RECIPE: Overnight Oats "Princess Diana" by Darren McGrady
While I was living out of a suitcase, I could not always make baked oatmeal. I wanted to have a quick breakfast that I could eat without draining the supply of breakfast foods of my host families. Before I had begun my nomadic life, the recipe for "Princess Diana Overnight Oats" came up on my email feed. I tried it out, following the recipe fairly closely, and the result was quite tasty. The link is below, so you will have the exact recipe by Diana's chef, Darren McGrady. I have some variations, which I list below the link.
This breakfast is probably the most simple you can make, but the trick is to remember to make it the night before! Here are my adjustments:
-Oats: I use either rolled oats ("old fashioned") or quick cooking type. Steel cut oats do not work.
-Liquid: any type of liquid will work. If I want to reduce calories, I use water. The ratio I use is 1/4 cup of oats and 1/2 cup of liquid.
-Cooking: Darren McGrady's recipe does not cook the oats. It is possible the acid of the orange juice has some effect. I use a small Mason jar (pictured above) so in the morning I can heat the oats 1 minute in the microwave. Cover lightly with a paper towel to contain any splatters. This warms and softens them more and kind of "plumps" them in my opinion.
-Yogurt: this supplies the protein component for the meal. Greek non-fat yogurt is what I use, either plain or "fruit in the bottom." IMPORTANT: check the label to be sure there are active cultures in the yogurt. Vanilla flavored or blended fruit yogurt usually does not have active cultures. Also, don't stir in the yogurt before heating in the microwave. This will kill the cultures, and the yogurt becomes watery, which is not a pleasing texture.
-Flavorings: If using plain yogurt, add flavorings suggested in McGrady's recipe: honey, nuts, berries. An easy exchange for grated apple is a small portion of unsweetened applesauce (half of the prepackaged cups). I usually use a tablespoon of jam instead of honey & berries. Another alternative is "fruit on the bottom" yogurt instead of honey & berries. I also have used dry roasted unsalted peanuts instead of walnuts, just because they are easy.
-Calories: This is a good breakfast if you what something that will stick with you but have low calories. The protein in the yogurt and the fiber in the oats have "staying power" to keep you feeling full. Peanuts may be calorie dense, so be careful how much you add. If you check the calorie count for what you use the first couple of times, you can use the same calculation for future meals, so you can quickly enter it into any nutrition App you are using.
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