Unless you have been living under a rock you have heard about the overnight oats which are a no-cook convenient and fastest way to have nutritious breakfast for busy mornings. Since you mix the oats with the milk and other ingredients and leave it overnight in the fridge, when you wake up in the morning, you get a pudding-like porridge that is the most ideal and easy to have breakfast.
But if you are following a sugar-free diet or you are diabetic, can you make overnight oats that taste good? Is it healthy? Does it help in digestion?
Let’s check out some of the questions we have received, before diving into the sugar free overnight oats recipes.
How do overnight oats taste? Does Sugar Free Overnight Oats Recipes taste good?
If you are used to having hot oatmeal, the switchover to the cold overnight meal may take a bit of time. But you can always give it a try. If you give a try, you will soon become a fan. The best part of this preparation is the texture and ease of preparation. Overnight oatmeal will not have the same texture as the hot oats. The former is denser, creamier and for most, it is tastier too!
It is quite similar to iced coffee and hot coffee. Both are tasty but have their differences.
How do you eat your overnight oats, warm or cold?
You can heat up your overnight oats if you wish to. But they can be had cold straight from the fridge and those who love overnight oats usually go for the second method. It is more convenient. But if you prefer them warm, you have to heat them in the microwave for 30-60 seconds with frequent stirring. You can also heat them on the stove in a small saucepan till it comes to your taste!
Are overnight oats healthy?
You can customize your overnight oats for Sugar Free Overnight Oats Recipes. Thus you can fill the overnight oats with candy and lots of added sugar. It will change from breakfast to dessert. But if you are looking for sugar-free options you can add, honey, stevia, or even coconut as sugar alternatives!
Does the soaking of the overnight oats make them easier to digest?
In the earlier years, soaking and even fermenting oats was customary before eating them. Oats contain a very high level of phytic acid amongst the grains which means these are quite hard to digest for some people. If you have stomach problems after having a morning bowl of oatmeal, it would be better to soak the oats overnight in warm water at room temperature.
You can score more by mixing a few tablespoons of yogurt, whey or kefir and ferment the oats for 8 – 12 hours in the warmth. Soaking and fermenting will save you from tummy trouble. Soaking and fermenting make them easier to digest.
Fr overnight oats the time spent in the fridge helps in soaking in the liquid which aids in the breakdown of some of the compounds that lead to digestive issues.
How to prepare overnight oats?
Preparing overnight oats for Sugar Free Overnight Oats Recipes is quite simple. You take a small bowl or a jar and then whisk together these ingredients –
Rolled/Old-fashioned Oats – You may use steel cut oats or quick-cook oats, but the best results are obtained with rolled or old-fashioned oats. If you are allergic to gluten, look for the certified gluten-free oats.
Yogurt – You may use plant-based yogurt if you want your oatmeal free from animal products. But preferably use plain, unsweetened yogurt to curb the final sweetness of the overnight oats. This is because using the sweetened varieties may result in a too sugar-heavy breakfast. You need not use yogurt in your overnight oats, but it gives a creamy texture and is always a good source of probiotics.
Milk – You may use dairy milk or plant-based milk. But it is always preferable to stick to unsweetened milk so that you can customize the sweetness later. You may go for unsweetened almond milk also.
Chia Seeds or Ground Flax Meal – It is not mandatory to use these in your overnight oats. But with these plant-based thickeners, the end product is thicker and creamier. Also, the flax and chia seeds have lots of nutritional benefits and so your meals would be nutrient-dense.
Salt – You may add a pinch of salt if you have added sugar and your oatmeal tastes “flat.” A bit of salt may be added to balance the sweet flavor.
Honey – The sweetness will vary depending on the level of sweetness you like. So this is left entirely to you. But if you need a sweet flavor, always go for a natural, liquid sweetener as it blends more easily.
Flavoring – You may use vanilla extract, but there are endless possibilities!
Can Overnight Oatmeal Be Made Vegan Or Dairy-Free?
Oats can be made both vegan and dairy-free. You need to use plant-based yogurt and milk and choose maple syrup as the sweetener. This will make it delicious, plant-based and easy to prepare!
Can you make overnight oatmeal with water?
If you are running low on milk, you may use plain water in its place. But the final texture won’t be as rich or creamy. But it will work!
Can you prepare overnight oats with steel-cut oats?
