Alex and I are down in Singapore for 4th of July weekend. Whenever I take a trip, I always pack food to take with me– for several different reasons.
- I have food allergies. Avoiding them is not always possible in Asia
- I like to have healthy options, and know that the food I eat will leave me energized, and not weighted down. I like to have control over the ingredients in my food.
- The food I make just tastes better than options bought at convenience stops!
Here is one thing I put together before we took off to enjoy along the way:
Both the oats and chia absorb liquid from the yogurt overnight, leaving it a creamy, doughy consistency the next morning. Really, you don’t have to leave it overnight. An hour will do– but if you want it to be ready when you get up, or like to have something quick to grab as you’re rushing out the door (I can sympathize with that!), then making it the evening before is easy, and adding the finishing touches in the morning takes 2 minutes tops.
I love cookie dough! Cookie dough ice cream was the ultimate indulgence for me when I was younger. I remember the first time I had Ben and Jerry’s — it was cookie dough flavor. The carton I happened to pick up must have been a fluke- because it was about 75% cookie dough, 25% ultra rich ice cream. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Then I read the nutrition facts —> not heaven!
This version of cookie dough bliss is much easier to enjoy, knowing that you’re getting a nice does of protein and fiber from the chia seeds, whole grain oats, and plain yogurt. It’s sweetened just with banana, and the only sugar it has is the minimal amount in the bit of dark chocolate. I use 85% dark chocolate, so the amount of sugar is negligible- meaning it’s totally fair game for breakfast, right? Besides, chocolate is a health food.
I actually start making “yogurt sundaes” a while back after I made the switch from processed fruit flavored yogurts to plain, natural yogurt. I needed a bit of something sweet in it to make the transition, so I started adding raisins, bananas, lightly sweetened cereal, and dark chocolate chips. Then I realized how good oats were in place of the cereal. Then I thought I would add chia to the mix, and that ended up being a great idea, because it thickens it up and makes it chewy. Yum!
I use frozen bananas. I like to eat my bananas green (unripe- and I’ll explain why in a post later this week!), so I cut them into quarters and freeze them so they are easy to use in smoothies and yogurt. The frozen bananas have an ice cream consistency on their own, adding to the dessert-appeal of this yogurt!
If you don’t like bananas, or aren’t used to plain yogurt, try adding blackstrap molasses. It has a very strong, sweet flavor, so a tiny bit (like 1/2 a teaspoon- a mere 7 calories!) really sweetens up the yogurt a lot. I used to add it more often when I wasn’t used to the tartness of plain yogurt, and now only do occasionally when I really want a sweet treat.
- ½ cup plain yogurt (or greek yogurt)
- 3 tablespoons rolled oats (not instant!)
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- ½ banana (I use frozen, but fresh will work too!)
- 2 teaspoons sunflower butter (or almond butter)
- 2 teaspoons dark chocolate chips (I use 85% dark)
- 1 teaspoon shredded unsweetened coconut
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- pinch of sea salt
- ½ teaspoon blackstrap molasses (optional)
- Add oats, chia seeds, and yogurt to a bowl, and mix. Leave in the fridge for 1 hour to overnight.
- Add all the mix ins, stir, and enjoy!
Experiment with other cookie dough mix ins, like raisins or nuts. Walnuts are a favorite of mine!
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