Chocolate PB2 Overnight-Mason-Jar Oats

Adapted from Dishing Out Health

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 4 Servings (Each serving is ½-pint jar or 1 cup)

Overnight-Mason-Jar Oats not only make a good breakfast, but also a good grab-and-go healthful snack.  Using Mason jars for meals is a good way to keep portions in check.  The recipe below is one of my favorite ways to make them.  You can substitute chopped apples or unsweetened applesauce for the banana.  You can add ground flax seeds.  You can also add fresh or frozen berries.  Just be sure that your additions or substitutions are healthful. If you begin adding refined, processed sugars, then you will be in candy-store territory. Not good!  If you must sweeten your oats, then do so with fresh, in-season fruit, dried fruit, local honey or 100% real maple syrup in moderation. I think using a really ripe (blackish) banana and  a few raisins makes this plenty sweet enough.  Using fresh and dried fruit adds fiber to your oats.

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

4 Tablespoons Chocolate PB2

2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (You can use dairy milk or unsweetened plain almond milk.)

½ cup plain yogurt (I like use plain 2% Greek yogurt.)

1 large very ripe banana, mashed

2 Tablespoons raisins (You can use any dried fruit here.  Raisins, dates, or prunes will help sweeten the oats.)

Mix together all the ingredients in a large bowl until smooth.  Distribute evenly between four 8-ounce jars (or other containers) with tight-fitting lids.  Cover and refrigerate for a minimum of 5 hours or overnight before eating.  Overnight-Mason-Jar Oats can also be assembled and then frozen, if desired.  Thaw in fridge overnight before eating.

**By my calculations, each serving of my version is about 288 calories. (The original recipe below uses artificial sweetener which I didn’t wish to use.  So, I’ve sweetened my oats by using a ripe banana and a few raisins.  Adding banana and some raisins ups the calorie count, but also adds fiber.)

(Original Recipe) Chocolate Peanut Butter Overnight Oats

Serves two

1 cup old fashioned oats

1 cup unsweetened vanilla or plain almond milk – sub for milk of choice

¼ cup 0% fat vanilla or plain Greek yogurt

2 Tablespoons Chocolate PB2

1 Tablespoon cocoa powder

1 teaspoon Stevia or sweetener of choice

Combine all ingredients in a mason jar or Tupperware container. Mix well.  Refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours before serving. Enjoy cold or warmed up.

Nutrition Facts per Serving (1/2 of recipe)

Calories: 215; Total Fat: 4.5 gm; Saturated Fat: .5 gm; Cholesterol: 2.5 mg. Sodium: 138 mg; Carbohydrates: 35 gm; Fiber: 5.5 gm; Sugar: 4 gm; Protein: 11 gm