I’ll be honest right from the start: I have never had (nor do I have the desire to try) fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt. First of all, it’s not available in nondairy varieties, so that’s an obvious deterrent. Moreso, the “fruit” on the bottom has been heavily processed and coated with sickeningly sweet high fructose corn syrup. Um, no.
Like most of my recipes, I’ve been eager to try this one for a while. It required me to have yogurt on hand, which I usually lack. Whenever I have it, I end up demolishing it before I can even attempt this or the other yogurt-demanding recipes.
Speaking of yogurt, I’m still flip-flopping between brands. I also cannot decide whether I like almond or coconut yogurt better. I will say that the Amande brand of almond yogurt is quite fantastic, and happily for me, the Whole Foods in Union Square has finally begun stocking it in the bigger containers (I refuse to buy the single-size portions, y’know?).
For this recipe, it’s pretty vital for you to use your favorite brand and flavor. It plays a rather pivotal role in this oatmeal; if you look at the recipe, the “oatmeal” portion is literally just oats, milk, and yogurt. I recommend selecting a plain or vanilla variety, though.
What you'll need:
- 2 tsp chia seeds
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 tsp honey or agave (can omit)
- handful of fruit (such as berries, plums, mangoes, peaches, or kiwi)
- 1/2 cup rolled oats (I use Country Choice Organic)
- 1/2 cup milk of choice
- 1/4 cup yogurt of choice
How to make it:
- In a small bowl, combine first three ingredients and mix together. Then add fruit and mash with a fork. Mix all four ingredients well. Dump into a mason jar.
- Rinse and dry out the bowl (or grab another one). Combine oats, milk, and yogurt. Stir until combined.
- Pour into the mason jar on top of the fruit mixture and then cover with a lid. DO NOT SHAKE.
- Store in the refrigerator overnight (or for several hours). Eat cold or warm up in the microwave! (I recommend cold. I warm up almost every oatmeal, but this one I happily ate cold!)
Just an FYI:
Feeling super lazy? or out of fruit? Skip the first four ingredients and just dump a couple spoonfuls of your favorite jam or jelly at the bottom of the mason jar!
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