Another guest blog post from my son, Braxton.
Looking for an easy make-ahead, healthy, hearty breakfast? Look no further than the quick and portable, breakfast in a jar, Overnight Blueberry Oatmeal & Chia Yogurt Parfait. The inspiration of this recipe came from The Hungry Girl blog.
Overnight Blueberry Oatmeal & Chia Yogurt Parfait
- 1/2 cup oatmeal
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- 1/2 cup milk*
- Dash of salt
- 3/4 cup plain yogurt
- 2 tablespoons vanilla syrup*
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 pint mason jar
- *Any milk type product can be substituted – almond, hemp, soy or coconut milk
- *Any sweetener can be substituted or it can be left out – sugar, honey, agave or stevia.
In a small bowl mix oatmeal, chia seeds, milk, 1 tablespoon vanilla syrup and a dash of salt. Put half of the oatmeal mixture into the bottom of a mason jar. Add a layer of blueberries. In another small bowl, mix yogurt with the other tablespoon of vanilla syrup. Put half of the yogurt mixture on the blueberry layer. Add another layer of blueberries. Add the rest of the oatmeal and another layer of blueberries. Add the yogurt and top with remaining blueberries. Put a lid on the jar and let sit overnight in the refrigerator. Keep refrigerated until ready to eat.
Recipe recap: Breakfast can become a complicated endeavor rather quickly. Mornings are often when the weight of the day’s tasks take shape, and life without coffee or food is rather unpleasant. That’s why for our time in the kitchen this week, we decided to take on the project of making morning nourishment a little easer for all parties involved. Prior to going to bed, we placed the aforementioned contents into a jar, allowing them to take shape and come together overnight. When visiting the fridge the following morning in a state of mass disillusion (a little sleepy), a quaint jar of pretentious Greek yogurt mixed with blueberries and oatmeal was looking back. The meal was surprisingly good, mixing quite the array of flavors together nicely. With each bite came the freshness of the blueberries, the tartness of the yogurt, the fullness of the oats all encapsulated in homemade vanilla syrup. If there was an area for improvement it would be in how the meal was organized in nature. The bottom of the cup was far too packed with texture-heavy oatmeal, it all but took the joy of the last bites away. With that said, this is a rather easy fix by putting a layer of yogurt and berries in first, and is one I will surely tend to in the next go around. 
