Overnight Iron Oats
Recipe by Chris Newport, Nutritionist and Head Coach
Are you trying to boost your iron? Do you have minimal time in the morning to prepare breakfast? Are you vegetarian or vegan? Then Overnight Iron Oats are your solution!
Even if you don’t need the additional iron, overnight oats (or Muesli) are a super convenient and healthy breakfast option that keeps for several days. And it’s so stinkin’ versatile. While this recipe has perhaps a few harder to find ingredients like goji berries and chia seeds (although we get ours at BJs), you can mix yours up however you’d like. In fact, “Mues” means to puree or mash up, so have a little mash-up party in your own pantry. I used a mason jar, but feel free to put yours in a bowl or to-go stainless steel container like this one.
Keep in mind that foods and supplements that are high in calcium may interfere with iron absorption. So if you need the iron boost, avoid using milk, store bought nondairy milks, or yogurt as your liquid “base.” I used coconut water in mine, but water will work too. While I’m not one to sit down to a glass of coconut water by itself (I’ll admit it…it tastes kinda gross to me…unless it’s IN something like a smoothie or oats), you might consider drinking it more often since it’s loaded with potassium and other beneficial things. You can also use coconut milk from the can. I prefer the Trader Joe’s lite coconut milk without any gum thickeners.
Why goji berries? They are a good source of vitamin C that aids absorption of iron from vegetarian sources (in this case, from the oats and chia seeds). Plus, they have other purported benefits. If you want to skip those, you can throw in some dried, fresh or frozen strawberries, which are a good source of vitamin C.
Here’s my happy overnight iron oats in the fridge, patiently awaiting my morning arrival:
What are your favorite overnight oat flavor combos or mash-ups?
Overnight Iron Oats
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut water or water and/or canned lite coconut milk
- 2 T goji berries
- 1 T chia seeds
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant or steel cut)
- sweetener optional
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl or jar and place in the fridge overnight (up to 4 days). Serve cold or heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes (may need to add additional water). Sweeten if desired or add cinnamon or vanilla extract for additional flavor.
