I tend to procrastinate this most important meal of the day, sipping my coffee and checking email before plunging into work. Before long, it’s ten o’clock and hunger pangs have set in. I love opening my fridge to see these oatmeal and chia cups waiting for me. But of course, if you are rushing out the door, these cups are very handy, too. In fact, I often bring them in the car when I’m traveling and don’t want to rely on fast food. You can make as many or as few of these oatmeal cups as you like. They keep well for about 5 days in the refrigerator. The longer they sit, the thicker the bottom layer becomes, so I suggest you mix them in a bowl if you’ve stuffed your jar to the brim. Either that, or prepare them in a larger jar so you have enough room to mix everything together when a bowl isn’t within reach. Another bonus with these make-ahead oatmeal cups is they’re the perfect portion control for breakfast. I’m always on some sort of, ahem, “nutritional plan” to keep from packing on the pounds (being a recipe developer has its downsides!), and so I love having these pre-portioned and pre-packaged for me. Plus, the oatmeal and chia seeds are so filling that I don’t get hungry until lunch! You can sweeten these to taste or use vanilla yogurt. The raisins and fruit make these satisfying enough for me, so I can save my craving for sweets for another, worthier opportunity – one will surely arise at some point during the day.
