Cherry Vanilla Overnight Oats

Overnight oats have been very popular on internet sites for a couple of years and I've always meant to try them but hadn't gotten around to it.  I was inspired by some beautiful Rainier cherries I found at the store to make overnight oats using the cherries, but I didn't want to pile everything into a mason jar overnight the way most recipes do.  I guess the theory is that your breakfast is ready to grab and go the next morning, but it seems to me that it would get all mixed together overnight into a pile of mush.  So instead I did the overnight thing with the milk and oats (which is necessary to soften the oats) but then layered everything together in a pretty glass the next morning.  That way the oats, yogurt, and cherries all retained their own taste and texture, and I was able to add a sprinkle of chopped nuts on top for a nice crunch without the nuts getting soft overnight.

I can never resist Rainier cherries because they're so pretty, but regular fresh cherries would work equally well and are usually less expensive than Rainiers.  If it's not fresh cherry season, use frozen cherries - more on that below.

I really liked the fresh cherry texture with the softer yogurt and oats.  I think softer fresh fruits like raspberries wouldn't be quite as nice but you could always use frozen berries that have been partially thawed so they retain a little more chew.  Partially frozen cherries or berries have the added benefit of making your breakfast nice and cold which is great for a hot summer day.  In fact, I think of this as the summer (cold) version of oatmeal, with all the nutrition and goodness that comes along with it.

You could always do the mason jar version of this recipe, but it only takes a minute or two to assemble in the morning and I think it's worth it.

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Cherry Vanilla Overnight Oats

Makes 1 serving

Per Serving:

½ cup old-fashioned oats

½ cup milk (nonfat, soy milk, nut milk, whatever)

¼ cup plain unsweetened yogurt

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

5 fresh cherries, pitted and halved

1 tablespoon chopped toasted pecans or walnuts, optional

Mint sprigs for garnish, optional

Combine oats, milk and ¼ teaspoon vanilla in a container and mix.  Seal the container and refrigerate overnight.  In the morning, combine the remaining ¼ teaspoon vanilla with the yogurt.  Layer the ingredients in a decorative glass in the following order:  oat mixture, half the yogurt, half the cherries, the other half of yogurt, the other half of cherries.   Garnish with chopped nuts and mint sprigs and serve.

Note: partially thawed frozen pitted sweet cherries would be a great substitute for fresh cherries, especially on a hot day.