Healthy Protein Overnight Oats

Healthy Protein Overnight Oats is a low-calorie breakfast recipe that's simple to make for a delicious protein breakfast on the go! It's easy to customize to your liking and perfect for a well-balanced breakfast with the right amount of protein.

Why You Will Love These Protein Overnight Oats

• Balanced Breakfast. Your meals should be balanced with all three food groups - protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Oatmeal is a carbohydrate which means you want to enjoy it with fat and protein added to it.
• Low Calorie. Calories are not everything when it comes to weight loss (hormones matter too!), but the reality is calories are an important part of the equation. The calories in this recipe are higher than traditional oatmeal because of the added protein. A healthy breakfast for average statured individuals is between 350-500 calories and this breakfast is actually less than that with the added protein.
• Gluten-Free. This recipe is made with gluten-free oats making it gluten-free friendly.
• Right Amount of Protein. Most women are not eating the right amount of protein at breakfast. This recipe has the right amount of protein recommended for women.
• High Fiber. Oatmeal is a good source of fiber which is important for hormone balancing and weight loss. I talk about the science of fiber in this free weight loss class.
• Low Fat: The total fat in this recipe is 11 grams with one gram coming from saturated (less optimal) fat and the remaining comes from healthy fat.

If you are looking for more ways to boost your protein at breakfast, try these cottage cheese protein pancakes, McDonald's Egg Sandwich Recipe, and my healthy Greek yogurt eggs.

Ingredients You Need

Here are the simple ingredients to make overnight protein oats. It's super simple to make this protein breakfast and you can customize it to your liking too! You will also need small 8-ounce glass jars.

• Gluten-Free Oats: You can use cooked steel-cut oats instead and if you don't need it gluten-free you can use regular oats.
• Chia Seeds: This is our added healthy fat! They soak up the liquid we add and help give the oats the texture you want. You can also use hemp seeds and ground flax meal but they have different fat and protein profiles so the nutrition will be slightly different. Also, the hemp does not gel in the same way as the chia.
• Protein Powder: Any protein powder works with this protein oatmeal recipe. I recommend using one that has 20-30 grams of protein per serving. Choose a protein powder you would eat or drink on its own to ensure you like the flavor. Protein powders I recommend are: Garden of Life Plant-Based, Garden of Life Whey, Orgain, Active Stacks, Collagen, Legion Whey, Legion Plant-Based, Nuzest Clean Lean.
• Milk: Any milk you enjoy can be used in this recipe. I am using almond milk.
• Cinnamon: Adds natural sweetness and flavor. You can replace it with nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice or omit it if you like.
• Fruit and Other: Fruit, nuts, or nut butter can easily be added to high-protein overnight oats. They are not included in the nutrition data facts.
• Sweetener: You can add any sweetener you like or you can leave it out if you find the oats sweet enough. Just note that using full-calorie sweeteners will increase the calories and carbohydrates. The reason I used monkfruit was to keep the carbohydrates better balanced.

Note About Substitutions. Any substitutions you make will change the calories and macronutrients (protein, fat, and carbohydrate grams) you see in the nutrition data facts in the recipe card below.

Variations

• Add Nut Butter. Add almond butter, peanut butter, or any other favorite nut butter to add flavor to your overnight oats recipe with protein powder. Just be sure you aren't relying on it for protein.
• Using Powdered Peanut Butter. You can add this to your overnight oats for flavor but it is not considered a replacement for the protein powder. It's considered a healthy fat rather than a source of protein.
• Skip the Protein Powder. Use Greek yogurt or cottage cheese instead but you will need to add 20-30 grams of yogurt or cottage cheese to get the same amount of protein as this recipe. For more, you can check out my cottage cheese overnight oats recipe. The grams of protein are a little less than 20 grams in that recipe so you would want to add more protein on the side. Start with a 1/2 cup of yogurt, then adjust with more milk or yogurt to get the desired consistency. You will likely be short of the 20 grams of protein when using cottage cheese and need to eat more protein on the side.
• Non-Dairy Replacement for Protein Powder. If you cannot do dairy, then I recommend adding egg whites (20 grams) or another protein source on the side. Remember whole eggs have fat and two whole eggs would not have 20 grams of protein. You need LEAN protein!
• Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats. Use a chocolate-flavored protein powder or add a tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa powder when mixing.

How To Make Overnight Protein Oats

Here's a look at how to make these protein powder overnight oats. Be sure to check the recipe card for all the details.

Step 1: Add the ingredients to a bowl.

Step 2: Stir all the ingredients together.

Step 3: Transfer the mixture to an 8-ounce glass jar.

Step 4: Top with fruit and any optional toppings. Cover and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat.

Step 5: Enjoy your overnight oats with protein powder for an easy breakfast each morning. You may need to add more milk in the morning, depending on the consistency of your protein powder and how it absorbs the milk.

Expert Tips

• Make Ahead. In general overnight oats are meant to be made ahead so you can grab them quickly in the morning. In addition, the flavor and texture improve when they've sat in the fridge overnight as the oats and chia absorb the milk and soften.
• Adjust the Consistency. If your oats are too thick add more milk to thin them out before eating.
• Choose the Right Protein Powder. You want to use a protein powder with at least 20 grams of protein per serving for it to be a high-protein overnight oats recipe.

Recipe FAQs

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