You may use steel cut oats to prepare overnight oats. The steel cut oats are the whole grain groats from the oat plant which have been cut roughly by a steel disc. Steel cut oats are amongst the least processed variety of oats and are healthy for all who can tolerate oats. As the steel cut oats are less processed, the amount of liquid has to be increased to prepare more chewy oatmeal in the morning.
Can you use instant or quick-cooking oats?
Quick-cooking oats can be used for overnight oats but the end product will be less creamy and thick. If you use such oats, lessen the liquid portion. But this is a highly processed food with lots of additives and is best avoided.
Do you need to use flax meal or chia seeds?
Flax meal or chia seeds will make the meat creamier and thicker. Also, these have nutritional properties. But if you do not use these, you need to cut on the liquid. But always go for ground flax meal in place of whole flaxseeds as the whole varieties do not have the same thickening property as the ground one.
What Is the best way to prepare sugar-free overnight oats?
You may use a tablespoon of maple syrup and it won’t disturb your calories too much. But if your health situation is such, you need to be more vigilant towards your sugar intake,added sugar should be avoided. You may also use monk fruit sweetener or stevia.
How long do you need to soak overnight oats? Do they require overnight chilling?
The oats start to thicken well in nearly two hours. But it is better to soak them for at least four hours to get the exact yumminess! You may prepare it in the evening, leave it overnight and wake up to an awesome, already-prepared breakfast. The fridge will do the work for you.
Can these be made ahead of time?
At the weekend you can make 8 – 10 jars to grab for quick snacks and breakfasts during the week.
How long can overnight oats last in the fridge?
If the recipes have fruit mix-ins, you can eat it for three days. The varieties without fruit mix-ins, you can allow them to chill in the fridge till a week.
What are the other things you can mix in?
You can mix in a lot of things to add nutrient and flavor like –
Protein powder, collagen powder, or other dietary boosts – You may use these to add on to the nutrition. You may use anything everything you use in a smoothie.
Espresso powder – This can give you the boost of caffeine in your breakfast.
Eggnog – You may use eggnog in place of milk during Christmas!
Flavored extracts–You may use peppermint extract at times of holidays or coconut extract, almond extract, lemon extract!
5 Sugar Free Overnight Oats Recipes To Dig In
1) Peanut Butter Raisin Overnight Oats
Source: liezljayne.com
Those who love peanut butter will love this recipe which is rich in proteinand is packed with chia seeds and peanut butter. It also contains good carbs from the raisins and oats and good fats from peanut butter and chia seeds.
Ingredients :
- Rolled oats – ½ cup
- Water – ½ cup
- Unsweetened raisins – ¼ cup
- Vanilla powder (Pure vanilla extract) – pinch ground
- Chia seeds – 2 tsp
- Unsweetened peanut butter – 1 Tsp
- Cinnamon – ¼ tsp
- 100% maple syrup (or to taste) – 1 to 2 tsp
It provides one serving and can be topped with fresh banana or strawberry slices or with 1 tbsp unsweetened peanut butter.
Preparation: The chia seeds, oats, and water have to be mixed together in a bowl or jar. Then you have to add the vanilla, peanut butter, cinnamon, and raisins. If you wish to you may add maple syrup according to your taste. Now the jar has to be covered with a lid and placed in the refrigerator overnight for soaking. It can be had in a bowl or straight from the jar with a spoon in the morning. The entire preparation can be topped with a teaspoon of unsweetened peanut butter and banana slices or fresh strawberry.
2) Sugar-Free Overnight Banana Chia Oatmeal
Source: thesugarfreediva.com
Oatmeal with Greek Yogurt is not only yummy but healthy too. This is very convenient to prepare and will be the ideal breakfast. It can be prepared the night before and had on the go.
Ingredients:
- Rolled-oats – ½ cup
- Greek Yogurt (minimal sugar content) – 1 cup of Greek Yogurt ½ cup + Almond milk (low in sugar) – ½ cup
- Mashed Banana – ½
- Slices of Chia or other seeds – 2 tsp [You may mix Chia with flax]
- Honey – 1 tsp (Optional)
Preparation:
The yogurt and oats are added to a mason-like jar having a lid that closes easily. Then stir them and thereafter add the remaining ingredients except for the banana. When it is well-blended, it is to be topped with slices of banana. Now it needs to be covered and kept in the refrigerator overnight.
In this recipe, you may combine yogurt with almond milk which will make the base of the recipe thinner. The ingredients should be unsweetened and as low in sugar as possible.
