Recipe: Mocha Overnight Oats

Published March 27, 2015 08:45AM

If you’ve been on Pinterest lately, you know that mason jars are big-time back in fashion. These jars work beautifully for breakfast. Easy to prep early and transport quickly, these meals can mean the difference between the nourishment a runner needs to keep pace and the nutritional shortfall of a drive-through bagel.

MOCHA OVERNIGHT OATS
Beyond a daybreak buzz, soaking steel-cut oats overnight in coffee delivers a delicious chewy texture, no cooking required. You can also double or even quadruple this recipe to create a number of ready-to-go jars on hand for future mornings when you need to bolt out the door. Keeps up to two days in the fridge.
Serves 1

1/3 cup steel-cut oats
2 Tbsp. nonfat milk powder
2 Tbsp. dried cherries
1 Tbsp. almond butter
2 tsp. cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup brewed coffee

Place oats, milk powder, dried cherries, almond butter, cocoa powder, vanilla and cinnamon in a wide-mouth half-pint jar. Pour in coffee and stir contents together until everything is moist. Cover and chill overnight. In the morning, stir together contents of jar again. To eat warm, heat for 1 minute (lid off) in the microwave, or stir in some warmed milk. Top with berries and a drizzle of maple syrup or honey, if desired.

Nutrition Info Per Serving: 400 Calories, 17G Protein, 12G Fat, 59G Carbs, 61MG Sodium

Change-ups:
Swap out the steel-cut oats for quinoa flakes.
Use raisins or dried cranberries in lieu of cherries.
Switch from almond butter to natural peanut butter.
Muscle up with protein powder instead of milk powder.

Pick the best: When it comes to layering meals in glass, it’s hard to do better than Ball’s iconic jars. Purchase 12 pint-sized containers for just $12 at freshpreserving.com.

Make them work: The sturdy glass of canning jars stands up to cold and hot temps—so you can chill, microwave, bake and even freeze whatever you’ve got stuffed inside.

Fast food: A jar is a convenient way to transport items like overnight oats to work or even races. Just remember to pack a spoon.

Spread the love: Get serious brownie points by making several jars at once and sharing them with your running chums for a post-run picnic.