Vegetarian Recipes

Overnight Oats, Many Ways

https://www.loveandlemons.com/overnight-oats-many-ways/

I love overnight oats – they’re an easy, healthy, dairy-free, grab-able breakfast, but I have a tendency to get into an oat rut, reaching for the same ‘ol toppings every time. If you feel the same way, here are 4 ideas that will hopefully add some inspiration to your breakfast routine!

What are overnight oats?

Overnight oats are the perfect breakfast if you love eating oatmeal in the morning but don’t have time to cook before you head out the door. My base recipe consists of whole rolled oats that soak in almond milk overnight with a dash of maple syrup. In the morning, the oats are soft and easy to digest, and the mixture has a thick, porridge-like consistency that’s satisfying to eat. I like to change up my oats by using coconut milk instead of almond milk or adding cinnamon, turmeric, or vanilla to the oat mixture before it soaks overnight. And of course, choosing different toppings is a fun and easy way to vary your overnight oats.

How do I make overnight oats?

If you’re new to overnight oats, making them is easy! Here’s how:

On the night before you plan to enjoy your oats, stir together 1/2 cup whole rolled oats, 1/2 cup plant-based milk, 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup, and a dash of salt.
Refrigerate the mixture overnight in an airtight container.
In the morning your oats will be ready to eat! Transfer them to a bowl before topping and devouring them, or top and take them on the go.

These are the toppings I started with to create these 4 overnight oats combinations – how pretty are all of these healthy ingredients!

Tips for overnight oat success

If you’re taking your breakfast on the go, a Mason jar is a great choice of container for your overnight oat base. The lid seals tightly, and the jar isn’t too big or bulky. Plus, the jar’s narrow shape keeps most of the toppings separate from the oats until you’re ready to eat.
I like to refrigerate my oat base without toppings and then top it in the morning. That way, dried fruit stays chewy, and nuts and seeds are crunchy, not gummy.
If you like doing weekly meal prep, make a big batch of overnight oats over the weekend. Store individual servings in Mason jars and top them differently each day!
Have fun! I hope you love these 4 recipes, but experiment with different in-season fresh fruit, dried fruit, nut butters, spices, etc.

And now, to the recipes…

Overnight Oats - Cherry Berry with Chia and Yogurt

Cherry Berry with Chia & Yogurt Oats

A classic antioxidant-filled combo. Since it’s wintertime, I used frozen fruit (tart cherries and blueberries) in my bowls. Top them with Greek yogurt, chia seeds, and a drizzle of maple syrup.

Overnight Oats - Coconut Turmeric with currants, mango, and hemp seeds

Coconut Turmeric Oats

An unexpected breakfast bowl filled with anti-inflammatory spices. I stirred turmeric, cinnamon, and coconut milk into the base of the oat bowl and topped it with mango, dried currants, hemp seeds, and coconut flakes.

Overnight Oats - Sweet Sesame Tahini with apricots, pistachios, and pomegranates

Sweet Sesame Tahini Oats

I love tahini so much that now I’m eating it for breakfast! This bowl looks so pretty, and it couldn’t be more simple to put together. Just drizzle tahini on top of the oats and top with pistachios, dried apricots, pomegranates, sesame seeds, and a drizzle of honey (or maple syrup, if you’re vegan).

Overnight Oats - Chocolate Chip Cookie with almond butter

Chocolate Chip Cookie Oats

If you’re trying to get your kids (or husband) to eat oats, this one is for you :). Who can resist that big swirl of almond butter with chocolate chips? I flavor this base recipe with a dash of vanilla extract for extra cookie flavor.

Want more make-ahead breakfast ideas? Try these cookies, these muffins, or these little frittatas.

Overnight Oats, Many Ways

Author: Jeanine Donofrio

Recipe type: Breakfast

½ cup whole rolled oats
½ cup almond milk or light coconut milk
½ teaspoon maple syrup
pinch of sea salt

make base recipe using light coconut milk, ⅛ to ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric, and ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
toppings: hemp seeds, diced mango, currants, coconut flakes, honey drizzle

make base recipe with coconut or almond milk
toppings: scoop of yogurt or coconut yogurt, berries, chia seeds, maple drizzle

make base recipe with coconut or almond milk
toppings: tahini, pistachios, pomegranates, dried apricots, honey drizzle, sesame seeds

make base recipe with almond milk and ¼ teaspoon vanilla
toppings: almond butter, chocolate chips, chopped almonds

In a small jar, combine the oats, almond or coconut milk, maple syrup, and salt. Stir and chill overnight.
In the morning, scoop the oats into a bowl, stir in more almond or coconut milk, if desired, for consistency. Top with desired toppings.
Alternatively, for a grab-and-go breakfast, you can assemble the overnight oats in jars with the toppings the night before.

