Name: Quick Soaked Oats
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup dry old fashioned rolled oats; ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon ((or pumpkin pie spice or allspice)); 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed ((or chia seeds, hemp seeds or wheat germ*)); ¼ cup raisins ((or dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots or other dried fruit)); ½ sliced banana ((or strawberries, blueberries** or 2 chopped medjool dates)); 1-2 Tbsp. chopped walnuts ((or sliced almonds, chopped pecans, pumpkins seeds or sunflower seeds)); 1 cup plant milk ((I prefer rice milk))

Old-fashioned oats don’t have to be cooked! Mix and match the ingredients in this quick-soaked oats recipe for a hearty breakfast in less than 5 minutes.

bowl of old-fashioned oats topped with dried fruit and seeds — Old-fashioned oats mixture—just add plant milk!

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Forget Overnight Oats

If you like the idea of overnight oats—where you soak old-fashioned oats overnight instead of cooking them in the morning—but you always forget to soak them, never fear! You can soak them in the morning! Just mix the ingredients and go about your business. The longer you let the mixture soak, the creamier it will be (and easier to digest). But, I prefer the chewy texture and flavor of a quick five to ten-minute soak. Also, a quick soak can be done on the kitchen counter instead of in the fridge, so the mixture won’t be as cold as overnight oats.

plant milk being poured over old-fashioned oats, dried fruit, and seeds mixture — Soak old-fashioned oats mixture in plant milk for five to ten minutes.

This hearty mixture fortifies my morning walks and sticks with me until lunchtime. The different combinations of ingredients offer plenty of variety. You can have something different every day!

Great for Travel

When I travel, I mix individual servings and seal them in plastic bags. If I’m traveling by car, I also pack a box of rice milk. If I’m flying, I simply buy a carton of plant milk when I arrive at my destination. Most hotel rooms have mini fridges. If I’m really in a pinch, I’ll use the room’s coffee maker to soak the oats in hot water. This trick guarantees I will have a healthy breakfast regardless of where I am staying.

plant milk being poured over old-fashioned oats mixture with dried fruits and seeds

Print Pin

Quick Soaked Oats

Mix and match ingredients for something new each morning!

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings

Ingredients

¾ cup dry old fashioned rolled oats
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice or allspice)
2 Tbsp. ground flax seed (or chia seeds, hemp seeds or wheat germ*)
¼ cup raisins (or dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots or other dried fruit)
½ sliced banana (or strawberries, blueberries** or 2 chopped medjool dates)
1-2 Tbsp. chopped walnuts (or sliced almonds, chopped pecans, pumpkins seeds or sunflower seeds)
1 cup plant milk (I prefer rice milk)

Instructions

Combine selection of dry ingredients in a bowl
Add preferred amount of plant milk
Soak 5 to 10 minutes and enjoy!

Notes

*If you are sensitive to gluten, be sure to use gluten-free oats and avoid using wheat germ.

**I often use frozen fruit – especially frozen blueberries. Warm in microwave or set the amount needed out the night before so it’s thawed by morning.

Note: Nutrition information is a rough estimate for special dietary needs. I subscribe to the theories presented in the book Whole and believe we should focus on eating a variety of whole foods instead of counting calories or keeping track of individual nutrients.

Nutrition

SaveSave

4 Comments

Thalia @ butter and brioche says:

February 6, 2015 at 3:16 pm

This raw vegan oatmeal looks like such a delicious way to start the day off with, I have to make the recipe!

1. Margaret says:
  
  February 6, 2015 at 3:39 pm
  
  Yes! And the the fun part is trying different combinations each morning! This morning I had oats, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds, medjool dates, blueberries, pumpkin spice and rice milk. Yum! Be sure to share which combo you tried and how you liked it. 🙂
  
Crista says:

June 23, 2015 at 10:08 pm

AGREED with you about nutritional information – i’ve never counted calories in my life – what’s the point if you’re eating whole, plant-based foods?! ha! got that off my chest – you’ve got a great recipe here, i like the usage of raw oats…..

1. Margaret says:
  
  June 24, 2015 at 11:07 am
  
  Counting calories gets old fast. Although I have noticed I need to be mindful of just how much raw oats, nuts, etc. I’m adding to my breakfast bowl. I gain weight easily – so I have to remain mindful of quality and portions… But the whole foods do tend to fill you up and leave you feeling satisfied longer – so that helps!
  
  I actually prefer the taste and texture of raw oats vs. cooked. (I did learn recently that rolled oats are steamed, so technically they are not completely raw.) It doesn’t hurt that it’s a time saver as well! ha ha
  
  Thanks for taking the time to share your comments. 🙂

Quick Soaked Oats

Forget Overnight Oats

Great for Travel