I train almost every day so in the last couple years, getting my protein in has been a priority of mine. So I started drinking protein shakes, daily. I know the best source of protein is of course just meat which I do eat every day, but the amount I require for optimal recovery and fuel is a lot and let’s just say I eat more than my wallet can handle… Hopefully not for too much longer. Protein powder is also just extremely convenient. I’m always on the go and driving to and from places, so its something I can easily carry and have.
BUT I have been drinking protein shakes for the last couple years and I’ve started to become sick of it. To the point where I would use the least amount of liquid so I could just down it as quickly as possible. I didn’t want to have to keep doing this against my will so I have taken a different approach and now I get excited for my protein powder intake.
I started making overnight oats! And my method is simple so I’m sharing –
First of all, the protein I use is from Bulk Nutrients. Surprise surprise, I buy it in bulk. It is almost half the price of most popular brands when you buy it this way and they taste great. Sometimes I get split with a friend so we can buy the max amount for it to be most bang for your buck.
I use two types of protein – WPI which is whey protein isolate. Its a fast absorbing protein, lower in calories and good for fast burning. And HCP, which is hydrolysed collagen peptides, which is good for your joints and ligaments (good for recovery from training) and other things like hair, skin and nails.
Together this is already 50g of protein but I like to round it down when I’m counting my daily intake so I get more than I plan to which I sometimes still don’t feel is enough. Although this whole post is about an alternative source of protein, I will admit if you are getting a sufficient amount of red meat and seafood, you probably don’t need this. However, if you still want another option for protein or want a sweet dessert thats guilt free and even beneficial then carry on…
I put these 2 scoops of protein, with half a cup of dry rolled oats, a couple scoops of greek yogurt, a spoon of chia seeds (which all contain protein) and a spoon of my chocolate flavoured greens powder in a container or cup and mix with a little water or any milk, doesn’t matter [raw milk is the GOAT though, so if you can get your hands on that golden liquid, this is a good way to get some daily nutrients in]. Store it in the fridge and that’s it really, its so simple. You don’t need any extra sweetener like honey or maple syrup, I’ve tried it with both those before and the protein is sweet enough on its own, it doesn’t make a difference.
My key tip is don’t use too much liquid. The texture is better when it’s less runny, it’s like a pudding type. Once you start stirring the yogurt, it starts absorbing the protein and gets all gooey. Trust me, just keep stirring, it all disappears eventually.
In reality, you don’t need to leave it overnight to enjoy but the nutrients in the oats become more potent the longer you leave it in with the wet ingredients. Also the texture is way more enjoyable once the oats and chia seeds have absorbed all the liquid. I actually make a few in advanced and I like to eat it after 2 or 3 days when its become extra thick and pudding like. Mmmm.
When I’m ready to eat it, I take it out of the fridge, get a handful of frozen berries from my freezer and chuck that on top to eat together. And that’s my super high calorie daily dessert. I am also aware most people don’t usually have 2 different types of protein powder at once so you can adjust it to 1 scoop and/or add a scoop of peanut butter powder or something in if you still want that high protein amount. You won’t need to change anything else, it’ll still taste the same. The HCP powder I use is unflavoured anyway. Or you could just chuck 2 scoops of your normal protein in or you could buy high protein milk and use that as your liquid. Its not a strict recipe at all.
If you’re one of those people who believe we only absorb 30g of protein in one sitting, I understand and I’d still rather have this much and eat it all at once. Theres about 5 different ingredients containing protein happening in this bowl so I see it as mixing it all together and giving my body the opportunity to extract as much as possible from different sources.
TIPS
- I won’t push protein powder on anyone but if you’re like me and its something you already take then this is a nice alternative to boring protein shakes
- What I will recommend if you are already taking supplements is collagen. If you train in any sport or lifting, its really good for repairing soft tissue
- Don’t buy a mason jar. You don’t need to get all fancy, its not like you’re selling it or taking photos. I make mine in small containers so I can pack them in my lunch box (yes I use a lunch box, like I said I am always going from one place to another). I also make them in my Nutribullet cups
- If you take greens powder, this is a nice way to sneak it into your daily food without having to chug down the weird taste and texture
- Change it up! Its such a simple recipe that you can basically do whatever you want with it so long as you keep the main components – protein – oats – liquid. You don’t even need the chia seeds if you don’t like them.
