I was not an overnight oats person, having had to churn out version after version of a ‘creative twist’ on them in my line of work. They were an assignment, not something I would make for myself.

That is, until I had a baby. I used to enjoy oats in the form of a piping hot bowl of porridge several days a week. A comforting, and -so I thought- simple start to the day. Then, the first morning my husband went back to work and I was alone with the baby I attempted to make my porridge. Oh. My. God. How had I not realised how many steps there were? Taking out the oats, the seeds, the milk, the bowl, the saucepan, the list goes on. Once you have everything in place you have to cook it! And once all of that is done you have to clean up. When your days are already filled with sterilising bottles and breast pump parts, every item added to the sink counts. There is a moment in every new parent’s life when reality hits them - life, as you know it, is over. (And yes, I know, a new chapter has begun but give me this). The gravity of what I had taken on did not hit me, until I tried to make my morning porridge. My baby did not understand that I am a breakfast person. He cried, needed his nappy changed, and needed to be fed at so many points along the way that by the time I was able to eat my porridge, it had gone cold. I ate it, sobbing, over the sink, and once I had gotten it together, I resolved that I had to set myself up for success by going hell for leather on my mise-en-place. Outfit laid out the night before, nappy caddy always stocked, and breakfast already made. Hello again, overnight oats!

I load mine up with different kinds of seeds and a little protein powder. Just like you, I’m sick of hearing about protein but some foods simply don’t fill me up enough- oats among them. I like it served with defrosted frozen berries, a drizzle of peanut butter or tahini and a sprinkle of granola for crunch.