Peanut Butter Banana Overnight Oatmeal

Looking for a healthy breakfast ? 
Overnight oatmeal can be highly nutritious, absolutely delicious and extremely convenient, and it doesn't even need to be cooked. You eat the oatmeal cold and creamy right out of the refrigerator- a plus during the summer when the weather is so hot!





Convenience and taste are not the only reasons overnight oatmeal is so popular.

Oats are healthy and may provide many desired health benefits: 

1. They may help lower cholesterol
2. They are high in antioxidants
3. They are high in fiber
4. They may help stabilize blood sugar
5. Assist with blood pressure
6. They contain a good amount of vitamins and minerals

Doctors often recommend including oatmeal as part of a healthy diet.

You can turn ordinary oatmeal into a power bowl by choosing add ins that boost the nutritional benefits.

Choose seeds of your choice

For example try hemp seeds, chia seeds, walnuts, blueberries, kiwi,  black strap molasses, honey, almond milk, dates, fruit, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric,  etc. Just about anything you like can be added to your overnight oatmeal. 

I once heard someone say you can choose health or choose convenience.
With overnight oatmeal bowls , you can have both!

It couldn't be simpler. Just put some oats into a bowl or wide mouth jar, add almond milk, fruit, raisins, nuts, chia seeds, hemp seeds, add some mashed banana or chopped dates and soak overnight. In the morning you will have the best surprise.

One of the things I hate about cooking oatmeal is having to wash the sticky pan. With overnight oats, you get all the taste and all the nourishment without the mess.

So if you have been wanting to add oatmeal to your diet , but hate to cook it- this may work for you!
It's easy and you can make it so many ways. In the past I've made Overnight Apple Pie Oatmeal and blackberry refrigerator oatmeal.

If you are gluten free, it is imperative that you buy gluten free certified oats. Read this article:
Are oats gluten free?

Recipe for Peanut butter banana overnight oatmeal

Ingredients: 
1/2 cup of gluten free oats ( I get mine at Trader Joe's)
1/2 mashed ripe banana
1 Tablespoon peanut butter or peanut butter powder
3/4  cup of almond milk, coconut milk, or Ripple ( derived from peas and high in protein and a little creamier than almond milk )
1/2 tsp chia seeds
1/2 tsp hemp seeds
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Optional: If you are not vegan add 1/4 cup of Greek Yogurt- or if vegan try coconut yogurt

Directions: 
Place the oats in a small cereal bowl or small wide mouth Mason Jar. Mix in mashed banana, peanut butter, nut milk, chia seeds, hemp seeds, cinnamon- refrigerate overnight. Enjoy in the morning.

My Notes: 

Be careful when purchasing gluten free oats-

***Shirley of Gluten Free Easily left this important comment regarding gluten free oats: ***
"Beautiful recipe! Actually it is imperative that those who eat gluten free for medical reasons eat certified gluten-free purity protocol oats. "Certified gluten free" does not necessarily equal purity protocol oats and accurate testing of gluten in oats is extremely challenging. There are many that have gotten glutened by "certified gluten-free oats." They must be certified gluten-free purity protocol oats. There are not that many oat providers that fit this criteria. Gluten-Free Watchdog has a listing here: http://bit.ly/ppoats

1. I like to add 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric and a shake of black pepper to my overnight oats for the added health benefits and although it changes the color, it doesn't change the taste much.

2. Why black pepper? As high as turmeric is in antioxidants that do wonders for the body, turmeric is actually very low in bioavailability ( the amount a nutrient can be absorbed by the body) black pepper can help increase the bioavailability of turmeric by 2000 percent- so it is always advisable to add some black pepper when eating turmeric.