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I love overnight oats because there are so many opportunities for customization. I can alter the recipe based on the flavors I’m craving or the activities I’ve got lined up for the day. I also know that whatever combination I choose, I’ll feel satisfied and nourished after I enjoy it. That’s important to me because I love delicious food, but I also need sustenance to fuel my busy mornings. That’s why, for an extra protein boost, I almost always add creamy ricotta cheese to my overnight oats.
10 Overnight Oats Recipes That Are High in Protein
Why I Started Adding Ricotta to Overnight Oats
I learned something about myself in college. It was that eating cereal and milk for breakfast wasn’t for me. Unfortunately this realization came to me a bit later (try a whole year) than I would’ve liked. I spent my freshman year slamming bowls of cereal at the dining hall each morning, leaving satisfied and ready to learn, only to bonk an hour later. Sometimes, to my horror, my hunger came with an embarrassingly loud stomach rumble, which I’m sure everyone in my lecture hall could hear. I persisted, though, trying different cereals and even adding a banana to the mix, but still, I was so hungry only an hour or so after eating it.
It wasn’t until I delved into my nutrition classes that I began to learn about the importance of variety. My breakfast leaned heavy on carbohydrates, which was fine, but I needed moreproteinto boost satisfaction. I switched from cereal to whole-grain bread topped with peanut butter and honey. I had milk and always some kind of fruit. And you know what happened? I could focus. No more stomach rumbles either!
Now, years later, I’ve continued to enjoy a breakfast that includes whole grains and protein, especially when it comes to overnight oats. I’ve tried a variety of protein options in my overnight oats, but ricotta has become my favorite.
Our 23 Best High-Protein Breakfast Recipes You’ll Want to Make Forever
Ricotta’s Nutrition Benefits
Food is fuel, but it’s also meant to be enjoyed. If the fuel doesn’t taste good, I’m not really interested in it. I’ve had overnight oats so many ways, but when I swapped in creamy ricotta cheese for Greek yogurt (which is also delicious), I was hooked. Unlike tangy, savory cottage cheese (which I tried and didn’t care for), ricotta is mild and even slightly sweet, which pairs well with oats and other ingredients often added to overnight oats. It’s not just delicious, it also happens to have a stellar nutrition profile. Each ½-cup serving of whole-milk ricotta cheese has 10 grams of protein and 289 milligrams of calcium (that’s almost 30% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for most adults).It also containsvitamin B12, an important nutrient for nerve function, producing red blood cells, making DNA and metabolism.
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Tips on Adding Ricotta to Overnight Oats
Adding ricotta to your overnight oat recipe is easy, but here are a few tips:
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Bottom Line
Add ricotta to your overnight oats for a delicious boost of protein. Start small to see how you like it, and play with other ingredients to enjoy a variety of flavors and nutrients. Enjoy it for breakfast but also as a delicious snack anytime! The beauty ofovernight oatsis that they are so customizable, but if you’re looking for a recipe to get you started, check outFig & Ricotta Overnight Oats.
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.United States Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Cheese, ricotta, whole milk.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.United States Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Cheese, ricotta, whole milk.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
United States Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central.Cheese, ricotta, whole milk.
