breakfast

Peachy Overnight Oats

After a summer of spending hours outside in my yard and filling my kitchen with tomatoes, the mornings have suddenly turned chilly. We moms are donning sweatshirts when we pick our kids up after practice, I am back to setting an alarm, and the biggest transition is, I am back to school. (If my father were still here, he’d be singing, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” That Staples commercial was his favorite).

Now, if you are an educator, you know the one phrase that will make your hackles rise and get your dander up like no other? Come on, say it with me… “It’s nice you get your summers off.” Growl.

In my original post, I listed all the reasons why this phrase is annoying but I edited them out. Suffice to say, it isn’t a nice thing to say to an educator.

Peachy Overnight Oats

I LOVE what I do. LOVE. I look forward to going to work. I tell my own children (both now high school students) you need to be happy doing whatever it is for your career path; because life is too short.

When I kick off every school year, my prayer is simple; “Let my love be greater.”

Greater than my education and my training.

Greater to see past what I think I know to what is.

Greater than some of the harder circumstances and background stories that my students bring with them to school.

Greater than the gap I need to bridge to get them from where they start to where they finish.

Greater. Enough to be someone who truly cares, who helps to make our school the safest, coolest place they want to be.

For every child, every day.

That has potential to be exhausting. Can I get an amen?

Worth it, so profoundly humbling and daunting a task, and my return on my investment is boundless.

Peachy Overnight Oats

All that to say, I already know it’s nice to have my summers off. You don’t need to say it in that snarky voice.

I have been making my cup of coffee or tea, looking out at my flowers, traipsing to Farmer’s Markets, wearing the same two pair of yoga shorts all summer.

I know I have it good.

So now, I am back to meal prep and planning, and again it means thinking ahead about healthy breakfasts.

May I present…overnight oats.

Overnight oats are great because you basically create a fun recipe the night before, place it in the fridge, and in the morning, boom, breakfast! If you make a bigger batch, more breakfasts! Or, share with others in your life! They will thank you!

Now, if you use regular oats, there is no cooking involved – you mix your oats with some almond, soy, or regular milk and it absorbs overnight; but I like using Steel Cut Oats.

Steel Cut Oats are available at any grocery store, and pack a nutritional punch, are high in fiber, and have a delicious nutty flavor. It also means they need a little cooking time before you layer them in the container of your choice – but it is worth the extra step. I use the recipe on the McCann’s Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal container. Traditionally it is 1/4 C Steel Cut Oats to 1 C Water. I make a 1 Cup to 4 Cup batch, sprinkling oats into briskly boiling water, and simmer for about ten minutes, or until almost all of the liquid is absorbed. You can cook it more or less depending on how chewy you like your oats, remembering that they are going to sit overnight and absorb extra moisture. I tend to just let them go until they are mostly cooked. It’s easier. Easier is good.

I let the oats cool slightly.

Happy Morning Breakfast

Then, using mason jars (if you are cute and not klutzy – which is why I use plastic containers when I am not taking pictures) layer your oats with your favorite fruits and yogurt. The possibilities are endless. Eye appeal is important, so if you can make the mason jar work for you, you are luckier than I. I need plastic, boring, safe, but shatterproof. My dad used to say, “Good thing we didn’t name you Grace.”

At this peak of peach season, this recipe called for 1/2-1 ripe peach per jar, 1/4- 1/3 C prepared oats, and about 1/2 Cup of Peach Yogurt (I like Siggis). These are your breakfasts, you make them the way you will like to eat them. Like my yoga teacher says, “It’s just Yoga.” It’s just breakfast. You should like what you put into your body. More peaches? Go for it. More Yogurt? Dairy Free yogurt? Bring it.

Simply layer yogurt, oats, peaches, and repeat the pattern. Place the container in the refrigerator over night. If you make a batch of three or four, you have breakfasts set to go for a few days, and then it is one less thing to think about during the week! Or, if you are like me, you eat one for a snack instead of the brownie sundae you want to be eating, and then another one for lunch, because they are that good.

