chia seeds Archives • Page 2 of 3 • A Sweet Pea Chef

If you love pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice, and oatmeal, you'll love this easy and healthy Pumpkin Overnight Oats recipe that gives you all the comforting flavors of a sweet pumpkin pie in an easy recipe you can prep ahead and enjoy for breakfast. Hello there! I hope Fall has been good to you so far. I also hope you’re not tired or bored of pumpkin recipes just yet. Because I still feel the need to pumpkin-ize everything. Including my healthy overnight oats. This Pumpkin Overnight Oats recipe combines so many of my loves: breakfast oatmeal pumpkin pie autumn easy tasty One of the greatest things about overnight oats is how many different flavors you can add. I mean…I love oatmeal and have a special place for a hot bowl of oatmeal with the family on a Sunday morning, but overnight oats are an amazing alternative to regular oatmeal because they can be modified in so many different ways. This means your morning breakfast never has to be the same! If you’re like me and you don’t think there’s such a thing as too much pumpkin recipes, you’re gonna love this pumpkin oatmeal. It combines all the pumpkin pie flavors, but in a new, healthy way. This recipe is basically a mix of overnight oatmeal and pumpkin pie. So you get pumpkin pie overnight oats. <- LOVE And, if you happen to need some homemade pumpkin puree, go here. It’s the good stuff. If you’ve never tried overnight oats before, this pumpkin oatmeal recipe is a good start because I will not only teach how to make pumpkin oatmeal but I will also answer some of your most asked oatmeal-questions including how long can you keep overnight oats in the fridge, how long are overnight oats good for, can you heat overnight oats, and why and how to use chia seeds (because yes, I love to use chia seeds in my pumpkin oatmeal). Plus — since they’re so easy to make, you can make a week’s worth of overnight oats in less than 30 minutes. You get answers, tips, a healthy overnight oats recipe. Am I forgetting something? Oh, yes! You get delicious pumpkin spice overnight oats to enjoy for breakfast if you put my recipe and tips to the test. I’d say, this, right here, is a pretty good deal. Am I right? HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN OVERNIGHT OATS Before telling you how to make pumpkin oatmeal, I have to give you some general tips for the best overnight oats results. I recommend making overnight oats with rolled oats (also known as old-fashioned oats). Compared to rolled oats, which are nice and thick, quick-cooking oats are much more broken down and processed. Quick cooking oats are made to cook fast so they’ll turn to mush if left overnight or longer in liquid whereas rolled oats will hold up and absorb the liquid. Alternately, steel cut oats don’t work well in overnight oats either because they are too thick so they won’t break down or absorb the liquid the same way as rolled oats. Do you need to cook overnight oats? Nope, you don’t need to cook overnight oats. Allowing them to sit overnight in the fridge will give the oats time to absorb the liquids and flavors. You add raw oats, spices, and flavors in the beginning, but you’re left with an oatmeal texture in the morning. No need to cook at all! It’s time to discuss our pumpkin oatmeal now. Specifically, how to make pumpkin oatmeal. Here are the easy steps: Mix all the ingredients listed in the healthy pumpkin oatmeal recipe. Transfer the ingredients to a mason jar or an airtight container. Seal the container or cover with plastic wrap. Place in fridge for 4-6 hours minimum. However, this is not called overnight pumpkin oatmeal for no reason so it is best to refrigerate the oatmeal overnight. When you’re ready to eat, remove from the fridge and indulge in the delicious pumpkin and pumpkin spice flavors of your healthy overnight oats. Optional steps: Heat them up if you want (more about how can you warm overnight oats later) Top the pumpkin refrigerator oatmeal with crushed pecans and cinnamon. BENEFITS OF PUMPKIN OVERNIGHT OATS If you need more convincing, I think a conversation about the benefits of overnight oats is in order. These pumpkin overnight oats are: Very quick and easy to make. A simple but delicious make-ahead breakfast which means you can meal prep for multiple days. Which also means you can wake up in the morning, head over to the fridge, open the fridge and eat the pumpkin overnight oats, half asleep. A very healthy breakfast option. And, let me tell you a secret...my pumpkin overnight oats are really protein oats. Not only that, but they are made with: Greek yogurt - a healthy probiotic that is great to include in your diet, Pumpkin puree - as opposed to pumpkin pie filling that is filled with processed ingredients and sugars, is healthy and good for you, Chia seeds - a nutritional powerhouse I will discuss more about in a bit, Pure maple syrup, and your favorite Fall spices. Which also means you get Fall overnight oats. In case you don’t know what that means, well, it means you get overnight oats with Fall’s most amazing flavors. I’m talking about you, cinnamon and nutmeg, my friends. The good stuff! WHY I USE CHIA SEEDS I promised I’ll tell you why and how