While I was working at Fenigo one day, a customer came in and wanted six 8 oz (half-pint) Mason jars. Being curious, I asked what she would be doing with them. She told me about her new-found recipe for “Overnight, No-Cook Refrigerator Oatmeal.” Later that day she sent me the link to Monica Matheny’s recipe on the http://www.theyummylife.com site. It really did look yummy and super-healthy.

Breakfast in a bowl – perfect for regfrigerator oatmeal

A few weeks later, I acquired a set of from Ball Collection Elite Mason jars from Fenigo. I liked these particular jars because they are wide and flat and I thought they looked like a breakfast bowl. You may prefer the taller 8 oz jars because they take up less room in the fridge.

I began making my own ‘refrigerator oatmeal’ in batches of four in my new jars. I make the plain recipe on the weekend. Then during the week, I add the fruit and flavourings to suit my mood. It depends on what fresh fruit I have in the fridge. I always have bananas on the table (my standard breakfast food), so banana with cinnamon and maple syrup is one of my favourites.  (Cinnamon is good for diabetes and is one of my favourite flavours – so it is a win-win.)

I have copied the basic recipe here, but I suggest that you read Monica’s blog for the detailed instructions and her 14 varieties of flavours.  Or once you get the hang of it, improvise like I do with whatever sweetener (like honey, maple syrup, agave), fruit (e.g. bananas, mangoes, berries, etc.) and added flavours that you like.

Ingredients

•1/4 cup uncooked old fashioned rolled oats
•1/3 cup skim milk
•1/4 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
•1-1/2 teaspoons dried chia seeds

Directions

1. In a half pint jar or container, add oats, milk, yogurt, chia seeds.  Put lid on jar and shake until well combined. Refrigerate overnight or up to 2 days.
2. Add flavouring, sweetener, and fruit. Stir with fork until mixed throughout. Eat chilled.

Steps 1 and 2 can be done at same time or you can do as I do – step 1 in the initial process and step 2 on the day I want to eat it. Because there is no fruit in mine, I keep it up to a week in the fridge.

What are your favourite flavours for this healthy breakfast?