Chocolate Cherry Protein Bircher

Overnight oats or birchers have become my go-to breakfast. But how do they work? Soaking the oats overnight makes them easier to digest. They’re also low in fat, and are a complex carbohydrate so they release energy slowly throughout the morning. You basically pop all the ingredients in a bowl the night before and enjoy them (eaten cold) the next day… Couldn’t be easier…

Since getting back from my travels, I’ve been slowly upping my health and fitness game, back to it’s former glory. Balancing it all out with freelancing and working in a restaurant is always a bit of a challenge, but I’m getting the hang of it.

So, how do you make overnight oats? It’s pretty much as simple as putting all the ingredients into a bowl, sealing and leaving in the fridge over night. They are such a great way to plan your breakfast ahead; meaning in the morning they’re even quicker than toast and Marmite. Yep, that’s right, kids.

Of course, on days where you have a little more time you can treat yourself to a fried egg one-pan wonder or my Asian-inspired brunch for a weekend treat. But let’s face it, mid-week mornings are all about prep and organisation if you want to stay healthy and energised!

What’s the difference between birchers and overnight oats recipes? They are very, very similar. But, birchers contain fruit within the overnight soaking process, and overnight oats usually just contain oats, milk and yogurt. In this bircher recipe, the cherries are soaked in the oats overnight, and yogurt is added in the morning.

As last week was ‘National Cherry Day’ it got me thinking how much I love cherries, but quite often overlook them. They can be a bit of a faff as you have to remove the stone, but trust me, it’s worth it! For the unique and delicious flavour they add to this recipe, especially alongside the chocolate. Heavenly combo.

This recipe also has a protein boost, in the form of delicious whey protein powder from The Good Stuff Organic. It’s completely natural, has zero synthetic chemicals and is organic. It’s made from grass-fed cow’s milk and is fluffy and light. Adding a scoop to this breakfast bircher keeps you fuller for longer AND keeps the temptation to snack before lunch at bay.

You can also enjoy this after a morning workout which would give you a great protein boost and complex carb  hit to replenish your body. The cacao nibs add a bitter dark-chocolate taste and amazing crunchy texture, so don’t skip these as they really make it special.

This recipe serves two and takes 10 minutes to prep, then overnight to soak.

What you need:

• 70 g oats
• 80 g fresh cherries, stones removed and roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp organic cacao powder
• 3 tbsp organic whey protein powder
• 2 tbsp organic cacao nibs
• a drizzle of honey
• full fat cherry yogurt, to serve
• extra cherries and cacao nibs to top

How to make:

Add the oats to a bowl, along with the chopped cherries. Using the back of a fork, gently ‘mash’ the cherries so their juices release and they break down a little. Add the cacao powder, whey protein, cacao nibs and a generous drizzle of honey.

Top with 200 ml of boiling water and mix everything together really well.

Cover and leave in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, scoop out half of the oat mixture for one portion. Layer with cherry yogurt. Top with fresh cherries and cacao nibs and enjoy!

Are you a fan of overnight oats or birchers? If you give this recipe a try I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!