Although it is still crazy hot here in Okinawa it is officially September!

 And you know what that means; it's Fall! And all I can think about is brainstorming all of the possibilities of pumpkin baking. Muffins… Scones… Quick breads… Cupcakes… Cookies… Cinnamon rolls… Granola… Anything and everything full of warm, cozy spices that make my house smell just like Thanksgiving Day! 

But it is still 85+ degrees on the island and the humidity is horrendous. You break out in sweat when you walk out the door to your car. I compromised with an easy no-bake recipe that tasted like a combination of summer and fall: Pumpkin Pie Protein Overnight Oats! A thick, creamy bowl of pure comfort food flavors that’s still perfectly acceptable for warmer summer mornings… And basically tastes like dessert for breakfast!

For those of you unfamiliar with overnight oats, they’re incredibly easy to make. Simply mix together the ingredients in a mason jar or plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, place that in the fridge, and wait until morning. That’s literally all there is to it!

While you sleep, the oats soak up the moisture in the wet ingredients, and this softens the oats as much as if you had cooked them in a pot on the stove or in the microwave. Because the oats are meant to be served cold straight from the fridge, that gives you a few extra minutes to sleep in instead of cooking breakfast!

There are two key ingredients in this recipe: Greek yogurt and pumpkin purée. Greek yogurt is my favorite ingredient in healthier baking because it adds a lot of protein! It packs in around 21g per cup, compared to regular yogurt with only 7 to 10g. Greek yogurt is one of the easiest ways to get a big boost of protein in the mornings without a lot of effort!

Make sure to use pumpkin purée, not canned pumpkin filling. The latter contains added sugar and flavorings, which we’re trying to avoid to keep this recipe clean-eating friendly! Instead, we’ll sweeten these oats with organic coconut sugar! but feel free to substitute your preferred sweetener instead.

This super easy recipe tastes like a slice of pumpkin pie straight from the Thanksgiving table! It’s easily doubled, tripled, or even quadrupled to serve more. The oats will keep for at least 4 days if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

1 cup (240g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1 cup (244g) pumpkin pureé

½ cup (50g) old-fashioned oats (gluten free if necessary)

2 tbsp (24g) coconut sugar

½ tsp ground cinnamon

Add all of the ingredients into two mason jars or plastic containers with a tight-fitting lid, and stir until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Serve cold.

Notes: Any oats will work, including instant, steel-cut, and others. Any sweetener will work as well.