Sorry for my absence, lovelies. It has been a wild ride of a summer (er? are we already halfway through fall? whoops!). I have been immersed in the Tone It Up #FriskyFall challenge, work, house, and life in general. Amazing how fast the time has been flying. And the blog seems to take the biggest hit when I can’t stay on top of it all…but, here I am! I have been on a mad search for new, creative, healthy, and make-ahead-of-time breakfast recipes recently. Last week I threw all of my chips at a breakfast quinoa…only to be disappointed. Meh. And I was skeptical about the Tone It Up Plan Apple Cinnamon Chia Porridge. Soooo, I took that recipe and fool-proofed it…with OVERNIGHT OATS! FTW!

From the Chia Porridge recipe, I subbed the apple juice for cider (I mean, c’mon, it is October after all), then added some creaminess and oats (natch!). This recipe is quick, easy to make while food prepping a bunch of other meals on a Sunday morning, and literally tastes as if apple cider was an oatmeal and not a delectable drink. I ate mine cold this morning, but I am sure it would be awesome warm too!

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apple cider chia overnight oats.

yield: 3 servings (1/2 mason jar per serving) | ~330 calories | 10g of protein | 12g of fiber | 58g carbs

• 1/2 – 2/3 cup oats (rolled oats, dry/regular, or quick)
• 3oz non-fat plain greek yogurt
• 1 cup apple cider
• 1 apple (chopped)
• 1 tbsp agave
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• raisins
• splash of unsweetened almond milk (as needed)

1. In a mixing bowl, soak chia seeds in apple cider for 15 minutes–stirring occasionally to avoid clumping. The chia seeds will plump and expand to absord most of the cider.
2. Add in greek yogurt, cinnamon, and agave. Continue stirring until the yogurt no longer clumps. Then add oats a little at a time until you reach the right consistency–not too thick, not too liquidy. The oats need something to absorb overnight. If you find that they are too think, add the splashes of almond milk as needed.
3. Add raisins, chopped apples, or other fruits/garnishes you may like. [NOTE: Before adding to oat mixture, I tossed my chopped apples with a teeny bit of lemon juice to keep from browning.]
4. Transfer to jar or airtight container and refrigerate overnight.
5. Enjoy in the morning!