– The cool thing about buying from Bulk Nutrients is when you buy in bulk, you’re getting a bunch of different flavours. So I like to take a scoop from a couple different bags and change up the flavours
– You can also first blend berries with milk (like a milkshake) and then add in the other ingredients for a milkshake sort of taste
– Occasionally I’ll add some coffee in the mixture then when I eat it, top with yogurt and dust with chocolate powder and its like having a healthy tiramisu (works with decaf too if you’re enjoying it at night)
– Another flavour you can try is PB & JAM – top with runny peanut butter and homemade chia jam (super easy and healthy – i’ll make a seperate post for this) - Make a couple in advanced so they’re ready to go for the next few days and like I said, its most enjoyable around the 2day mark
- Remember, if you’re getting sufficient protein then I agree, red meat and seafood is enough but everyone has a different lifestyle so this is just another option for protein or healthy dessert
- You can also just mix all the ingredients minus the oats and enjoy this straight away with homemade granola and/or berries [so you still get some oats in the mix] without having to leave it overnight
I have a homemade granola recipe in a past post you can look up
I also sometimes use Bulk Nutrients’ Protein Matrix protein powder which is a mix of WPI and casein, which is a good protein for making healthy desserts. Its creamier and the flavours are different to other proteins. Usually more dessert like options like rocky road which yes, tastes bomb in overnight oats. Mmmm.
Ingredients
PROTEIN
Any protein you’re already consuming will do, I use WPI and HCP [not essential but I just use it as an extra source or protein that has no flavour]
Greens
I buy my greens off iHerb, in bulk when they’re on sale and when I’m buying other stuff off this site. I don’t think greens are essential but I don’t always have vegetables so its just insurance if I have it with my oats
Chia Seeds
I like to buy both white and black chia seeds and mix them together in an old instant coffee jar that I kept. Either work, they both contain Omega-3’s and protein. The chia seeds add a nice texture once absorbed in liquid and help keep you fuller for longer.
Rolled oats
I have scoured the internet and rolled oats seem to be the most nutrient dense and this is because its been tampered with the least. Kind of like the equivalent of raw milk. Less pasteurisation, more goodness. I buy mine from Aldi – seems to be the cheapest place I can source locally. I’m sure I can find somewhere online that sell in bulk though… been meaning to look into that…
Greek Yogurt
Yes. Yum. I know a lot of people aren’t fans of greek yogurt (first of all, chu crazy) but my theory as to why is because everyone is so used to “normal” yogurt which no matter how healthy it is advertised, it comes with a crap tonne of sugar and extra unnecessary additives so when you eat greek yogurt on its own, you’re expecting something sweet. Well greek yogurt isn’t really meant to be consumed on its own anyway. Now for something like overnight oats, you will not taste the yogurt at all. Once its mixed with protein, it just tastes like the protein. The yogurt is merely the flour to the batter and its healthy, high in protein and made with minimal ingredients. You can get low fat greek yogurt if that’s a concern for you which is slightly higher in protein but healthy fats are good for you anyway so I recommend sticking with the good stuff.
If you’re lactose intolerant, coconut yogurt is a healthy alternative. Remember, if you buy just regular yogurt this method still works but be mindful you’re now adding an extra 20 ingredients that you weren’t planning for.
Method
- Use empty container or jar or cup that you can close with a lid
- Add a couple scoops of greek whatever plain yogurt with no added sugar (I like to add at the bottom for when I start mixing it together)
- Add dry ingredients – protein/s, greens, oats, chia seeds
- Add a splash of liquid (water or any milk)
- Start mixing and if you need more liquid, add as needed but once you start mixing you’ll see the yogurt is enough so only add a dash at a time and try mixing again before adding more
- Close and store in fridge
- Eat with some berries or PB & Jam or granola, etc., whatever tickles your fancy!
Enjoy
*Jan ’24 update:
I’ve been busy busy and haven’t made time to prep so an alternative that i’ve been liking is just mixing all the ingredients MINUS the oats and just having it fresh and its like eating a sweet pudding every day. Super high protein dessert that makes me feel like i’m eating guilt free sugary yogurt or melting ice cream. Yum.