Turbo-charge your day with an on-the-ready breakfast packed with stick to your ribs oats, nourishing chia seeds and warming spices. Devour Overnight Turmeric Chia Oats warm or chilled. vegan + gluten free Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Frontier Co-op.
I’m over the moon with make-ahead overnight breakfasts because when I wake up, I’m ready to eat. No way am I going to wait an hour or more to get breakfast into my belly. Otherwise, I get grumpy.
Not the way I want to start the day.
I’ll never understand how people can go without breakfast (!!).
As the new year begins to unfold, I’m keeping my goals and priorities front and center. One of my goals is to be a healthier me by implementing daily activities, no matter how small, to focus on my spiritual and physical health. This can include simple things like taking a walk, practicing gratitude, taking a few minutes to breathe deep and be still, or get my butt kicked by doing a 21 Day Fix workout! OMG.
But it also includes incorporating organic and good-for-me foods on a daily basis. Now, I’m not one to pass up a cookie or piece of chocolate cake, but if I can eat well most days, it makes the more indulgent treats a little easier on my conscience and thighs.
I’ve never done a detox, and I’m not sure I ever will. I’m afraid I’d be in a perpetual bad mood.
I already take steps to include a variety of foods in my diet, but this year I’m focusing on incorporating a wider variety of spices, fresh and ground, into my routine for their varied benefits. I’ve come to realize having a well-stocked spice cabinet brings a world of new and interesting flavors to my cooking as well as provide wellness benefits.
I regularly include turmeric when I make smashed chickpea salad, curry or dal, but I’d never thought about adding it to overnight chia oats. Until last fall.
I started adding turmeric to warmed cashew milk, always including a good dose of it with a few other warming spices, sort of a turmeric latte (sans coffee). I love its pungent earthy notes and bright color.
Then I had an idea. I’d been making overnight chia pudding and chia oats with all kinds of different flavors and spices from chocolate to matcha to gingerbread. But I’d never tried the spices of my morning turmeric latte I’d grown to love. So I tried it in overnight oats and loved it!
Y’all know I love partnering with brands whose ingredients I use. Sharing about them in this space makes what I do even more meaningful. I use Frontier’s ground turmeric for my overnight oats, chia pudding, lattes and in savory recipes as well. It’s organic, nonGMO and has flavor notes of orange and pepper yet is slightly bitter. Incorporating it with other complementary spices and ingredients mutes its bitter notes but allows its earthy notes to shine.
Frontier’s turmeric is sourced from Sri Lanka and grown by small farmers in a 2,043-member cooperative. Frontier Co-op provided them with a $25,000 grant to build an organic training center where co-op farmers are educated on organic, sustainable growing techniques. Supporting brands that pay it forward and show responsibility towards people and our planet is one way I cook with purpose every day.
Find Frontier Co-op on their website, on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. #Cookwithpurpose
I’d love to hear how/if you incorporate turmeric into your diet. Please share below and drop a link to your favorite turmeric recipe!
More Make Ahead Breakfasts to Love
- Maple Pecan Granola
- Pumpkin Porridge
- Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Breakfast Bars
- Matcha Chia Pudding
- Pumpkin and Spice Chia Pudding
Overnight Turmeric Chia Oats
Ingredients
For the Oats:
- 1/3 C (32g) Thick Rolled Oats
- 2 Tbs Chia Seeds
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric ground
- 1/8 tsp Cinnamon ground
- 1/8 tsp Cardamom ground
- 3/4 C (186) Milk* I use Homemade Cashew Milk (see note)
- Maple Syrup, to taste - I start with 1/2 tsp
Suggested Goodies to Add:
- Seasonal or frozen fruit
- Nuts such as hazelnuts, pecan or walnuts
- Hemp Hearts
- More Chia Seeds
- Cacao Nibs
Instructions
- In an eight oz (226g) or 16 oz (453g) lidded heat proof jar (I use canning jars), add the oats, chia seeds, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom** (see notes below), milk and maple syrup. Add just a little maple syrup then adjust to taste before serving (sweetness can be such a personal thing.. add more or less, whatever you want! Additionally, nut milks have varying degrees of sweetness. Take this into account when adding maple syrup ). Place the lid on the jar and shake the jar vigorously to incorporate the ingredients. Let the jar rest for a few minutes and give it a good shake again to prevent clumping.
