Mornings are always such a rush in our house (I hope I’m not the only one). But we have our timings down to a fine art. One reason is because I love my breakfast. The best meal of the day. So I like to take time to make sure that I have some. One of my favourite ways to do that, though, is by preparing in advance. Which is why overnight oats are my go-to breakfast recipe. I love how versatile they are, as well as how tasty and filling.

If you haven’t did them before, then you might be thinking that it sounds rather gross. Cold, soaked oats? I honestly thought the same. But as they are soaked, they make a really creamy mixture, kind of like porridge (but not at the same time). I like to add some toppings with different textures to mix it up a little too. With my PCOS, avoiding refined sugar and dairy are pretty important. But luckily for me, overnight oats tick all of those boxes. They don’t have gluten either, as long as you get the free-from kind of oats.

One of my favourite combos at the moment is coconut and chocolate; like a deconstructed Bounty bar. Kind of. The combination of the two is a match made in heaven. Plus, it feels totally indulgent for a breakfast, but is full of natural goodness.

Coconut & Cacao Overnight Oats

Ingredients (for two servings):

• 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
• 2 cups Original Vita Coco Milk Alternative
• 4 tbsp raw cacao powder
• 2 tbsp chia seeds
• 4 tbsp maple syrup
• pinch of salt
• Garnish of your choice (berried, sliced banana, coconut pieces, almonds, cacao nibs etc)

What You Need To Do:

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl or tall jar, stirring until well-mixed. It will seem quite runny / liquid but that’s normal.
2. Divide into serving dishes or jars with a lid. Cover bowls with cling film or secure lid on a jar. Place in the fridge and leave overnight.
3. Remove your oats a few minutes before serving and give them a stir. Top with additional toppings like coconut, almonds, and cacao nibs.

My favourite thing about overnight oats is that the are just ready to grab in the morning and they are full of natural goodness. They really fill me up too! The addition of the Vita Coco is so tasty too. I’m such a label reader, and I find in a lot of nut milks or coconut milks that I have used in the past, have hardly any coconut or nuts in them (around 2% for most brands)! This dairy-free milk alternative is made from 70% coconut (60% coconut water and 10% coconut cream), so it is refreshing, tasty, and naturally sweet. No added sugar in sight.

Do you like overnight oats? Have you used coconut milk before? I’d love to hear what you think of my recipe.

*This recipe is an entry into the Dairy-Free Style Your Breakfast challenge with Vita Coco and Foodies100. See more great breakfast ideas at http://vitacoco.com/uk/. All opinions are my own.