Wake-Me-Up Oats

Happy Monday! Today dawned bright and sunny, but we've had our share of dark, gray mornings recently. On days like that, it's hard to get out of bed early enough to make coffee much less eat breakfast before heading into work. One solution to the problem is to make coffee and breakfast before going to bed.

We are NOT suggesting you brew a pot of coffee and keep it warm all night, but for those days when you literally have to jump out of bed and go, it's nice to have a caffeinated breakfast ready to grab on the way out the door.

Here's a recipe for a great make-ahead breakfast. If you like milky coffee drinks, this sweet-n-hearty oatmeal breakfast is a delicious all-in-one.

Overnight Wake-me-Up Oats

Base Ingredients:

1 cup oats

1/2 cup milk of choice

1/2 cup cold coffee (cold brew or leftover coffee from an earlier pot, see note about espresso)

1/2 cup raisins or dried fruit of choice

Additional Mix-ins (optional as interested, see note about liquid):

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbs Chia seeds

1/4 cup chopped walnuts, almonds, or other nuts of choice

1/4 cup shredded coconut

a drizzle of honey, maple syrup, agave or sweetener of choice

Optional Toppings (if you're not taking this on the go):

1/4-1/2 cup yogurt 

a drizzle of almond, cashew or peanut butter, or other nut butter of choice 

a drizzle of honey, maple syrup, agave or sweetener of choice

chopped nuts or seeds, pumpkin seeds are my go-to

Note: If you prefer to use espresso, adjust the ratio of liquid so the entire amount of milk/coffee adds up to 1 cup.

If you are adding extra mix-ins, you might want to add a bit more liquid (~1 Tb) to compensate for the absorbing qualities of the additional items, especially chia seeds. Eyeball this when you stir everything together.

Steps:

1. Put all ingredients into the container you want the oats to go in: a bowl if you'll be eating at home in the morning, or a to-go container if you'll be packing it up.

2. Stir the ingredients together until they are well mixed, cover the bowl or close the container and store in the fridge overnight. (The oats and add-ins will absorb the liquid overnight, so the mix should be wet and the flakes/pieces somewhat floating, but not drowning) 

3. In the morning, either enjoy a pre-made breakfast (adding any desired toppings)  or pack it up with a spoon and enjoy it on-the-go or at work.

(The photo shows a bowl of Wake-me-Up Oats in a bowl with toppings.)

Do you have a favorite breakfast shortcut? Or a way to wake up to your coffee? If so, we'd love to hear about it. Please join the conversation and share your thoughts on the Facebook thread or in a comment on this blog. Or, if you'd like to share your opinions with the wider world, leave us a coffee review on Google or on your favorite review site. Not only do we value your opinions, but reviews help more people find us. Help us connect coffee lovers to fresh, quality coffee!

Thanks!

~ Carrie, Paul and all of us at Coffee by the Roast