This is not one of those posts where I promise you a decadent quadruple chocolate brownie in a mug or a cheesy-tactic pizza or some other drool worthy over-the-top recipe that will leave you drooling at the screen and scowling at whatever pathetic thing you have to eat in front of you. 

This recipe is so unsexy that it did not even make the cut into my baby and toddler cookbook. 

And it’s really hard to make it look sexy. I tried. 

But my youngest will choose this breakfast over everything else including French toast, cinnamon rolls, and pancakes. 

It is by far her favorite and is quickly becoming mine. 

Overnight oats. They are nothing special. Three ingredients plus whatever stir-ins you like. They are a sleeper hit. Highly addictive but that’s okay because they are so easy and guilt free. Looking for something pre or post workout? Overnight oats are your answer. It’s a complex carb with a bit of protein. Because it’s a complex carb, it’s a great recovery food. Because it’s easy to digest, it’s a great pre-workout food. I eat it after boot camp and before my half marathon training run. 

It’s a great food for kids because it’s soft, easy to gum or chew, and is packed with complex carbs, fiber, and a little protein. And believe it or not, kids do not need added sweeteners or flavors. G2 happily gobbles down plain rolled oats, with unsweetened almond milk, and chia seeds.

I am the one who adds peanut butter and sliced bananas. Neither of us need honey or sugar to make them palpable. Sometimes simplest is best. 

There are essentially two ways to make them: in individual containers (if you have the fridge space) or in a large jar. It is so easy I almost feel silly writing it as a recipe, but here goes….

 

 

I love having my oats with my morning coffee. It satisfies my sweet tooth. I stir in a nice glob of natural peanut butter and sliced bananas. Granola if I want something crunchy. The possibilities are endless at this point. Diced apples, toasted nuts, chocolate chips, whatever you are craving in the morning. But my girl likes hers plain.

Let’s hear it for the un-sexy recipes. The recipes we make again and again because they are easy and plain. The little black dresses of our cooking repertoire.  

Have you tried overnight oats? What are your favorite un-sexy recipes?