Salad Samurai

Humble overnight oats—uncooked rolled oats soaked in a tasty liquid while you sleep—is a cheap and ridiculously convenient breakfast. It’s fun to make a different flavor every day of the week, or even elevate to elegant with a creamy sweet topping. I prefer oats soaked with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and berries, and topped with a pudding-like cinnamon chile chocolate crème, but just stir in a little agave if you need only a touch more sweetness.

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (use gluten-free oats if you’re gluten free, obviously)

1 Grab two 10-ounce jars (Mason jars or reusable, smallish jam or nut-butter jars, with lids) and divide among them the oats, almond milk, agave (if using), chia seeds, and cinnamon and briefly stir. Divide the frozen or fresh berries and drop them directly into the oats. Cap the jars tightly and chill overnight.

2 Meanwhile, soak together the cashews, dates, and coconut water for 20 minutes (soak them directly in the blender pitcher for one less bowl to clean). Pulse until smooth, depending on the strength of your blender, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the cocoa powder, cayenne pepper, and salt and pulse, scraping down the sides of the pitcher, until the chocolate crème is perfectly smooth. Pour into a glass container, cover, and chill overnight.

3 In the morning, heap some chocolate crème on top of each jar of oats and sprinkle with cacao nibs. Eat immediately, or cap the jars and consume within 2 hours for the best flavor. Bring along any extra chocolate crème for a tasty dip for fresh fruit in the afternoon!

SIDEBAR FOR THE SUPER LAZY!

Creamy soaked oats are perfect for the breakfast chef underachiever! You can grab the tightly sealed jar, toss it in your bag, and bolt out the door with a chewy, hearty breakfast that will keep you satisfied all morning long. I’m crazy about my chocolate crème oat parfaits, but you’ll get equally satisfying everyday results if you leave it out.

For less-dessert-like oats, replace the chocolate crème with a big dollop of nut butter packed directly into the bottom of the jar. Right before eating, stir the jar for a boost of nutty protein. For each serving, start with 6- to 8-ounce Mason jars (look for these in hardware stores or even Whole Foods). These are really small jars!

PER JAR:

• 1 tablespoon almond, cashew, or other nut butter

• ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats

• 1 teaspoon chia seeds or ground flax seeds

• ½ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

• 1 tablespoon raisins, dried cherries, cranberries, or other favorite dried fruit

• ¼ cup blueberries, raspberries, diced strawberries, or diced peaches, fresh or frozen

• 2 tablespoons chopped toasted walnuts or pecans

• Ground cinnamon and/or coconut sugar (optional)

1 Drop the nut butter into the jar and mash it down with the back of a spoon.

2 Add the oats and flax seeds and pour on the almond milk. Drop in any fresh, dried, and frozen fruit, then the nuts, and dust the top with a pinch of cinnamon and/or coconut sugar, if desired. Seal tightly and chill overnight. Stir before eating!