Although I do not commute to work, I love waking up to already made breakfast. No, Alex doesn’t cook me breakfasts, they cook themselves in the fridge or in the oven the night before. My cooking inspiration is just not there until about 10 AM. And when eating clean, preparation is key for breakfast and snacks.
I have already tried chia pudding and overnight oats. I have also tested awesome overnight breakfast quinoa which I will share soon. This week we are eating these overnight parfaits made with Qi’a™ Superfoods Oatmeal by Nature’s Path.
Qi’a™ is an oatmeal in packets, perfect for busy people. But it’s not just another oatmeal. It’s also chia, buckwheat and hemp. How clever! I grew up eating buckwheat in Ukraine, just like Japanese kids grow up on rice. So I was super happy to see buckwheat slowly making its way up next to quinoa soon (fingers crossed).
The seeds in the oatmeal fill you up with plant-based protein, essential fatty acids and fiber for the day ahead. And if you top it with protein-packed Greek yogurt, naturally sweetened fruits and/or berries and crunchy nuts, you will be stuffed till lunch time. To make parfait vegan skip the yogurt.
Just to make it clear, you can prepare the parfaits for up to 5 days in advance, just like overnight oats. It is a one layer parfait because Qi’a™ oatmeal has to soak up milk while sitting at the bottom of the jar overnight. A layer of thick and creamy yogurt prevents the mess although it’s fine if you don’t add it (vegans). The parfait might not look as pretty as mine but who cares (mine is styled anyways).
Use any fresh or frozen berries you have on hand. I added frozen mango and berry mix I buy at Costco. And if you wonder where you can buy Qi’a™ oatmeal, it’s pretty much everywhere where you can find Nature’s Path cereals. Even Walmart carries it now.
I know it’s winter now and you might want a warm breakfast. In that case, you can place the jar in a bowl with boiling water for about 10 minutes. It warms up the oatmeal at the bottom and not the yogurt or fruit. My husband takes the parfait out of the fridge first thing in the morning and by the time he is ready to enjoy it on the train to work it is room temperature.
I can really see myself having this often in summer (can’t wait for it already) because last summer my kitchen was boiling hot for a few months straight.
Ingredients
- 1 package Qi'a™ Superfoods Hot Oatmeal
- 1/3 cup any milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (I used 2%)
- 2/3 cup fresh or frozen fruit and berries of choice (I used mango and berry mix)
- 3 tbsp any nuts (I used almonds)
- 1 tbsp coconut flakes, unsweetened (optional)
Directions
- In a 16 oz Mason jar, mix with a spoon Qi'a™ and milk. Top with yogurt, fruit and/or berries, nuts and coconut flakes, if desired. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. Serve cold or warm. To warm up, place the jar filled with boiling water for 10 minutes.
Nutritional Info: Makes 1 parfait. Info varies depending on toppings you use but you have nutritional info on Qi’a and Greek yogurt packages.
Nature’s Path is giving away one lucky winner #NewOrganicYou gift basket of Nature’s Path products including Qi’a and Qi’a Oatmeal along with a myriad of other products ($100 value) and 3 deliciously nutritious meal plans developed by registered dieticians and culinary nutritionists to help you kick off the year on the right path.
a Rafflecopter giveawayDisclosure: I was compensated for my time to develop this recipe. I recommend only products I love, tried myself and fit Clean Eating lifestyle.