I use chia seeds. The short answer is for extra protein and texture. I can easily transform simple overnight oats into high protein overnight oats just by adding chia seeds. However, I want to give you a more detailed answer so here’s why I use chia seeds: Chia seeds are packed with essential nutrients including calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Chia seeds add extra protein and fiber to your meals. Chia seeds contain omega 3 fatty acids. Chia seeds keep you satisfied for a longer period of time which means you don’t get cravings or the need to munch on something unhealthy. Chia seeds are low in calories. And how I use chia seeds: I use chia seeds to add a crunchy and thickened texture to oatmeal, overnight oats or granola. I also use chia seeds to change the texture of pancakes and waffles and to make them healthier. I really love to use chia seeds in baked goods such as breads and muffins for all the nutritional benefits I listed above but also for the lovely texture they add. You can use them as an egg substitute as well! Last, but not least, I use chia seeds to make puddings. Check out 5 of my favorite chia seeds puddings recipes if you want. CAN YOU HEAT PUMPKIN OVERNIGHT OATS? I get this question a lot so… can you heat overnight oats? The answer is YES. However, you don’t need to heat them up – you can enjoy them right out of the fridge but you totally can if you wish. To heat, just place in the microwave for about 2 minutes and you’re good to go! HOW TO STORE PUMPKIN OVERNIGHT OATS I like to store my overnight oats in mason jars, but any airtight container with a lid will work. The best size mason jar for one serving is 16 ounces as that will be pretty much filled to the top. Depending on your recipe, you may want to use a 1-quart mason jar so you have room for toppings, but that will for sure leave space at the top and a 4-ounce mason jar is typically way too small. HOW LONG ARE OVERNIGHT OATS GOOD FOR? Another question I get a lot. Plus its variations that are also in my inbox on a regular basis - How long do overnight oats keep? and How long can you keep overnight oats in the fridge? No matter how you ask it, my answer is the same: Overnight oats are the perfect make-ahead breakfast because they last in the fridge for up to 4-5 days. Assuming you store your overnight oats in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge per the directions, you’ll be able to enjoy them for the whole week. 3 MORE HEALTHY OVERNIGHT OATS RECIPES If you love my pumpkin overnight oats, I hope you are ready for 3 more healthy overnight oats recipes. These recipes are just as healthy, delicious, clean-eating, and easy to make as my pumpkin overnight oats. But they have different flavors so you can mix up the tastes a little bit. And, I don’t know about your kids, but mine love their overnight oats. Especially when they get to choose the flavors and what they want in their mason jars. BLACKBERRY COBBLER EASY OVERNIGHT OATS Fruit cobblers are not the healthiest snacks. But, I have to admit, they are delicious so I had to make them healthy. This is how I came up with the Blackberry Cobbler Easy Overnight Oats. The Blackberry Cobbler Easy Overnight Oats are packed with goodness and deliciousness and they make a quick and delicious breakfast. Get the recipe. CINNAMON RAISIN OVERNIGHT OATS If you want more Fall overnight oats, you have to try the Cinnamon Raisin Overnight Oats. Cinnamon and raisins = Fall flavors. To me at least. And this overnight oats recipe is super tasty. Plus full of fiber and protein. And you already know they are super easy to make and ready in 10 minutes. Get the recipe. FRESH PEACH COBBLER OVERNIGHT OATS And surprise, I have another cobbler turned into healthy overnight oats. This time it’s Fresh Peach Cobbler Overnight Oats. Sweet, rich, and delicious as a classic peach cobbler but with none of the refined flour, sugar, and butter. And it makes a perfect breakfast like all my overnight oats recipes. Get the recipe. Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats Pumpkin Overnight Oats If you love pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice, and oatmeal, you'll love this easy and healthy Pumpkin Overnight Oats recipe that gives you all the comforting flavors of a sweet pumpkin pie in an easy recipe you can prep ahead and enjoy for breakfast. 1/2 cup rolled oats, (uncooked)1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk ((or milk of choice))2 tbsp plain greek yogurt1/4 cup organic pumpkin puree1 tbsp chia seeds1 tbsp pure maple syrup1/2 tsp vanilla extract3/4 tsp ground cinnamon1/4 tsp ground nutmegToppings: chopped pecans, pepitas, and/or cinnamon Combine the rolled oats, unsweetened almond milk, plain greek yogurt, organic pumpkin puree, chia seeds, pure maple syrup, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and stir to combine.Seal the container (mason jars work great) or cover with plastic wrap.Place in fridge for 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.Overnight oats can be eaten cold or reheated in microwave for 1-2 minutes if you prefer it heated.When you’re ready to eat, just top with crushed pecans and cinnamon. 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