And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees,
I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again
with the summer
~ F. Scott Fitzgerald
~~~~~~~~~~~~
We welcomed the first day of summer up at the lake this past weekend. We didn’t see much of the sun but it didn’t matter.
Unplugged (no internet, not even a phone) we built camp fires, played multiple contentious rounds of boggle and worked in some mandatory family poker: five card draw, Kings and Little Ones, is my game. There was plenty of swimming too — our golden won’t have it any other way.
I’m not sure there’s a place on earth I would rather be in the summertime than this simple stretch of unspoiled rural Ontario. Where local farmers still know something about raising animals and the drivers customarily wave every time they pass you by (a basic human civility that is so uncommon in the city, it still manages to make me blush). And those old gravel roads, the hallmark of country nostalgia, that wind their way into every corner without a beginning or an end. The further you go, the longer the journey becomes. I have walked these roads for hours at dawn without arriving at a single destination. I like it that way. Loose and undefined in my mind.
Strawberry Chia Overnight Oats (Vegan, Gluten Free)
Author: Kelly
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup (80 mL) 100% whole grain gluten-free oatmeal
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) chia seed
- ½ cup (125 mL) fresh local strawberries, sliced or chopped (reserve a couple slices for topping)
- ⅓ banana, sliced
- 2 Tbsp (30 mL) almonds or walnuts (or nut of choice)
- 1 cup (250 mL) milk beverage of choice (almond, hemp, brown rice, soy, coconut, for example)
- 1 tsp (5 mL) pure vanilla extract
- Drizzle (2.5 mL) of agave nectar or pure maple syrup
Instructions
- Place oatmeal, chia seeds, sliced banana and sliced strawberry together in a bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk together milk and vanilla and pour milk mixture over oat-chia mixture, stirring to combine.
- Place oat-chia mixture in fridge overnight. In the morning, remove bowl from fridge and top with almond or walnut and another couple slices of strawberry. You can also add additional fluid (milk beverage) if you like at this stage and a drizzle of agave or pure maple syrup.
- If you prefer to soak your nuts (almond or walnut) for digestibility, simply add them to the oat-chia mixture overnight rather than adding them in the morning.
Notes
Nutrition Profile: Chia seeds offer plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, fibre, antioxidants and an impressive array of minerals. Unlike flaxseed, chia does not have to be ground to be bioavailable (ie: to be absorbed and usable by the body). Flaxseed has a similar nutrition profile to chia (with slightly less fibre, omega-3s and minerals per serving) but flaxseed has the added benefit of containing lignans - plant compounds believed to be protective of breast health - which chia does not. Chia is more expensive than flaxseed but due to the highly concentrated nature of its nutrients on a gram per gram basis, a small amount of chia goes a long way. You can find chia seed at any health food store and many larger grocery stores.
Oatmeal & Gluten: Pure oatmeal does not contain gluten. If you have contamination concerns, you can seek out certified 'gluten-free' oatmeal.
Oatmeal & Gluten: Pure oatmeal does not contain gluten. If you have contamination concerns, you can seek out certified 'gluten-free' oatmeal.
Don’t have strawberry. Can I use bluberry instead.??
Tha6
hi! i was just wondering if we need to stir the oat and milk mixture before putting it in the fridge?? Thanks for the delicious recipe!!
it’s a good idea, yes! I hope you enjoy this recipe Elsie and that it brings a smile to your morning, thanks for dropping by :)
great recipe
What a great summer overnight oats recipe, Thank you. Great for our Oz Summer heatwave over here at the moment.
It’s a little high in calories thanks to the Chia. But the Chia is an excellent addition to oats as it swells and makes you even fuller for longer.
This is on my breakfast menu.
Question for you – What size jars do you use?
Is there a calorie count for just oatmeal and chia plus a little honey
Thanks Kelly
Excellent recipe that incorporates soaking nuts right into the procedure!
Soaking nuts in plant milk (or water) for digestibility is such an excellent idea, but being able to do it effortlessly at the same time as creating overnight oatmeal with chia seeds is even better.
To the calorie-concerned commentor, the sweetener can be left out if the banana is blended into the milk (in the blender) first, then used to soak everything. The banana sweetens the milk enough that most people don’t feel they need an additional sweetener. (as you mentioned, those do raise the calories) Bananas are only about 105 calories each so they can also still have the tasty slices.
I love it
Hello! I’m curious how long this would last in the fridge?
Hi Shelbie, the short answer is I don’t know how long these particular ingredients would last; I’ve not done the experiment myself beyond one day. The research seems to indicate up to 5 days with overnight oats but I’m not sure the texture – overly mushy – and ingredient integrity – especially the fruit – would do that well. My best guess would be the 2 day range but I would love to hear how you make out if you give it a try. You could leave the fruit out until the end (just top with fruit when ready to serve) but you would also need to play around with adjusting the amount of milk in that case to get the same gelling factor.
I just made this for the first time and my 4-year-old boys and I all loved it. They are asking me if we can make this every day. Thank you for the parenting win!
Cathy, thank you for making my day! There is nothing more gratifying as a wellness blogger than knowing you are making an impact on peoples lives and, as a Mom of two boys, your note also touched my heart. I love parenting wins too :) thank you so much for taking the time to drop by; I greatly appreciate your support. Have a lovely Sunday.
This looks so good! I was wondering how many calories this recipe would be?
Hi Allie, please see my response directly below
So this is delicious…but it clocks in at almost 600 calories per serving!!! Is this ok? Are the chia seeds not fully counted in calories?? Of do you not consider calories when eating a whole food diet?
