Cranberry Orange Overnight Oats

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Hello friends!

I’ve been eating these cranberry orange overnight oats on repeat lately. They are super healthy, easy to make and perfectly portable for mornings on the go. Made with oats, chia seeds, Greek yogurt, and a few other yummy ingredients, this recipe is full of fiber, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats to keep you satisfied and happy throughout your morning.

I’m sure it doesn’t come as any surprise to you that I eat oats for breakfast in some form nearly every day. But what might surprise you (well, if your last name is, or was, Hall, you will not be surprised) is that when I was growing up, I had a bad connotation of “oatmeal.” My Pa called it “goat-meal” or “gruel”, which kind of set the tone with us kids from the get-go. To him, it was only for babies, and hunting trips with his father. Why hunting trips? I’m not totally sure… I think my grandfather understood and appreciated the warmth, convenience, and “stick-to-your-ribs” power of oatmeal on cold, dark mornings in the woods. But it was certainly viewed more as a survival food rather than anything you actually wanted to eat. Consequently, we never ate oatmeal in my house when I was young, and I never wanted to try it.

My feelings toward it changed during my mid-20’s when I had an early-morning shift as a personal trainer. The early hours and physical work of that job made me appreciate, as my grandfather did, the warm and sustaining power of oatmeal. And I learned from a colleague that it could actually be delicious… you know you can add things to make it taste good, like cinnamon and honey, right?? Anyway, I have loved oatmeal ever since, in all its various forms.

When I’m in the Philippines, where the coolest it ever gets is maybe 75F on January mornings, I eat overnight oats much more more than hot cooked oats. I have many versions of it, but this cranberry orange flavor is one of my all-time favorites. When on the run, I mix it in a Mason jar with a lid and take it to go. But when I’m eating at home, I get a little fancy and top it all up with extra fruit (usually mango) and chopped walnuts. It’s so delicious I feel like I’m eating dessert for breakfast! But with 18 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber, it’s also one of the healthiest things you could choose.

What you’ll need:

• Oats: rolled or old-fashioned oats are the best to use for this recipe. “Quick-cooking” oats will soak up liquid very quickly and make your overnight oats a bit soggy
• Chia seeds: full of fiber and healthy fats, these little seeds help thicken your oats
• Greek yogurt: makes your oats creamy and adds protein to give it staying power
• Milk: I use soy milk, but you can also use dairy milk. (Note: soy milk is the plant-based milk with the highest amount of protein.)
• Vanilla protein powder (optional): I use a tablespoon to up the protein content a bit more, but feel free to leave it out if you don’t normally keep it in the house
• Honey or maple syrup (optional): if you use protein powder, you probably won’t need additional sweetener
• Cinnamon: for yummy warm flavor
• Dried cranberries: these little guys add so much sweetness and a nice texture to your oats
• Orange juice & zest: it does take a bit more time to zest and juice half an orange for this recipe, but in my opinion, totally worth it for the flavor elevation!
• Cardamom (optional): don’t run out and buy cardamom if you don’t already have it, but trust me when I say it adds a whole new and irresistible flavor dimension!

Making it is super simple- just gather all your ingredients and mix away! The only thing I’m careful about is to mix the cinnamon & protein powder into the dry oats before adding everything else. This prevents any tiny clumps from happening. Feel free to adjust the amount of milk according to how thick you like your oats. When everything is well-mixed, cover it and put it in the fridge for 4 hours or overnight. That’s it! These also heat well, so if you’re still in the midst of winter, just microwave them in a bowl for about 1 minute.

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. It’s a far cry from the “goat-meal” of my childhood memories. Cheers, friends!