Coconut Strawberry Chia Overnight Oats... they're meant to travel! #DanceMom

Ahhh.... the weekend!  Those used to mean leisurely mornings sleeping to our hearts content, then casually mixing pancakes till light and fluffy while sipping a second cappuccino.  Yep, those were the days.  The days before I became a Dance Mom.

Now weekends are filled with before sunrise call times, fluttery false eyelashes, a world glittering with rhinestones and duct tape, and meals on the fly.  Many days our mornings begin in hotels which occasionally include a breakfast in the deal, however my lactose intolerant dancer usually can't partake in the dairy-laden breakfast fare leaving us on our own and with not a lot of time to go in search of a healthy meal.

But as any good dance mom does, we've learned to improvise on the fly.  Liv loves her homemade hotel waffles (yes... travel with a waffle iron!), but I'm not much of a morning person and don't usually eat until much later.  Hence, I'm frequently left to what I can fit into my cooler, and Overnight Oats have become my turn to morning meal on the road.

Mixed together before we leave home, I keep my jar on ice and make my way out to my car after I have Liv set in the dressing room.  Packing sides of walnuts and shredded coconut I can close my eyes and almost see myself in some luxurious location... after all, the show is all about illusion, and with Coconut Chia Overnight Oats you can send yourself to the tropics, even if it is only for a few glorious moments.

Coconut Strawberry Chia Overnight Oats
Breakfast ready when you are!  Simply mix the oats up the night before and they are ready and waiting when you wake.  Perfect for travel - pack the jar on ice and bring small containers of toppings like walnuts and shredded coconut.  Frequently I call them lunch.

1 cup rolled oats (gluten free if desired)
1/4 cup chia seed
2 Tbs hemp seed (optional)
1 - 1 1/2 cups light coconut milk (we use Trader Joe's Light brand)
1/2 cup water (or all coconut milk if desired)
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbs maple syrup
Strawberry Jam (we used our homemade Strawberry Blueberry Jam)
chopped walnuts
shredded coconut
Additional coconut or almond milk if desired

Mix the oats, chia and help into a jar and shake to combine.  Fill with remaining ingredients and stir.

Store in the refrigerator until morning, or pack into a cooler for a road trip.

When ready to serve, spoon desired amount into a bowl and dollop with strawberry jam (we used our Strawberry Blueberry Jam).  Garnish with chopped walnuts and shredded coconut (if traveling, place garnishes in small containers and top when read to eat).  Add additional coconut or perhaps a bit of almond milk when serving is desired.

Liv Life Note:  I've had some comments that using all coconut milk makes the oats a little too "coconutty", hence, we use about 1 1/4 cup coconut milk along with 3/4 cup water.

Ready for the competition season!