Hi Rebecca, I’m so pleased to hear that you’re enjoying this recipe. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to have a general idea of calorie intake even when sourcing from nourishing whole food ingredients. Ideal caloric intake for meals will depend on a number of factors including age, stage of life, goals and activity levels. There are approximately 130 calories in 2 Tbsp of chia – when added to the oatmeal, milk, straw/banana and sliced almonds, you are looking in the range of 390 calories (if you use sweetener in addition to the fruit, you would add that to calorie count). I hope this helps – thank you again for dropping by.
Great post & recipe!
I live in Georgia, southern USA.
Any suggestions for vacationing in Canada, Ontario? What time of the year is best? Have been to British Columbia, but would like to visit Ontario.
Thanks,
Wes
Hi Wes, do you have a preference for urban or country settings? any particular activities in mind? cheers.
Can I print the recipe?
Hi Margaret, you should be able to print the recipe now by clicking the print function right below the small photo in the recipe card. Thanks for dropping by, I hope you enjoy these breakfast oats.
Just found your blog, wonderful
What do you think of putting the finished product in the microwave, I like my oatmeal warm?
Thanks
Hi Peggy, thanks so much. Absolutely, I find the overnight oats chilled in the fridge works especially well during those hot/humid summer months but you could give them a warm up in the microwave before enjoying – the other thing you might want to consider is slow cooker overnight oats — you will wake up to a beautiful fragrant kitchen and warm oatmeal :)
Thank you for your reply Kelly, I tried that is was wonderful!!
YUM. Just put mine in the fridge for tomorrows breakfast, so excited :D
yay! thanks so much for dropping by Allie ~ hope you enjoyed and happy holiday Monday :)
Can’t wait to try these recipes!
HI Robin, your lovely note must have come in while I was on holidays. I hope you enjoy this overnight oatmeal if you give it a try. Cheers and thank you for taking the time to write.
Lovely. Your writing reminds me of Walt Whitman.
Gorgeous pictures Kelly! The sunset picture definitely presents the feel of the lake environment. Walking to nowhere was what I loved about backpacking and hiking. The only destination was a lake or a stream or just an opening in the forest next to a stream to throw a tent. Definitely at peace. I am really surprised to see that this method doesn’t require any cooking at all. What a great way to have oatmeal in the summer. It’s cold and healthy. We don’t eat oatmeal in the summer because we don’t like a hot breakfast with the heat we’re having. So you just handed me the solution for having oatmeal in the summer! It looks delicious! Thanks!!!!
Isn’t it great to step away from electronics for a bit? It looks like you had a beautiful spot to re-charge! How wonderful :)
I’m looking forward to giving this one a go- I have all of the ingredients right in my kitchen! I love when that happens. Thanks for sharing this lovely, healthy recipe. I think my little ones will like it too (always looking for new ways to feed them!) xx
This looks amazing. I’m obsessed with chia seeds. And as a foodie, I’m ashamed to say this, but I’ve never made overnight oats! Gasp. This would be perfect to take to work. I work at a fitness studio, and sometimes I have to open the place at 5:30 in the morning. Having something waiting for me in the fridge would save me prep time in the morning!
You had me at The Great Gatsby quote. :). What a beautiful retreat you have.
Kelly, your weekend sounds like a huge success and a well merited rest. For now at least I wouldn’t like to live in the country, but it’s always a nice change to spend several days in the nature and observe people live completely different life from the city dwellers.
I’m not sure but I think your oats are what the Swiss consider as typically Swiss breakfast dish “birchermuesli”. As much as I love oats, I have always preferred them crunchy but your refreshing breakfast looks gorgeous!
Oh that does look ever so peaceful Kelly, I love the photo of the boat. We’re heading up north this weekend, leaving on Thursday night in fact. I’m hoping it’s not going to be as hot, but I am looking forward to that wonderful peacefulness that overcomes me when I’m up there…forced to do nothing (well, maybe a little bit of blogging).
This oatmeal dish looks so fresh and tasty. what great breakfast or even snack! Hope you’re having a lovely day.
Eva http://kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com
This dish is as beautiful as the words you used to describe the lake. I would absolutely love to have a place on the lake one day. I spent some time at a family friend’s place on the lake several times when I was younger and it was so perfect. Sleeping on the beach and waking up with the sun, plenty of water-skiing and roasting marshmallows, BBQ’s, and exploring the surrounding area…it always sticks out in my mind. I’m glad you got to get away for the weekend! I hope you enjoy many more weekends there this summer kelly! Thanks for the breakfast idea, too!!
Sounds like a perfect weekend! I love soaked oatmeal for breakfast. This version is a powerhouse of nutrients. What a great recipe. In my neck of the woods the wild strawberries are just coming into season now. Perfect timing.
Kelly, your writing is breathtaking. Effortless and exquisite. As for this recipe, I don’t think I have ever seen a more beautiful and luminous oatmeal. Love your photos (the one your son took is so peaceful). Thank you for the continuous inspiration.
Still on the road quick hello to say I loved this post particularly the photo of the lake
My husband loves oatmeal with fruits for the dinner! This is a perfect recipe, Kelly.
It sounds like your vacation spot is absolutely perfect :) The picture
of the lake is so relaxing and soothing, as is the way you describe the
beauty of finding real peace and quiet.
This breakfast is just
what I needed to see. I have been neglecting breakfast for a while now
and your overnight oats have given me so much inspiration. This is
exactly the type of breakfast I need to start making again!!!