- Store in the refrigerator and eat within three days. When you're ready to serve, enjoy chilled straight from the jar with desired toppings. Or, to warm the chia oats, bring a small pot of water to a low simmer. Turn to low and place the heatproof jar in the water to gently warm the chia oats, stirring occassionally for about five minutes. The water should come up to at least 1/2 way on the jar. Top with desired goodies.
Notes
Nutrition is provided as an estimate (per serving) and courtesy. If this information is important to you, please verify it independently.
Hi, I’ve read various recipes that tell us to heat up the milk + turmeric. Is it okay to just do as you instructed and do without any heat?
Hi Cheryl. I’ve been making it this way for years. Shaking the jar mixes the spices and milk and hydrates the oats and chia. I hope this helps!
So pretty and delicious!!! <3
Thanks for sharing here and your photo on IG!! Love it! :D
I especially love overnight oats in this kind of transitional weather — and what I love here is the addition of turmeric! Definitely trying it in my oats tomorrow!
Traci! I made a version of your beautiful turmeric oats this morning… I had some fresh ground cardamom left from the London Fog latte and it was so lovely with the turmeric and warm milk – I think I overdid it on the amount of cardamom I used ;p (way more than you suggested) but my son and I gobbled it up anyway! Just love this idea and will be revisiting it again. By the way, isn’t the interior of a hazelnut beautiful? I find them so captivating.
Oh this is great, Kelly.. and a version with London Fog in the mix sounds fabulous! I must give it a go. Agreed on hazelnuts.. I feel the same ;)
I add coffee granules to the milk, to get that extra aroma.
Que fabuloso te ha quedado tu dulce :-))
Un saludito
Thank you so much!
Such a bowl of goodness. I recently shared a similar recipe, but now that I see this I feel like I should have put more spices in there.
I, too, love a bowl of overnight oats but I have always made with almond milk. I know you are a big fan of cashew milk and I have been meaning to try.. Soon hopefully.. Possibly, in our new place in Vermont. :P
PS: I love Frontier brand too.<3
I know you love hearty breakfast bowls too, Aysegul and your latest will be made in my kitchen! Do try cashew milk. You’ll love it! xo
Your porridge is just so gorgeous! I love all the spices you have added and how easy you have made it look! :) Gorgeous shots as always!!!!
Thank you Amisha!
I’m so with you Traci! I need a nice healthy breakfast as soon as I wake up too. No waiting around for me either. And these overnight oats with turmeric, cinnamon and my favorite, cardamon will hit the spot perfectly. I love the fruit on top, especially those yummy and adorable kiwi hearts! Getting this one on the breakfast menu soon. Thanks so much for sharing! Have an awesome week!
You gotta have kiwi hearts, Mary Ann! :D
Breakfast is where it’s at! Especially when it’s as appealing to the eye as it is the tastebuds! You must have the happiest eyes, Traci! Your meals are beautiful! This oatmeal is absolutely worth the time it takes to prepare in the evening. My son will love this! Thanks, dear! xo
No doubt. Fast for the week, slow for the weekend! I hope your son enjoys it Annie!
Oh my gawsh, I can NOT skip breakfast either or I become super hangry! My husband skips breakfast all the time and I’m constantly yelling at him. I mean, it is the most important meal of the day, plus it jump starts your metabolism! Shame on him, right?! I’m a huge fan of overnight breakies, because while I love breakfast, I don’t love to fuss with stuff first thing in the morning. Overnight oats are the best and these look just delicious, Traci! I looove the tumeric in here – sooo pretty! These bowls look like the perfect way to turbo start the day! SO YUM! Pinned of course! Cheers, Traci! <3
Yes on all those accounts! Oh what I would have told my younger self! Thank you for your pin, Chey!
