High-protein overnight oats
Overnight oats with Greek yogurt, protein powder and chia: 35 g of protein in one jar, mixed in 5 minutes the night before. Plus a version without protein powder.
- 415
- kcal
- 35g
- protein
- 9g
- fat
- 48g
- carbs
- Prep
- 5 min
- Serves
- 1
Photograph by Terje Sollie on Pexels
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (40 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 cup (120 g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk
- 1/2 scoop (15 g) vanilla whey protein powder
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1 tsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- A pinch of kosher salt
- Berries or sliced banana, to serve
Method
-
1
Dissolve the protein powder
Whisk the protein powder into the milk in a jar or bowl until there are no lumps. Added straight to the oats, it clumps.
-
2
Mix
Stir in the yogurt, oats, chia seeds, maple syrup, vanilla and salt.
-
3
Chill overnight
Cover and refrigerate at least 6 hours, or overnight.
-
4
Loosen and serve
Stir in a splash of milk if it is too thick, and top with fruit.
Where the protein comes from
Plain overnight oats, made with milk, have about 10 to 12 g of protein a jar. This version has 35 g. It comes from three places:
- Greek yogurt: 12 g. It also makes the oats creamier and thicker.
- Protein powder: 12 g from half a scoop. A full scoop makes the oats chalky and much thicker; half is as much as most people enjoy.
- Oats, milk and chia: about 11 g together.
High-protein overnight oats without protein powder
Leave out the powder and use 3/4 cup (180 g) of Greek yogurt and 1/3 cup of milk. You get about 28 g of protein and a thicker, tangier jar. Blending 1/4 cup of cottage cheese into the milk adds another 6 g.
The right ratio
Use a bit more liquid than oats, counting the yogurt as half liquid, because the chia seeds and protein powder absorb some of it. If the jar is too thick in the morning, stir in milk. If it is too runny, it needs more time or more chia seeds. Use old-fashioned rolled oats. Quick oats turn to mush overnight, and steel-cut oats stay very chewy.
Flavors
- Peanut butter and banana: stir in 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and top with half a sliced banana. Adds about 150 kcal and 4 g of protein.
- Chocolate: use chocolate protein powder and add 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder.
- Apple pie: add 1/4 cup of grated apple, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg.
- Berry: stir in 1/2 cup of frozen berries the night before. They thaw into the oats and turn them pink.
Making them for the week
Mix 4 jars at once. They keep 4 days in the fridge, and are best on days 1 to 3; after that the oats get very soft. Add crunchy toppings like nuts and fresh fruit on the morning you eat them.
They can also be eaten warm: microwave a jar for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway. Do it gently, since Greek yogurt can separate if it gets very hot.
What they are worth nutritionally
One jar, without toppings, has about 415 kcal, with 35 g of protein, 9 g of fat and 48 g of carbohydrate, including about 8 g of fiber. The oats provide beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that slows digestion. With the protein, that makes this one of the more filling breakfasts you can make in 5 minutes. For a lighter jar, use skim milk and leave out the maple syrup: about 380 kcal.
