Blueberry Muffin Overnight Oats (and A New Start)
These blueberry muffin overnight oats taste just the bakery style muffins you get at Panera, only with about half the fat and calories. Plus, they cook while you sleep, what’s better than that?
Truth be told, I’ve been feeling pretty lost lately. New Years can be pretty intimidating for me, because it comes with a lot of pressure. A giant push to be a better me, eat healthier, work out more, write more meaningful pieces and make a difference. When I think of all the things I want to accomplish and the person I want to be, I start to panic. What if I can’t do it all and another year goes by without making my dreams come true?
Every January for the past 4 years, I’ve told myself that this will be the year I finally bite the bullet and apply to culinary school in Paris. This is the year I finally put my savings account to good use and pick up and travel for 5 months around the world. This is the year I FINALLY write that memoir I started in college and tell the story about me only few people know about. And every year on December 31st, I realize I’m no closer to any of those than I was on January 1st. It’s hard not to feel a little let down.
And now, at 28, starting 2014, I feel more lost than ambitious, which sucks. I miss starting the new year bursting at the seams (mentally and physically, we’ll get to that later) with fresh new ideas, exciting adventures to be taken and new goals I can’t wait to accomplish. This year I felt so overwhelmed by everything that I never sat down to write them. And if I’m being honest, it’s because I’m terrified if I set them, another year will go by and none of them will be accomplished. And that’s not because I’m lazy or unmotivated, it’s because I don’t make them a big enough priority. And by June the paper I’ve written them down on has long been tossed in a drawer or thrown away with the trash. I don’t give myself the chance to make them come true.
Maybe what I’m feeling isn’t lost, it’s fear. What if I do move to Paris and realize that I’m not meant for the cut-throat culinary world? What if I take off on my 5 month adventure only to return home 3 weeks later because I’m terrified of being alone? What if I put my heart and soul into that book and no one publishes it? Or worse, reads it? All of these what ifs clutter in my mind and I start to question EVERY SINGLE THING I dream about.
As I write this now, I realize I’m just scared. And my fear is the only reason I start every January 1st with the same goals I had the year before. And you know what? I’m not doing that anymore. I’m not running away from the person I want to be anymore. I’m not going to push her away because her life is different than the one I have now. I know I won’t be able to accomplish every single goal I set out, but I can accomplish one. And DAMN IT, I’m going to. Because unlike the years before, I’ve already began my journey to make it come true.
How’s that for ambiguous?
Blueberry Muffin Overnight Oats
Serves about 6. Recipe slightly adapted from Healthy Slow Cooking.
Prep time: >10 minutes
Cook time: 4 – 6 hours
Ingredients:
- 1 cup steel-cut oats
- 3 cups skim milk
- 1/3 cup light cream
- 1 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups blueberries (frozen or fresh)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon zest
- 1 low-fat blueberry muffin, crumbled (I used one of these!)
- Fresh whipped cream
Directions:
- Spray the basin of a crock-pot with nonstick cooking spray. Add the oats, milk, cream, blueberries, vanilla and brown sugar. Stir the mixture to combine.
- Set your slow cooker to low and cook about 5 – 7 hours, stirring about halfway through to ensure it’s evenly mixed and doesn’t burn. Mix in the lemon zest and crumbled up blueberry muffin.
- Garnish each bowl with fresh whipped cream.
Nutritional information per serving (about 1/3 cup):
Calories: 275
Fat: 7 grams
Carbohydrates: 44 grams
Fiber: 3 grams
Protein: 10 grams
Weight Watchers Points: 6
Wherever you are in your life, I hope you find some peace and pride in what you've already accomplished and what the year ahead has planned for you. Hugs, friend!
Also GIMME DAT OATMEAL. :)
These overnight oats look seriously delicious. Blueberries are my fav!
Thats what I like to remind myself :)
When you stop dreaming, you stop living.
Best of luck!!!!!
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