My Vitamix blender blade was recently part of a recall and, as much as I’m happy Vitamix is on top of things and is replacing the blade at absolutely no cost to me, it’s tough to be without my favorite kitchen appliance. Especially in the morning. I’m an avid “green protein drink for breakfast” kinda girl and not having something to pulverize my kale into a yummy drink in the morning is getting old, fast.

The good news of it all is that I have had to find some new options for breakfast (that are healthy, “clean” and filling), which led me to this

fantastic recipe for oatmeal. It’s easy, there’s no cooking needed, and it can be adapted to several tastes. My husband loves coconut (and I don’t) so he gets some shredded coconut; and almond butter is my favorite, so in it goes to my jar. There are so many possibilities… experiment with your own add-ins, just keep the base the same (oatmeal, flax, chia and almond milk) and you’ll be fine. I’d love to hear what you try – post your favorite combinations under comments.

Here’s a glimpse of my latest batch of oatmeal for this week:

Gather your ingredients:

Fill your jars:

Mix well:

Cover and refrigerate:

Overnight Oatmeal

(Following is for each serving)

½ cup gluten free oats

½ TBSP chia seeds

1 TBSP shredded coconut

1 tsp. ground flaxseeds

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup almond milk

2 tsp. chopped dates

optional add ins: dried blueberries, dried cranberries, walnuts, etc.

Combine all ingredients in order listed into a wide-mouth jar, mix well. Cover with lid and put in refrigerator overnight. In the morning, stir one more time and eat cold or warm in the microwave for a warm breakfast. Option: add fresh fruit before eating.

Enjoy!