SPICED APPLE PIE OVERNIGHT Oats

I don’t know about you, but I forget to eat breakfast all the time. Solution? Something that is ready to eat right when I get up. Most overnight oats I have had are incredibly boring, but not these. These oats are easy, healthy and a great on-the-go breakfast or brunch. I like to put my oats in little jars and grab one as I’m running out the door. I may forget to brush my hair, and I may put my shirt on backwards, but dang it, I have breakfast!

Serves: 2

½ cup (40 g) rolled oats

1 tsp chia seeds

1 tsp apple pie spice

⅓ cup (82 g) unsweetened applesauce

1 cup (240 ml) almond milk or other nondairy milk

1 cup (120 g) diced Fuji or Gala apples

2 tbsp (30 ml) pure maple syrup

¼ tsp ground ginger

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp pure vanilla extract

The night before you want to serve the overnight oats, stir together the oats, chia seeds and apple pie spice in a medium bowl.

Add the applesauce and milk. Stir to combine.

Cover the bowl and refrigerate it overnight (or for at least 8 hours). The oats will get thicker the longer they sit.

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the apples, maple syrup, ginger, cinnamon and vanilla, tossing to coat all the apples. Cook the apples for 5 to 10 minutes, until they are soft and the sauce has thickened slightly. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Let the apples cool completely, transfer them to a lidded container and put them in the fridge as well.

In the morning, put the oats in a jar or bowl and top them with the apple topping.

Hot Tip: If I have time in the morning, I like to make the apple topping right before I am ready to eat. Then I serve the cold oats with the hot apples. It’s a delicious combo!