Do you have a busy week ahead of you? Are you finding yourself wondering how you are going to get your family together and out the door in time, now that school is back in session? Maybe you have an early day in the office and you know you will need something more after your GGS. If you’ve got 5 minutes then I’ve got the recipe for you!
Prepare yourself for an amazing day by prepping my nutrient-dense Banana Coconut Overnight Oats recipe. It is the quick and easy, no-cook solution for a busy, on-the-go lifestyle! Simply throw together my Banana Coconut Overnight Oats before bed and grab it out of the fridge on your way out the door the next morning. You will be so grateful to have this super healthy and delicious treat prepared and ready for you!
Humble and Accessible – Oats
Though oats may be the most stereotypical breakfast, more often than not they don’t get the love they so deserve! Oats are a high-nutrient plant food with a full spectrum of nutrition. I like to think of them as a humble staple that belongs in everyone’s homes. They are affordable and filling and so easy to prepare.
Do you know that up to 95% of oats produced worldwide are for consumption by horses? It’s true! Yet oats are so widely accessible, making them a great staple to lean on no matter where you are in the world. I love that they don’t require cooking! As is the case with my Banana Coconut Overnight Oats recipe. And I give them even more bonus points because they benefit our heart health too. Cha-ching!
Oats contain both soluble and insoluble fiber. They also don’t spike your blood sugar the way refined carbohydrates and sugars do. So you can feel good preparing these Banana Coconut Overnight Oats for your family’s long day. It will help them feel full and sustained no matter what the day brings.
When seeking out oats at your local market, I recommend purchasing either oat groats or steel-cut oats. This is also known as Irish oatmeal. These are the most unprocessed forms of oats and are naturally gluten-free!
The Perfect Package – Banana
I believe bananas are one of the most perfect foods for humans. Think about it: they come off the tree in a bright and beautiful package, so sweet and ready for you to enjoy! I absolutely adore them! What’s cool is that you don’t need any tools or utensils to get to them. Just look down at your hands. You’ll see that your nimble fingers are designed to easily peel the perfect packaged banana. What a gift nature has provided us with!
Over the years I have seen people perceive bananas to be too sugary or too starchy. While bananas do contain natural fruit sugars, they also come in a complete nutritional package with fiber and vitamins. So they don’t unbalance your blood sugar like refined sugars.
A banana has a glycemic index rating of between 40 and 52, which is much lower than foods like white bread or table sugar. Meanwhile, the carbohydrates in bananas can help provide quick-acting long-term energy. Did someone say energy!? Yes please!
Nature’s Candy – Coconut Milk
The creamy texture and natural sweetness of coconut milk make it the perfect liquid to soak up your oats and banana with. Coconut milk is among the world’s healthiest foods. In fact, coconut milk is often considered a “miracle liquid” due to its great ability to build up the body’s immune defenses and prevent disease.
The perfect Beauty food- free from dairy and processed soy, is naturally found inside coconuts. When you first crack open a fresh coconut, you will notice a milky white substance- this is natural coconut water. Once you blend the coconut meat and strain it, the end result is thicker coconut milk, naturally sweet to perfection.
Coconut milk packs a punch of nutrients such as healthy fat, manganese, and iron. It also has a beneficial fat called lauric acid, which is easily absorbed and used by the body for energy. And aren’t we always looking for more ways to get energy! So there you have it – another reason why my Banana Coconut Overnight Oats recipe is a winner! Now you’ve got an easy meal to throw together the night before that will keep you sustained throughout the day.
Thanks so much checking out my Banana Coconut Overnight Oats recipe, Beauties.
Be sure to pin the top picture to your Pinterest board, and tag me in your Instagram posts. I always love to see how your dishes turn out!
Feel Prepared Banana Coconut Overnight Oats
- ⅓ cup of coconut milk + 1 Tbs. (optional)
- ⅓ cup of rolled oats
- 1 Tbs. coconut nectar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. nutmeg
- 1 ripe banana, sliced
- Prepare all your ingredients. In a small container, stir together coconut milk, coconut nectar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Slowly add in oats and mix together.
- Place jar in the refrigerator and let sit overnight.
- The next day take the jar out of the fridge, add in sliced bananas and enjoy! (If you like your mixture a little more creamy, top off with another tablespoon of coconut milk)
Do you recommend using canned coconut milk for this recipe?
Hi Natallia…When using canned, try to find an organic BPA-free option that you can trust, when possible. There are ones stored in glass or containers as well. Try Googling where to find or order these healthier options and be sure to share what brand you chose and what you think of the recipe. Sending you lots of love! ;)
The picture shows rolled oats, but you’ve specified steel cut. Have you tried it with steel cut? Do they get soft enough to actually chew, enjoy and digest?
Thanks Kim!
Hi Kimberley do you recommend using gluten free oats for this? As I try to eat gluten free.
Hi Francesca…you can definitely use gluten-free, I prefer it. Let me know what you think and sending you lots of love! ;)
Is this recipe right?? Steel cut oats do not soften much overnight and the amounts of cinnamon and nutmeg seem extremely out of whack with the amount of oats. Mine was inedible, and I like most of your recipes…
Hi Lara,
Thank you for bringing this to my attention! It looks like we accidentally used rolled oats for this recipe when I know it does say steel-cut oats. I went in and updated the recipe to mirror the photography so as not to confuse any of our other readers. Thanks for being a second set of eyes on this for me! As for the seasonings, I do use 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of nutmeg, but if you aren’t a fan of either seasoning than I always suggest adjusting your recipes to your own liking :)
I, like Amanda, noticed that in the picture you used rolled oats but specified in the recipe steel cut oats. Which do you actually use?
Hi Amanda,
Thank you for catching this! I went back in and updated the recipe to actually be rolled oats as the picture shows :)
Lots of love!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I really needed some make-ahead recipes for this coming year.
Just a note for your readers, nutmeg packs quite a strong punch so a little goes a long way. 1 tsp may be overpowering for some people so maybe start with a smaller amount and adjust if necessary? :)
Thanks so much Lani! And yes, Beauties, please adjust according to your taste/flavor and what you can handle. Lots of love to you! ;)
I agree. The oatmeal in the photo would be dark brown (and inedible) with that much cinnamon and nutmeg (especially nutmeg…a very little goes a very long way).
I LIKE cinnamon and nutmeg, but mine was very dark brown and nearly overpowering with these proportions. Even after I adjusted for rolled instead of steel cut oats…
I live in a colder climate and it’s winter now. Can this somehow be eaten warm?
Hi Beauty! Yes, you could always warm up the oats on the stove after they’ve been soaking overnight!