The Overnight Oats Protein Breakfast Bowl I Am Loving Lately {With 30 Grams Of Protein}

I love a breakfast bowl – yogurt bowls, smoothie bowls, chia pudding bowls, even the occasional oatmeal bowl. In recent years, I haven’t eaten much oatmeal. Lacking in protein (and therefore satiety), I would eat oatmeal, and then feel hungry again just an hour or so later. This happened even after adding an egg or dollop of peanut butter on top. As much as I love oats, I love feeling full for longer a little more, and would therefore forgo a grain-based bowl for something more satiating.

After I began tracking my macros and paying attention to my fiber intake, I started to play around with oats again. How could I incorporate them into my morning while also upping the protein to create a more macro-friendly meal that is also blood sugar balancing? This is one of the beautiful things about Instagram; it really is a treasure trove of recipe inspiration. I noticed others were combining overnight oats with yogurt and protein powder, so I decided to give it a go. Not only do I love the texture and taste, it is a concoction that is easy to make (with minimal prep) and keeps me energized for a few hours; the combination of carbs and protein also adequately fuels my morning workout, while supporting my digestion to boot.

How to make this overnight oats protein breakfast bowl

I usually prepare the soaked oats for the work week in four to five mason jars.

The night before, and up to a few days ahead of time, combine 1/3 cup of organic rolled oats* (gluten-free if necessary) with enough almond milk or water to just slightly cover. I like to use a combination of unsweetened almond milk and water, which equates to about four to five ounces (a little more than 1/2 cup to prevent the oats from being too “liquidy”). The soaked oats get stored in the fridge. When I am ready to make my bowl the next morning, I will transfer the soaked oats to a small bowl, add the greek yogurt and protein powder, and stir until whipped and creamy. Then I will add my toppings and enjoy. You could complete the steps in one sitting – soaked oats + yogurt + protein powder + toppings, and store it all in the fridge for an easy grab-and-go scenario, but for some reason, I like mixing in the other ingredients right before I am about to eat it. See below for a step-by-step visual for how I make it.

*Note: I encourage using organic oats due to the use of Roundup and other glyphosate formulations in the wheat industry. In fact, studies have shown that wheat-based sensitivities (with the exclusion of celiac disease) are misdiagnosed as gluten-intolerances, when it is actually the herbicide causing the digestive distress.

What is the nutritional information for this overnight oats protein yogurt?

I have a love-hate relationship with nutrition labels. For years, my food philosophy has been count colors, not calories; I firmly believed (and still do believe) that our bodies are more of a chemistry lab than a calculator. That being said, I have had two babies and am fast approaching my forties; I have therefore realized I need to keep certain considerations in mind in order to optimize my metabolism. Paying attention to my macronutrient intake, while making sure I am not only eating enough protein, but eating enough, has been key in my body recomposition journey. For more information on where I am coming from, you can listen to my podcast conversation with Erik, the Flexible Dieting Coach. Bottom line is that last year, I discovered that I was under-eating protein and carbohydrates (and therefore fiber), overeating healthy fat, and simply not eating enough calories for my very active lifestyle. This proved detrimental to my energy levels, hormonal balance, and digestion. Tweaking my macronutrient percentages has been a game-changer.

This overnight oats protein yogurt starts my day in alignment with the macro breakdown I am trying to achieve. The nutrition facts above do not reflect the toppings – once I add 60-80 grams of berries, and a sprinkle of my homemade granola, this lends some more carbs and fiber. Overall, the daily macro targets I aim for are 30% protein, 50% carbohydrates, 20% fat (for some context on healthy fat: once I started tracking, I was eating around 100-115 grams of healthy fat. As much as healthy fat is, well, healthy for you, that was simply way too much for me. I now aim for no more than 80 grams, and usually fall closer to 60 grams for the day).

Can you make this overnight oats protein yogurt dairy-free?

I was primarily dairy-free for almost a decade. During that time, I would consume coconut yogurt instead of greek yogurt. I love coconut yogurt, and it still makes its way into my diet from time to time. However, as I was shifting macros around – upping my protein, while decreasing the fat – I realized coconut yogurt has almost none of the former, and more of the latter. Once I slowly started incorporating dairy back in, primarily in the form of greek yogurt, cottage cheese, goat cheese, feta cheese, and some gouda, I noticed that I no longer felt intolerant to it at all. In fact, my digestion improved, and my skin stayed clear (breakouts and rosacea being two of the reasons I eliminated it in the first place).

If you need to eat dairy-free for either a food sensitivity or personal preference, you can use coconut yogurt or another yogurt alternative. It likely won’t lend the same amount of protein, so perhaps increase the amount of protein powder, add a scoop of collagen, or some hemp seeds.

Toppings suggestions

I almost always sprinkle on some of my homemade granola and add berries. This past summer, pregnancy cravings had me loving frozen peaches. I have also dolloped this bowl with peanut butter and chia jam. You really can’t go wrong!