Nut Butter Morning Oats is a delicious, backpacker friendly version of popular overnight oats recipes. If you’re an ultralight hiker and prefer to go stoveless or you’re not always a fan of a hot breakfast but need calories for the miles ahead, we’ve got you covered.
Prepping the recipe at home only requires 6 ingredients which are readily available at local grocery stores. If you’re not a fan of almond butter, substitute your nut butter of choice (i.e. peanut, cashew, hazelnut, sunflower, etc). The recipe can also be made vegan by using non-dairy milk powder alternatives (i.e. almond, rice, or soy milk). The Cook’s vanilla powder is an optional ingredient but provides a nice flavor if you happen to have some on hand.
We call it Morning Oats because it’s intended to be prepared the morning of and not soaked overnight like typical overnight oats recipes. Milk powder is shelf stable for two hours when reconstituted above 40 degrees F. Shorten that to one hour if reconstituted above 90 degrees F. The meal can be safely prepared the evening before only if the overnight temperature is 40 degrees F or below.
On trail, Nut Butter Morning Oats is the perfect way to start your day and is quick and easy to prepare. Simply add 6 oz of water to the bag or cold soak jar, stir and let the meal sit while you’re packing up camp. By the time you’re ready to hit the trail, breakfast will be ready without any additional effort. It’s also easy to eat while putting in the first few miles of the day.
Despite providing over 600 calories per serving, the portion size is relatively small which is great when your appetite isn’t stellar at altitude or you don’t typically eat a large breakfast at home. The meal also serves as an excellent source of complex carbohydrates and fiber which can help reduce the risk of sugar highs and lows.
See more recipes at Backcountry Foodie.
Ingredients
½ cup old fashioned oats (40 g)
¼ cup whole milk powder (30 g)
1 Tbsp chia seeds (15 g)
1 Tbsp brown sugar (14 g)
⅛ tsp cinnamon, ground (0.3 g)
2 Tbsp almond butter or nut butter of choice (32 g)
Optional: 1 Tbsp vanilla powder (12 g)
Substitutions: Non-dairy milk powder (almond, soy, rice, etc) may be used in place of whole milk powder as a vegan alternative. Peanut butter powder (¼ cup) may be used in place of fresh nut butter. Cook’s vanilla powder, found in the spice aisle, is optional but adds a nice flavor.
Food safety: Recommend consuming the meal within two hours of adding water, if reconstituted at >40 degrees, to reduce the risk of food spoilage. Shorten this time period to 60 minutes if >90 degrees.
