This blog post is sponsored by Almond Breeze. The content and opinions expressed here are mine. I’m especially excited to partner with Almond Breeze; their almondmilk is a weekly staple in my household. As I’ve grown older, my stomach has gotten more sensitive to traditional dairy and I’ve switched to nut milks for dietary and health purposes. I especially love the nutty, toasty flavor their almondmilk brings to my morning coffee, cereal, and breakfasts like this one! As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own; thank you for supporting Hummingbird High and the sponsors that keep the lights on!

The last three months were an intense period of travel for me, with trips to London and Copenhagen, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and Vancouver, for both work and play. On these trips, I got into the habit of having decadent breakfasts. And when I say decadent, I mean decadent. I usually started the mornings with a creamy latte or mocha, followed by a selection of pastries like custard-filled donuts, kombucha-glazed croissants, and halva-and-pistachio babkas that I could only sample while abroad. It was a far departure from my usual breakfasts at home, where I skip the coffee (true story: I don’t drink coffee when I’m at home, AMA) and start my day with a bowl of scrambled eggs and spinach.

Now that I’m back home, it’s been a rough readjustment to scale back down to reality. I find myself craving caffeine on a daily basis, and my daily breakfast of scrambled eggs and spinach just seems dry and sad. If I’m being honest with you guys, I sometimes will sneak off to the bakery down the street or to the taco stand between my house and gym for a slice of banana bread or breakfast taco in an attempt to recreate some of that decadence from my travels. All of which would be well and good, but it definitely has its price—I may or may not have gained a few pounds since then, eeeep.

So in an effort to exercise more self-control but STILL have a little fun, I started brainstorming ways to jazz up my breakfasts at home. I wanted something slightly better-for-you like my old breakfast of scrambled eggs and spinach, but with enough sweetness and excitement that I wouldn’t find myself running off to the bakery or taco truck for sweeter treats instead. Enter: this recipe for chocolate almond butter overnight oats. It’s the perfect balance between health and decadence.

The trick to a tasty oatmeal is to use rolled or steel-cut oats. These types of oats have more flavor, texture, and nutrients than their instant or quick oat counterparts; unfortunately, unlike instant or quick oats, rolled or steel-cut oats will need to be soaked overnight. But soaking them overnight can unlock a world of flavor. I like to soak mine in Almond Breeze Unsweetened Chocolate almondmilk to infuse every bite with chocolate. The best part? Because the almondmilk is unsweetened, I can rest assured knowing that I’m controlling my sugar intake and not going overboard. I usually only add a tablespoon (or less!) of maple syrup to each serving. For extra protein, I’ve added a few scoops of almond butter (because chocolate and almond butter is always a delicious combo) and chia seeds, both of which keep me going until lunch and add little bursts of texture and delight with every bite. Enjoy!

Some maker’s notes:

    • This recipe scales up and down really easily! I’ve written it for 4 servings, but really, the recipe quantities divide up evenly for even smaller portions. It helps to have a tablespoon measure (or even a tablespoon-sized cookie dough scoop for the almond butter) on hand since the parfaits are made with either a tablespoon or two of most of the ingredients.
  • Note that, when adding the almond butter to the almondmilk, it’s likely that it won’t dissolve completely when you mix it. Don’t worry about it too much, and just stir until there are small to medium chunks of almond butter distributed throughout the oatmeal. Think of it as a almond butter swirl in your breakfast!

Get the Recipe: Chocolate Almond Butter Overnight Oats

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Ingredients

  • 2 cups 7 ounces old-fashioned rolled or steel-cut oats
  • 2 cups 16 ounces Almond Breeze Unsweetened Chocolate almondmilk
  • ¼ cup 4.75 ounces natural unsweetened creamy or crunchy almond butter, well-stirred
  • ¼ cup 2 ounces chia seeds
  • ¼ cup 2 ounces maple syrup
  • Fruit, for serving

Instructions
 

  • Place oats in a colander and rinse under warm water for 1 minute. Toss and pat with paper towels to dry.
  • Divide Almond Breeze Unsweetened Chocolate almondmilk evenly between four bowls, ramekins, or jars; each container will have ½ cup (4 ounces) of almondmilk each. Add 2 tablespoons of the almond butter to each container and use a fork or a small whisk to stir to combine. Add 1 tablespoon of the chia seeds and 1 tablespoon of the maple syrup to each, stirring to combine.
  • Divide the oats evenly between the servings; each will have ½ cup (1.75 ounces) of oats each. Use a spoon to stir the oats into the mixture, ensuring that all oats have been moistened and submerged in the almondmilk. Tightly cover each container with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.
  • The next day, discard the plastic wrap and serve with fruit. The oats will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 more days, but are best within the first 24 hours.
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