5 High Protein Overnight Oats Recipes

I know. I know. Y’all are like “5 High Protein Overnight Oats Recipes?” Girl, I only see THREE in this picture. But, seriously, I promise there are five in the post below. And, more than that, there are two base recipes (one for vanilla, one for chocolate) with minor substitutions to get to the five. But, let’s talk first about what the heck overnight oats are and why I’ve been obsessing over them lately. Shall we?

OK. Remember a while back when I was told I needed to be a good girl and cut back on carbs and do some healthy(ish) things to get my life back in order? NO? Ok. Go HERE and read all about it, but don’t forget to scroll because the recipe in this one is delish too. Now that you’re up to speed, let’s say that I did really well at this.

Until I didn’t.

Because let’s face it, that’s some hard stuff. Especially over summer when there are cookouts to attend and ice cream to eat. Even more so because this summer was kind of a bummer so I found myself spending way too much time drinking multiple full-fat lattes on the couch with a snack. All of this accumulates, of course, and as the close of “disaster summer 2022” came around, I realized that not only had I not done well on the whole low-carb thing, I actually had done worse, my weight skyrocketing to a place I’m not comfortable with and my health issues spiraling out of control.

Enter in Plan B. Focusing on High Protein and Moving My Dang Body More.

So, in the interest of y’all keeping me honest, I’ll tell you what I’m doing right now to help regulate myself, and right this ship as best I can. First of all, I am not carb-cutting. I just can’t. It has never worked in the history of my life, and I don’t foresee it happening anytime soon. It’s too drastic, too restrictive, and that little part of my brain that rebels whenever someone tells me “NO,” is all “OH BET ME,” and carb-binges like there’s no tomorrow every time I try. So that’s just out of the question.

But, after talking with a dietician and someone who knows about these things, I have decided that if I prioritize protein with every meal and snack instead of cutting carbs,  and simply move my body more I will most likely achieve the results I want. Which, by the way, are not drastic weight loss and the body I had in my 20s again. It’s just to feel comfortable in my own skin and as healthy as possible at my age and desired exercise level (read: I’m not interested in joining CrossFit or running marathons).

On a daily basis it looks a little bit like this:

1. Protein at every single meal, and if I’m having carbs that are not complex (like they don’t need therapy), I do measure those and limit them to 1/2 cup.
2. Three times a week I’m doing a workout from Nourish, Move, Love on YouTube. Do I feel like I’m dying? Yes. Could I not walk down the stairs for a week after my first class? Also, yes. But I love how her workouts are suitable for at-home “athletes” like myself but give a good butt-kicking. Also, they’re free. So that’s always a bonus.
3. Walk at least 4 times a week. Non-negotiable. If I miss the morning, I drag myself out of the house after dinner and do a late walk at dusk when it’s not so hot. I am running for at least 2 of these outings if by running you mean “moving at a pace just slightly above a fast walk.” But, still, it counts.
4. Yoga for stress relief on off days, and sometimes mid-day for a work break.
5. Sleep by 9:30. NON-NEGOTIABLE.
6. Try not to freak out on a daily basis over every little thing.

Now I’ve only been doing these things for a few weeks now, and there haven’t been too many noticeable changes yet. Physically at least. But, mentally I am clearer with less brain fog in the afternoon and my energy levels and sleep are both improving. Again, I’m not really shooting for the moon here. I’ve never been a person of extremes nor do I think that our cultural obsession with extremes is healthy. But I am just going for the best version of myself I can be. And I like this approach. It’s doable and sustainable.

And I can still have pasta.

Anyway, one of the things that made me sad about my no-carb phase, however short-lived it was, was the lack of my morning oatmeal (my go-to Instapot recipe is HERE). That bowl of comforting goodness had been a part of my life forever and saying goodbye to it was not easy. Yes, we do have an overflow of eggs up in this house so there is always an option,* but sometimes I am not in the mood for savory. I want my dang oatmeal.

So when my friends at Purely Optimal approached me about creating a recipe using my favorite Collagen Powder, it inspired me to dream up ways I could use it to up the protein and nutrients in my oats, therefore bringing my beloved morning carb back into my life.

But first, let me tell you about Purely Optimal Collagen. No, I am not Jennifer Aniston out there shilling for a collagen company. I’m not a spokesperson (though, hey, if they want me to be I’m open). But I do love this collagen powder. It is the best dissolving of all of the powders that I’ve tried, and it has the added boost of Biotin for healthy hair and nail growth. I also love that Purely Optimal is a small company and they are really the nicest people around. So working with them is something I love, no matter what product we’re dealing with.

That being said, I went a little crazy. They asked for ONE recipe and I gave them five. What can I say? I’m a woman of extremes. But, at the end of the day, I love what I do and you can’t stop me. Also, why would you want to?

Five High Protein Overnight Oats Recipes

It’s important to know that the base of all five recipes is exactly the same. The add-ins make the difference and change the flavor profile. So, for the purposes of this post, the BASE of each recipe looks like this: 1/2 cup Whole Oats + 1 tablespoon chia seeds + 1 scoop Purely Optimal Protein +  Pinch of Salt + 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup +  3/4 cup liquid (the specific kind is specified in each recipe). To make each recipe use these ratios, add in the extras, whisk, and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, top with whatever you want, and enjoy.

That’s it. Super easy. The add-ins are what makes them each unique. My personal favorite? Chunky Monkey. But the close second is Dark Chocolate Raspberry. Oh, who am I kidding? They’re all good. Try each one. You won’t be disappointed.

Chunky Monkey

Base Recipe + 1 Tablespoon runny peanut butter (I used Chunky Natural) + 3/4 cup Almond Milk. Combine, whisking well to incorporate the peanut butter. Serve with sliced bananas, drizzled peanut butter, and chopped peanuts

Dark Chocolate Raspberry

Base Recipe + 1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder + 1 Tablespoon Chocolate Protein Powder + 3/4 cup almond milk. Combine, whisking well. Serve with a drizzle of maple syrup, mini chocolate chips, and fresh raspberries.

Blueberry Almond

Base Recipe + 1 teaspoon Almond Extract + 3/4 cup almond milk. Whisk well to combine. Serve with sliced almonds and blueberries.

Mocha

Base Recipe + 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder + 1/4 cup brewed, cooled coffee + 1/2 cup milk. Whisk to combine. Serve with sliced bananas and chocolate-covered espresso beans

Vanilla Strawberry

Base Recipe + 1 tablespoon Vanilla Protein Powder + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract + 3/4 cup vanilla almond milk. Whisk to combine. Top with sliced fresh strawberries or fresh strawberry preserves.

Now aren’t these just the cutest little high-protein portable breakfasts you’ve ever seen? To snag these perfectly-sized mason jars, check out this LINK for a set of six. And, to get your own Purely Optimal Collagen Powder, use this link PLUS the code MEAGHAN15 to get 15% off your collagen canister!

Let me know which one of these is your favorite, and stay tuned, I’ve got a few more recipes I’m dreaming up (think pumpkin spice and apple pie) that will be coming your way soon. In the meantime, let’s stay healthy, love big, and dream beautiful dreams together.

Peace, love, and protein,

Meg

*if you don’t know–Jeff is the CAO of Vital Farms and one of our amazing perks is FREE EGGS. YAY!

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