Happy Monkey (Chocolate Banana) Overnight Oats
This easy, make-ahead vegan breakfast delivers an energizing chocolate fix that even picky porridge eaters will love!
Isn't it funny how sometimes habitually ingrained routines suddenly just stop? Like, you gravitate to the very same seat, at class, at work, wherever, until then one day you don't? It happens with flavor preferences all the time, though that's typically seasonal shift. Pumpkin cravings in fall, gingerbread winters, minty springs...I craved minty spinach smoothies that made my day, day after day, as healthy shamrock shakes, for months. Then one day I just didn't want one; I wanted chocolate, a craving that kicked off the chocolate cherry kale smoothie run of months on end.
When our son was a baby, oatmeal was his first food, and he lapped it up! I’ll never forget the surprise in those bright eyes, the rosy cheeks splotched with dribbled flecks of porridge. He loved it, for a good long while. Warm and creamy with blueberries was the tops. And then, at the age of four, he didn’t like porridge any more, just like that, and breakfast become startlingly unpredictable.
Maybe I had fallen a little bit into complaceny with how easy our oatmeal mornings were. Maybe I could have staved off the stuborn antipathy with more variety than he got. You can bet I regaled him with variety then, but secretly I hoped he would allow oatmeal back in again, if just occasional.
Years (!) passed, and F adamently stuck to his resolve—no porridge. He still liked the same and similar ingredients in other forms, though. Baked as granola and mixed in with fruit, yum. Oats mixed with some peanut butter, applesauce and mashed bananas, baked like cookies yumtastic. And finally, overnight oats.
Chocolate banana is still the number one flavor in our house, many years on. Initially, I called them “Happy Monkey” (not Skinny Monkey or Chunky Monkey, because why fat shame anyone, least of all monkeys?), relying on the monkey connection and my small son’s solid best friend, stuffie Big Monk ifor success. I’m very happy to report, not only was the goal achieved, but we’ve had success with all kinds of variations! I’ve used whole husk psyllium in place of the chia seeds and have tried it with a mix of chia seeds and psyllium. I thought that would make for a great, fun experiment, but the truth is that the results weren’t that different. If I had to choose, I would go with the chia seeds or the mix of psyllium/chia seeds.
This recipe is quick, simple, wholesome, and easy to play with and tailor to taste. Hope it finds all you monkeys happy.
Want to try incorpoating natural prebiotic Psyllium? Use code HAPPYAPPLE for 15% off Organic India USA!
Happy Monkey (Chocolate Banana) Vegan Overnight Oats
This easy, make-ahead, no-added sugar vegan breakfast energizes and nourishes while satisfying chocolate cravings!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup oats
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or other dairy free milk of choice
- 1/4 Cup unsweetened plain or vanilla plant-based yogurt, optional
- 1 tablespoon natural peanut or almond butter, optional
- 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds (or swap in whole husk psyllium or 1 1/2 Teaspoons of each)
- 1 large banana, half mashed, half sliced
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix oall ingredients except for the banana slices until well combined.
- Layer oat mixture and banana slices in a jar. Secure lid and refrigerate overnight.
- Top in the morning with garnish of choices (Extra banana slices, unsweetened shredded coconut, and maybe a sprinkling of mini chocolate chips are our picks).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
494Fat
17 gSat. Fat
3 gCarbs
79 gFiber
15 gNet carbs
63 gSugar
26 gProtein
17 gSodium
211 mgCholesterol
3 mgHappy Monkey (Chocolate Banana) Vegan Overnight Oats
This easy, make-ahead, no-added sugar vegan breakfast energizes and nourishes while satisfying chocolate cravings!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup oats
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk or other dairy free milk of choice
- 1/4 Cup unsweetened plain or vanilla plant-based yogurt
- 1 tablespoon natural peanut or almond butter, optional
- 1/2 tablespoon chia seeds (or swap in whole husk psyllium or 1 1/2 Teaspoons of each)
- 1 large banana, half mashed, half sliced
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix oall ingredients except for the banana slices until well combined.
- Layer oat mixture and banana slices in a jar. Secure lid and refrigerate overnight.
- Top in the morning with garnish of choices (Extra banana slices, unsweetened shredded coconut, and maybe a sprinkling of mini chocolate chips are our picks).
Nutrition Facts
Calories
494Fat
17 gSat. Fat
3 gCarbs
79 gFiber
15 gNet carbs
63 gSugar
26 gProtein
17 gSodium
211 mgCholesterol
3 mg