This recipe for vegan Sprouted Overnight Oats with Chia and Blueberries is a quick and easy recipe that only takes 5 minutes to prep with no cooking time. If you’re looking to save valuable time, this is just the recipe for you! Without any effort at all, you’ve got breakfast in the morning.

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Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia! I forget sometimes that the chia seeds we eat are the same ones from the commercials. You know the one. The one with the animal-shaped planters with tiny green chia shoots growing out of it. But, I digress. This post is about sprouted oats! Chia sprouts, sprouted oats…. I see a theme here. 

What’s in Sprouted Overnight Oats with Chia and Blueberries?

This oatmeal recipe is so simple and made with only 4 ingredients, you can’t beat that:

• Sprouted Oats
• Chia Seeds
• Blueberries
• Almond Milk

Add a sweetener if you prefer your oats sweet. The natural sweetness from the blueberries is just right for me.

How do I Make Overnight Oats?

1. Place the sprouted oats and the chia seeds in a glass jar.
2. Add the almond milk, or other plant-based milk, and stir.
3. Cover the jar. Let it sit in the refrigerator overnight.
4. Add the blueberries in the morning.
5. Enjoy!

What’s the Benefit of Sprouted Oats, anyway?

Oats naturally contain phytic acid. Phytic acid acts as an anti-nutrient in the body, meaning that it binds to certain minerals, making them less bioavailable to the body. 

Sprouted oats, on the other hand, are harvested just after it begins to germinate, or sprout. The phytic acid is broken down by enzymes and is significantly reduced at that point, but not totally eliminated.

What’s so bad about phytic acid? You ask.

If you care about your teeth and bones, you should care about phytic acid.

Remember when I said phytic acid acts as an anti-nutrient? One of those minerals is calcium. So, instead of calcium making its way into your teeth and bones, phytic acid reduces its bioavailability. 

High amounts of phytic acid intake may lead to cavities and bone density loss.

Can I use unsprouted oats for this recipe?

Absolutely! Although, phytic acid content will be higher if you are okay with that.

If your diet is high in vegetables and fruits, it means you’re taking in a lot of vitamins and minerals. A little bit of phytic acid may not be a deal-breaker for you.

If your diet consists of a lot of grain, adding more phytic acid may lower your overall mineral intake.

Can I reduce phytic acid levels in unsprouted oats?

Yes, you can! You can soak unsprouted steel-cut oats or old-fashioned oats in warm water overnight with an acid medium, for 12 to 24 hours. The formula I use is 1 cup oats, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon ground buckwheat groats, and enough warm filtered water to cover it 1-2 inches over. Let this sit in a glass jar or bowl on the counter.

Good News: Vitamin C and D to the Rescue

Some studies have found that vitamin C intake can reverse the inhibitory effects of phytic acid, especially in the case of iron absorption. If you’re worried about your calcium levels, eating calcium-rich foods or supplements with vitamin D will enhance its absorption. (source 1, source 2)

Substitutions and Toppings

Here are some tips to jazz up your overnight oats:

• Substitute: almond milk for other nut milks, or coconut milk
• Fresh Fruits: mango, strawberries, banana, nectarines, cherries
• Dried Fruits: pineapple, peaches, figs, dates, 
• Nuts & Seeds: almonds, pecans, walnuts, sunflower, flax seed meal, pumpkin
• Nut & Fruit Butters: peanut butter, almond butter, apple butter
• Sweeteners: raw honey, maple syrup, molasses, agave, monk fruit sweetener
• Jams: raspberry chia seed jam, orange marmalade, orange-cranberry sauce

How do you store/freeze overnight oats?

If you’re a meal prepper, you’re in luck. These overnight oats are easy to portion out into small grab-and-go glass jars. Store in the fridge for up to 2-3 days.

They’ll keep in the freezer for 3 months. Transfer the oats from the fridge to the freeze. Leave the lids off or ajar to help prevent the jars from breaking. Make sure to leave some room in the jars for oats to expand. After the oats are fully solidified in 4-6 hours, screw the lids back on. 

If your freezer is always fully stocked like ours, transfer your overnight oats to ziplock bags to save on valuable space.