I could never skip breakfast either! It’s the meal I look forward to the most. I would be jumping out of bed if I had these oats waiting for me! I love that you snuck cardamom in the mix. Sounds so delicious! Then those toppings? I mean. Every day should start with heart shaped kiwi. ;)
And major props to Frontier Co-op for being such an awesome company and doing things the right way!
Oh yeah, the cardamom gives it a nice spicy kick and it is a perfect partner to turmeric.. I just had to throw it in there. I hope you’ll give it a go Sarah, with kiwi hearts!
Today I had to wait until NOON to eat breakfast (I was staying with a friend) and I think my stomach nearly ate itself. I’m usually a breakfast-first-thing-in-the-morning girl too. This looks like a delicious new one to try!
That’s SO hard… I’ve been there! I think you’d enjoy this, Chelsea!
I don’t know how people skip breakfast either Traci. My blood sugar would be a disaster if I did that.
The Mr. and I often eat oatmeal in the morning. I find that it sustains me throughout the morning so that I don’t over do it on the snacks. I’ve never actually jazzed our oatmeal up with turmeric but judging by all the recipes popping up with turmeric as the star ingredient. . .well. . .I am clearly under utilizing this spice. It does provide a happy color to everything it meets. . .which is a much needed visual cue after dragging oneself out of bed in the morning.
We often have Oatmeal with Turmeric, but we add Black Pepper, after reading that Turmeric doesn’t deliver its benefits without the addition of Black Pepper.
I’ve read this too Jacque, but haven’t explored it further. What a delicious addition though!
I’m SO with ya Lynn! The color alone is rejuvenating and happy! I hope you’ll give it a try!
What a gorgeous, colorful breakfast! I love your kiwi “hearts” – so cute! :)
Thank you laura!
Frontier Co-Op is an amazing brand – love the quality of their products! These chia oats sound ridiculously amazing, and adding turmeric was a brilliant move. I would’ve never thought to add it. Your morning turmeric cashew latte sounds amazing too :) must try this, Traci!
Agreed! Oh that cashew latte… I tend to alternate turmeric and matcha. I save coffee for the weekend… ! I hope you’ll give it a go Rachel!
I absolutely adore overnight oats and I could eat them 24/7. I’m loving all the flavors and healthy boosts you added to this one. Just gorgeous!
I’m with ya, Karen! I like them as an afternoon snack too! :D
I with you about breakfast – I don’t know how people manage to start the day without fuel. Love the idea of adding turmeric to these delicious oats, Traci. I don’t have a big sweet tooth so my breakfasts are always on the savory side – so this is right up my alley. Looking forward to trying this one, T! xo
Right? It’s a must! The spices and maple lend a bit of sweet to this, but you could leave the maple out. I hope you enjoy it G!
I’m with you, I could never NOT eat breakfast! I just get too hungry and grumpy :) I adore brands who are transparent and care about where they source products, so this makes me love Frontier even more! Love this idea of turmeric oats, so different than a usual latte!
OMG… I’m not even out of bed before I start thinking about breakfast! LOL!!
Major swoon Traci!! These photos are gorgeous and it looks delicious!!! xoxo
Thank you Rebecca! xo
I just love this, Traci!! You know I like my oats too! And turmeric and those warming spices…delicious! I have been trying to implement more turmeric into my meals and this is a foolproof way of doing it. Also, your photos look beautiful!! xoxo
A little here and a little there.. it all adds up! Thank you Tessa! XO
I don’t get those people who don’t eat breakfast either! I love breakfast! Especially make –ahead breakfasts like this. I love that you put turmeric in overnight oats, so yummy and healthy :)
Oh yes, Mel. It makes mornings so much easier! I hope you enjoy it my dear!
Great recipe! I’ve been trying to add more turmeric to my daily diet..what better way than with one of my favorite breakfasts-oats!
Thank you Stephanie!
I still haven’t gotten the nerve to try turmeric in a sweet application. Maybe this beautiful post will motivate!
DO it Deb! You’ll love it!
Very quick to prepare and still very healthy. Good idea for breakfast Traci.
Thank you Agness! I hope you enjoy it!