Chai Spice Overnight Oats Recipe

If you search "oats" on YouTube, your screen will probably be flooded with "why I eat oatmeal everyday" videos. There is no question that oats are one of the healthiest things you can eat to maintain and improve your health. What's even better about this star-studded super-grain is there's even an effortless way to prepare them so that they are waiting for when you wake up. We are talking about overnight oats, and wellness coach Miriam Hahn brings us this fabulous recipe with delicious chai spice flavors.

"I love how filling and satisfying oats are, and the fiber, vitamins, and minerals they provide help you start your day out on the right foot," Hahn shares. As Healthline explains, oats help manage cholesterol and blood sugar, not to mention help reduce inflammation. If we haven't quite sung the praises of oats enough, here is one more important benefit — they are widely available, and are very budget-friendly.

For this recipe, you will need cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. We will also need rolled oats, of course, chia seeds, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla. Hahn notes that we are using with rolled oats in this recipe, not to be confused with quick oats or steel-cut oats. "I like to buy organic oats, since many oats are sprayed with pesticides to speed up the drying process," Hahn says. The chia seeds help thicken things up, but you can easily swap these for ground flax seeds. Any type of milk will work here, but Hahn's favorite is soy milk.

To start, add the cinnamon, allspice, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves to a large bowl, and combine with the rolled oats and chia seeds. Hahn says to go easy with the ground cloves, as too much will overpower the entire batch. Pour in the milk, maple syrup, and vanilla, and stir well to combine. "It may look like a runny concoction at this point," Hahn says, "but do not fret, the magic happens in the next step." 

Pour the mixture into 2 containers, leaving some room at the top for toppings. Glass jars with lids are preferred, but a standard Tupperware dish will work just fine. Stick the containers in the fridge for at least 1 hour. Now that your creation is all firmed up, it is ready to eat as is, or you can pop it into the microwave to warm it up. "I love to add fresh strawberries and blueberries. You can also add sliced banana, coconut, chopped nuts, or raisins," Hahn says. The prepared oats will last for over 1 week in the fridge, and can even be frozen.