Overnight oats in a jar are a quick, easy breakfast! And this vegan Cocoa Nib and Pomegranate Overnight Oats recipe is perfect for fall.
Pomegranates Are Edible
For a long time, I didn't know that pomegranates were edible. I thought they were for decoration. My mom used to have a jar filled with little dried pomegranates underneath the coffee table in the living room and when I was little, I liked to empty them out onto the carpet and shake them to hear the seeds inside. Many years later, when I was in college, a friend of mine mentioned eating pomegranates.
"Wait, what?! You can eat those?!"
I wasn't completely convinced.
Eventually I tried pomegranates for myself and I came to love them, even though they're a complete pain to prepare. My husband doesn't think it's worth the effort, but I do—I get excited about pomegranate season and I always feel bummed when it's over and I know I'm going to have to wait until next fall to have them again.
About the Recipe
With pomegranates in season now, I thought I'd try adding them to my overnight oats for breakfast. Lately when I make overnight oats, I've been using an equal amount of fruit and oats. It helps me feel like I've eaten more—because let's face it, ½ cup of oats is nothing. Nothing! So I added ½ cup of pomegranate seeds to the oats and almond milk.
And then I added chocolate. My first attempt at chocolate overnight oats was kind of icky—I realized that I don't like cocoa powder in my oats. It's a little too much first thing in the morning. So instead, I used cocoa nibs. They give the oats a chocolatey flavor without adding too much chocolatey flavor.
Like any overnight oatmeal recipe, there's a lot of room for adaptation. Use your favorite kind of milk! Add chia seeds or chopped nuts instead of flax meal! Put in protein powder if you insist! Whatever. It's all good and it's pretty much impossible to mess up.
Ingredients
- ½ cup old-fashioned or rolled oats
- ½ cup vanilla almond milk
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- 1 tbsp ground flax seeds
- 1 tbsp cocoa nibs or coarsely chopped dark chocolate
Instructions
- Stir together ingredients in a resealable container.
- Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Stir again before serving; add additional milk for a thinner consistency.
lacpeb says
I am shopping online for cocoa nibs, and it appears there are two kinds - raw and roasted. Which one is best for this dish?
Kiersten says
The ones that I used just say cocoa nibs on the package, so I'm assuming they must be raw. I'd think that either would be just fine, though.
lacpeb says
Holy cow! This is an excellent combination of flavors! I ordered the sampler pack of cacao nibs online (at nuts.com), and they just happened to have the almond milk as well. I was skeptical because the nibs are slightly bitter when eaten alone. I used chia seeds because I was too lazy today to grind the flax seeds. The result is a creamy concoction with just a hint of chocolate and bursts of refreshing pomegranate. It was very satisfying. I probably should note here, too, that I am not vegan or vegetarian, and I don't usually go out of my way to buy organics, so this was a very interesting experiment for me. The result is: I will probably be eating overnight oats daily - at least throughout the rest of the waning pomegranate season. Now I'm going to try your other recipes.
Kiersten says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I make a few different kinds of overnight oat recipes, but this is probably my favorite. I'm going to be very disappointed when pomegranates are no longer in season!
Daria says
I made them today (well, yesterday). It is very filling:) But there is so much of it, that I had to divide it into two breakfast portions:)
Kiersten says
I'm glad you enjoyed it! And yes, it is filling. 🙂
Vanessa says
I'm interested in trying this. Do i microwave it in the morning or do you just eat it cold?
Kiersten says
You can microwave it if you like, but I prefer eating it cold.
Shannon says
We must grow several hundreds of pomegranates every year on our property. We end up giving alot of them away and many still go to waste or rot before we can pick them, since who can use a hundred pomegranates all on their own. I really miss pomegranate season, I wish they stayed good longer.
Kiersten says
I am so jealous! I've seen pomegranate trees at the nursery here, but I'm still working on convincing my husband that we should buy one. 🙂
ana says
I've been making mine with cocoa powder (I do love it in the morning. it's like the day starts with dessert!), brazil nuts, chia seeds and brown sugar. I also like using greek milk instead of regular. The texture is just amazing!
Kiersten says
It really is like having a dessert for breakfast, isn't it?! 🙂
Rebekah Smith says
How to deseed a pomegranate in 10 seconds with a wooden spoon! Life saver! and fun, too! http://lifehacker.com/5895852/deseed-a-pomegranate-in-10-seconds-using-a-wooden-spoon
Thanks for the recipe!
Kiersten Frase says
I actually bought one of those little pom deseeder contraptions since writing this post. It was quite possibly the best $5 I ever spent. 🙂
Diana says
I love the idea of this recipe. Also, the bowl is gorgeous!
Kiersten Frase says
Thank you! It's from Anthropologie--I got it on clearance. 🙂
Brijette says
Hello. How many calories are there in this recipe? 🙂
Hillary Strawbridge says
Weird comment I love the jar your using where do I get one??