy. You can eat the oats straight from the jar or pour into a bowl for serving.

3. Stir 2-3 tablespoons of chocolate chips and/or peanut butter into mixture, if desired. 

4. Sprinkle with berries or other bite-sized fruits on top and enjoy!