Every so often during my early childhood years, my family drove a few towns north to eat Sunday brunch at Marie Callendar’s after church. Although my parents generally preferred restaurants a little closer to our house, my brother and I would nearly beg to go at least once each year because of the kid-friendly buffet option.
After a waitress seated us at a table and scribbled down drink orders, my brother and I made a beeline for the long tables laden with platters and chafing dishes. We doled out a few strawberries and slices of melon onto our plates, the obligatory “healthy” part to satisfy Mom, before heading down the line to the waffles.
Unlike traditional or even Belgian-style waffles, Marie Callendar’s made theirs a little differently. Their waffles looked like long boats: rectangular in shape with a deep, sunken cavity in the center. Those waffles were the perfect vessels for the wide range of toppings that the kitchen set out!
Although we should have selected the variety of fresh fruit with just a dollop of pure maple syrup… What little kid with a huge sweet tooth does that? Instead, we piled on gummy bears, mini M&Ms, and whipped cream until our plates appeared as if they belonged in a college dining hall or dessert buffet!
No wonder Mom only let us go once or twice a year…
As we walked out, stuffed to the gills with chocolate and sugar, I would glance towards the display case filled with countless flavors of perfectly golden pies. While buckling myself into the car, I remember thinking, “Why can I eat mini M&Ms and gummy bears for brunch but not pie? That doesn’t really make sense…”
But now I can! Albeit a slightly more nutritious version of “pie…” These healthy “blueberry pie” protein overnight oats have the same sweet flavor as the iconic dessert, but they contain no refined ingredients (and no added sugar!) and are packed with 16g+ of protein instead. They’re also incredibly quick and easy to make!
In fact… It probably took me more time to load up my Marie Callendar’s waffle with goodies than it does to whip up this wholesome oatmeal breakfast!
HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY BLUEBERRY PROTEIN OVERNIGHT OATS
Let’s go over how to make healthy blueberry overnight oats! This clean eating breakfast recipe is so easy to make… Just 5 healthy ingredients mixed together, covered and chilled overnight, and eaten straight from the jar with a spoon. If only every meal could be that easy to make!
Note: Overnight oats are meant to be eaten cold. No need to heat them up! That’s the beauty of leaving the oats soaking in the fridge overnight: they turn as soft as if you had cooked them on the stove. Much easier than watching and stirring the hot pot!
KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY BLUEBERRY PROTEIN OVERNIGHT OATS
Let’s quickly talk about the ingredients that you’ll need to make these healthy blueberry overnight oats!
First, you’ll need oats. Obvious, I’m sure… It’s hard to make overnight oatmeal without them! Both old-fashioned rolled oats and instant oats (also called “quick cooking” or “one minute” oats!) work really well. However, I don’t recommend using steel-cut oats. They don’t soften properly and remain somewhat hard and crunchy!
Tip: You can easily make these healthy blueberry protein overnight oats gluten-free, if you’d prefer! Just substitute certified gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats or certified gluten-free instant oats.
The big protein boost comes from Greek yogurt. Surprise, surprise… By now, I’m sure you all know how much I adore it! I use it in many of my recipes (from muffins to cakes to frosting and much more!) because it’s so healthy and versatile. One cup of Greek yogurt has around 21 grams of protein, which is 3-4 times what regular yogurt offers!
I also like to stir in a tiny bit of sweetener. I reach for liquid stevia the most, but just about any one will work! Pure maple syrup, honey, coconut sugar, monk fruit, erythritol… Feel free to use your favorite or whatever you commonly keep on hand!
I tossed in fresh blueberries because it’s summer and I’m practically swimming in them, but frozen would work fine too. Especially during the off-season when frozen berries are much cheaper! In the morning, right before eating, I like to squash the blueberries a little bit with my spoon and stir the juices in with the rest of the oats so every bite tastes like blueberry pie.
And dessert for breakfast is always a huge hit at our house! 😉 Then when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy “blueberry pie” protein overnight oats!
Blueberry Protein Overnight Oats (Quick + Healthy)
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (25g) old-fashioned rolled oats (gluten-free if necessary)
- ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup (60mL) nonfat milk
- ¼ tsp liquid stevia (or other sweetener – adjusted to taste, as needed)
- ¼ cup (35g) blueberries (plus more for topping, if desired)
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a mason jar or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid. Stir until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate overnight, or for at least 8 hours. Serve cold.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Pumpkin Pie Protein Overnight Oats
♡ Peach Pie Protein Overnight Oats
♡ Cherry Pie Protein Overnight Oats
♡ Apple Pie Protein Overnight Oats
♡ Snickerdoodle Protein Overnight Oats
♡ Banana Protein Overnight Oats
♡ Chocolate Protein Overnight Oats
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy protein overnight oats recipes!
My husband does not eat dairy products Can i use almond milk? how much should i use to replace the liquid milk and the greek yogurt?
We really appreciate your interest in this recipe! We actually covered the answer to your question about the milk in the Notes section, directly under the recipe. I know it can be easy to miss that, though!
As far as the Greek yogurt, any non-dairy yogurt (ie almond-based, soy-based, etc — even oat-based!) would be the next best substitute. If that won’t work for you either, then you can substitute ¼ cup of milk (any type!) for the Greek yogurt, but the texture won’t be quite as thick and creamy. I’d love to hear what you think if you decide to try these overnight oats!