3) Coffee Banana Overnight Oats
Source: liezljayne.com
4) No-Bake Dairy Free Sugar Free Overnight Oats
Source: sugarfreemom.com
This recipe is ideal for summers and is very easy to prepare. You can prepare it a night before and it will provide you with 4 – 6 days of breakfast. You just need to grab a spoon of it and move on! You may top it with any of your favorite fruit or may top it with yogurt and placed the fruit pieces on top of the yogurt.
The preparation time and total time for this recipe are 10 and 12 minutes respectively, has a calorie content of 206 and provides 6 servings.
Ingredients :
- Rolled oats – 3 cups
- Chia seeds – 3 tsp
- Liquid vanilla stevia – 4 full droppers
- Unsweetened vanilla almond milk – 3 cups
- Vanilla extract – ½ tsp
- Fruit toppings – 1 nectarine, ½ cup blueberries, 2 apricots, ½ cup raspberries
Preparation:
All the ingredients are to be stirred in a huge bowl except the fruits. It has to be allowed to stand for 30 minutes. Then the mixture is to be divided into 4 mason jars each containing 3/4 cup or in 6 mason jars each containing ½ cup. Now the fruit toppings may be added. The jars are to be covered and refrigerated overnight.
5) Blueberry Lemon Overnight Oats
Source: liezljayne.com
This overnight oat recipe is simple, refreshing, and at the same time filling. It has a good amount of protein from the almonds and the chia seeds, healthy fats from the chia seeds, and carbs from the blueberries and the oats.
Ingredients –
- Rolled oats – ½ cup
- Water – ½ cup
- Fresh lemon juice – 1 Tsp
- Cinnamon – ¼ tsp
- 100% maple syrup – 1 to 3 tsp (as per taste)
- Chia Seeds – 2 tsp
- Blueberries (Fresh /Frozen) – ½ cup
- Raw almonds – 14
- Vanilla powder (Vanilla extract) – Pinch ground
It provides one serving and the suggested topping is 1 tsp unsweetened almond butter.
Preparation – The chia seeds, oats, and water are to be mixed together in a bowl or jar. Then vanilla, cinnamon, fresh lemon juice, blueberries, and raw almonds are to be added. Then maple syrup will be added. Now the jar is to be covered with a lid and left in the refrigerator for overnight soaking. It may be served in a bowl or had straight from the jar with a spoon. You may top it with 1 tsp of unsweetened almond butter.
6) Classic Vanilla Overnight Oats
Source: wholefully.com
This healthy recipe will take preparation and total time of 2 minutes and provide one large or 2 small servings. You may eat it as it is or mix it with various flavorings or fruits.
Ingredients –
- Plain Greek Yogurt – 1/3 cup
- Unsweetened Almond Milk – 2/3 cup
- Ground Flaxmeal or Chia seeds – 1 tablespoon
- Maple syrup/Honey – 0 – 2 tablespoons
- Pinch of salt
- Vanilla extract – ½ tsp
- Rolled oats – ½ cup
Preparation – All the ingredients have to be whisked together in a middle-sized mixing bowl and then transferred to a jar with the aid of a spoon. The jar has to be closed with a tight-fitting lid and kept in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours but preferable overnight. You may use oat, coconut, soy, or dairy milk in place of almond milk if you desire!
7) Almond Joy Overnight Oats
Source: lifemadesweeter.com
This recipe has a preparation time of 5 minutes and is an easy-to-cook healthy breakfast recipe. And it tastes like a candy bar!
Ingredients –
- Rolled Oats – ½ cup
- Chia seeds – 2 tsp
- Cocoa powder or cacao powder – ½ tablespoon
- Sliced or slivered almonds – 1 tablespoon
- Almond milk (any milk of your choice) – 2/3 – ¾ cup; you may add half Greek yogurt and half milk to bring in creaminess
- Maple syrup/honey/low carb liquid sweetener – 2 tsp
- Unsweetened shredded coconut – 1 tablespoon
- Chocolate chips – Optional
Preparation – The oats, chia seeds, cocoa powder, almonds, milk, maple syrup, and coconut are to be added in a mason jar. You may add sweetener if desired. The jar has to be shaken for good mixing and then combined with a spoon. Then the jar has to be sealed with a lid for a minimum of 4 hours or better overnight. Enjoy it cold! You may have it with more milk and top with almonds, additional coconut and/or chocolate chips at the time of serving!
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