I hope this recipe makes life easier for you, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Click to see printable recipe

Peachy Overnight Oats

Print Recipe

Preparation the night before makes breakfast easy and healthy!

• Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 Cup Steel Cut Oats
• 4 Cups Water
• 3 Peaches – diced
• 2 Containers Peach Yogurt

Instructions

1. Following instructions on the Steel Cut Oats container – Cook 1 cup Oats (My recipe called for boiling in 4 Cups Water) until water is absorbed.
2. Cool Oats for a while.
3. Using 3-4 containers, layer oats, yogurt, peaches. Repeat.
4. Cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

Blueberry Crumble Muffins

When it comes to blueberry muffins, we are a house divided. I am a fan of crumble topping, or at least give me those big sugary crystals on top. Maybe because I like mostly the tops of the muffins. However, my children are purist when it comes to muffins. Just leave them as they are and thank you.

I’m also not ashamed to say cooking is my therapy. There is no problem I can’t solve when I am surrounded by ingredients and the cutting board, with music in the background and the puppy lying  on the carpet watching me. (More to follow on our puppy who isn’t actually a puppy). Some days, I just want to research recipes and cook and not make my own adjustments. Some days, I want to be in the zone. This was supposed to be that recipe. Until, oh wait, I didn’t have two of the major ingredients…and my pantry is pretty organized. Oh well. I grew up in the era where PBS showed the painter Bob Ross and all I could think was, “Happy little accidents.” These are the happy little accident of muffins, and I am thrilled with the result. My original recipe is from www.crazyforcrust.com They are the Starbucks Copycat Muffin.

This recipe uses Greek Yogurt (I had Siggi’s vanilla) instead of Sour Cream and Apple Cider Vinegar (I but the raw-organic unfiltered type). Between those two ingredients and the baking soda, these muffins are so light and perfectly textured, and easy to make.

Also, I like a little muffin with my blueberries, so this recipe has way more than the original called for. Now, if you are not a fan of a warm blueberry mess when you take your wrapper off of your muffin, by all means, just reduce the quantity. When it comes to muffins, if it’s going to be blueberry, it needs to be “all in” blueberry for me.

Now for the crumble. When I make muffins, we do both. Yes, I am a good mom who respects the wishes of her children when it comes to baked goods. If you on my delivery route of goodies, you get a mix of both. That’s how I roll.

This batter is so pretty, and light, I filled the muffin tins 3/4 of the way full, and set my timer for 15 minutes. Because muffins with burned anything are paperweights. No thanks. These were perfect at 18 minutes, but every oven is different, so be on the watch. This is serious business people. It’s like the final minutes of a game. (To be noted I am not the athlete in my world, I am the athletic supporter. Pun intended).

Blueberry Crumble Muffins with and Without Topping

The final result is actually one of the best muffins I have ever made or eaten, so my therapy kitchen session turned blog fodder, a happy accident indeed.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!

Chrissy

Printable Recipe

Crumble Blueberry Muffins Edited

Crumble Blueberry Muffins

Chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Muffins:

2 Eggs

1 C Sugar

1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

½ C oil

1 tsp Apple Cider vinegar (raw, organic, unfiltered)

1 tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 Cup vanilla Greek yogurt (I used Siggi’s vanilla)

2 ½ – 3 C Flour

1 to 2 Cups Blueberries (depending on how blueberry-ish you want them)

Crumble Topping:

½ C Flour

½ C Brown or white sugar

4 TBSP melted Butter

1 Tsp Cinnamon

Directions:

Prepare muffin tins with liners and set aside, preheat oven to 350*

in standing mixer, crack and mix eggs until yellow and smooth in consistency.

Add sugar, and oil and combine

Add vanilla, apple cider vinegar, baking soda, and salt

Remove from mixer and add vanilla Greek style yogurt

Blend in flour, then gently fold in blueberries.

Scoop into lined muffin tins until ¾ full, add crumble topping (or don’t!)

Bake at 350* for 18 minutes