Nuts & Seeds Overnight N’Oats is a paleo, vegan, gluten- and dairy-free breakfast that can be customized to taste and provides serious staying power…all that plus meal-prep convenience!
If you’ve spent a little time in the Fountain Avenue Kitchen over the years, you likely know that I’m a fan of oats. Baked oatmeal, overnight oats, granola bars, energy bites, granola…those wholesome little flakes find their way into all sort of kitchen creations around here.
But when my friend Julia from The Roasted Root introduced me to an oat-less version of one of my favorite breakfasts (⇩⇩⇩), I was immediately intrigued and, in short time, a fan.
So while I’m not abandoning the humble, hearty, multi-purpose oat, I am enjoying the occasional diversion…and I hope you do, too!
This grain-free version of the classic breakfast consists primarily of nutrient-dense nuts and seeds. Additionally, this type of overnight porridge offers an excellent option for Paleo diet followers or for those who have digestive ailments requiring avoidance of inflammatory foods, such as oats and other grains.
While overnight oats (and n’oats!) are normally eaten cold, you may certainly heat them if you prefer something warm.
Think of this filling n’oatmeal as a canvas for breakfast creativity. There are countless ways to customize based on personal preference and what you have on hand.
My proportions vary somewhat from the original recipe, and I do recommend soaking the nuts. Though it’s an extra step and takes time, it’s almost entirely hands off and improves the body’s ability to process the nuts’ nutrients and improves the flavor by a small margin.
Each serving comes to just under a cup, and once fruit or other add-ins of choice are stirred in, the serving is rather generous and super filling.
Nuts & Seeds Overnight N'Oats
Ingredients
- 1 cup (120 grams) raw almonds or walnuts (I like a half cup of each; may use pecans, too)
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) raw pumpkin seeds
- 1 tablespoon (3.5 grams) ground flax seed
- 2 tablespoons (24 grams) chia seeds
- 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) unsweetened almond milk**
- 2 tablespoons (40 grams) pure maple syrup or liquid sweetener of choice
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
Options for serving
- fresh blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and/or bananas
- melted peanut or almond butter for drizzling
- additional nuts and/or seeds for crunch
- shredded coconut
- raisins, dried cherries or cranberries, chopped dates or apricots, etc.
- a drizzle of maple syrup or honey if you’d like more sweetness
- a sprinkle of sea salt
Instructions
- Add the nuts and pumpkin seeds to a food processor and process until ground (you’re looking for something like coarse sand—ground but with a hint of texture). Transfer the mixture to a large jar or quart-size liquid measuring cup along with the ground flax seed and chia seeds. Add the almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Stir well to combine. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to serve, stir in any and all toppings of choice. (I especially like chopped banana, berries, and a drizzle of melted peanut butter. When I don’t have fresh berries, I use a combination of dried fruit instead.) Overnight oats (or n’oats!) are generally enjoyed cold, but they may be gently heated if preferred.
Notes
Although the nuts and seeds are soaked overnight in the context of the recipe, it is the rinsing that makes the difference. Soaking draws out the phytic acid, making the nuts more digestible—the rinsing step is needed to get rid of it. For more details on why you may wish to do this, you may wish to read this post from Wellness Mama.
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