Make these vegan by using maple syrup in place of the honey.

3.4.3177

Vegetarian Recipes

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Here’s a quickie recipe for those nights when you just need something fast and delicious. This Lemon Ricotta Pasta is super fast, light, and fresh, which makes it perfect for an easy weeknight dinner during the summer. The bright lemon flavor perfectly compliments the light and creamy ricotta, and the little pops of sweetness from the peas make every bite a little more interesting. Simple, fresh, and easy.

Originally posted 3-4-2011, updated 6-8-2022.

Do I Have to Use Fresh Lemon?

This is one of those recipes where you really do want to use a fresh lemon instead of bottled juice. The zest from the lemon adds a ton of bright, summery lemon flavor to the pasta without making the sauce too sour. We add just a little of the juice to balance the creaminess of the ricotta, but the zest is where you’re getting all that gorgeous sunny lemon flavor!

Not All Ricotta is Created Equal

I find there is quite a bit of variation in the quality of ricotta from brand to brand. Some are smooth, mild, and sweet like fresh milk, while others are bland and grainy. My preferred brand is Galbani, but they didn’t have any at the store when I went, so I got the generic Kroger brand. It was definitely a bit grainy, but the pasta was still quite delicious despite that!

Also, make sure to get whole milk ricotta. Low-fat ricotta just doesn’t hit the same in this recipe.

What Else Can I Add?

This simple pasta is a great jumping-off point for making a more elaborate pasta, if that’s what you’re in the mood for. Try adding some sliced chicken breast, fresh basil, or fresh spinach. Garlic butter shrimp would also go great with this pasta!

What to Serve with Lemon Ricotta Pasta

This pasta is so light and fresh that I suggest keeping any side dishes really simple, light, and fresh as well. I would go with a super simple side salad, or maybe some roasted asparagus and tomatoes.

Lemon Ricotta Pasta

Lemon Ricotta Pasta is light, fresh, and quick to prepare, making it the perfect pasta for weeknight dinners in the summer.

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine American

Total Cost $4.27 recipe / $1.07 serving

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings

Calories 400kcal

Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Ingredients

1 lemon $0.89
8 oz. pasta* $0.67
1 cup frozen peas $0.50
1 clove garlic, minced $0.08
1 Tbsp butter $0.11
1 cup whole milk ricotta $1.60
1/4 cup grated Parmesan $0.36
1/4 tsp salt (or to taste) $0.02
1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste) $0.02
1 pinch crushed red pepper (or to taste) $0.02

Instructions

Zest and juice the lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp zest and 1 Tbsp lemon juice.
Cook the pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Before draining, reserve about 1 cup of the starchy water from the pot.
Place the frozen peas in the colander before draining the pasta so the pasta will thaw the peas as it drains.
Add the butter and minced garlic to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic is fragrant.
Add the drained pasta and peas, and about ½ cup of the starchy pasta cooking water to the skillet with the butter and garlic. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.
Add the ricotta, Parmesan, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and ½ teaspoon lemon zest to the skillet. Stir until everything is well combined, the residual heat from the skillet and pasta have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has formed a creamy sauce. Add more of the warm reserved pasta water if needed.
Season the pasta with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Notes

*Use any short shape pasta.

Nutrition

How to Make Lemon Ricotta Pasta – Step By Step Photos

Zest and juice one lemon. You’ll need about ½ tsp of zest and 1 Tbsp juice.

Cook 8oz. pasta according to the package directions (boil for 7-10 minutes, or until tender). Reserve about 1 cup of the starchy pasta water before draining.

Add 1 cup of frozen peas to a colander, then pour the boiled pasta over top to thaw the peas as you drain the pasta.

Add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 clove garlic to a large skillet. Sauté over medium heat for 1-2 minutes, or just until the garlic becomes very fragrant.

Add the still-hot pasta and peas to the skillet along with about ½ cup of the hot reserved pasta water. Stir to combine, then turn off the heat.

Add 1 cup whole milk ricotta, ¼ cup grated Parmesan, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and ½ tsp lemon zest to the pasta. Stir until the ingredients are combined, the residual heat from the pasta and skillet have warmed the ricotta, and the ricotta has turned into a creamy sauce.