Are you looking for something different for breakfast? I took low sugar peach jam and layered it with oats flavored with pecan butter and cinnamon. Unlike most oatmeal recipes, the only sugar here is from the fruit and the dairy; no added sugars are used. No worries if peaches aren’t in season yet. You can use fresh or frozen fruit in this recipe!
A few weeks ago, I talked about my goal to include more oats and fruit in my mornings. The problem with most oatmeal recipes is that they usually include added sugars, sometimes in large amounts. Also, many people add even more sugary foods to their meal (like sugar-sweetened yogurt).
Eating this way, it’s likely I’ll exceed the recommended added sugar limits for the day with breakfast alone. It’s OK for healthy people to do this once in a while, such as on holidays. However, if this is how my breakfast looks every morning, I’ve made going overboard with sugar a daily occurrence.
I’m calling this recipe “low sugar” because there are natural sugars in the dairy and fruit used here. (There are also small amounts of naturally occurring sugars in some of the other foods, such as the plain oatmeal.)
What I’ve excluded are the added sugars. This includes things like table sugar, brown sugar, and also sweeteners such as maple syrup and honey. I talked more about added sugars in a previous post (which was coincidentally another overnight oats recipe).
I do occasionally include added sugars in my diet. However, they are so highly prevalent in this society I don’t feel the need to give ideas for them here.
(Truth be told, if you want an outstanding dessert recipe, you’ll probably get something far better from a professional chef than a dietitian.)
How I came up with my low sugar peach jam overnight oats
The takeaway message from above is that added sugars are everywhere, and it is difficult to avoid them. They are hidden in many condiments (e.g., ketchup, BBQ sauce, many salad dressings), items like beef jerky, and flavored oatmeal. My goal for “no added sugar” recipes on this site can sometimes be challenging because added sugar is so ubiquitous.
I’ve decided I’m up for the challenge. Honestly, coming up with these recipes helps to improve my diet, so my reasons for continuing are not entirely selfless. If they can help someone else too, that is really wonderful.
This peanut butter and berry jam overnight oats provided the inspiration I needed for the recipe below, with some changes. For one, I added in more plain Greek yogurt to bring the protein up to around 25ish grams per serving. I like how the yogurt helps to make the oats thicker and less watery.
Second, I swapped out the peanuts in the recipe for pecans. Pecan butter isn’t available in all grocery stores. Luckily, it only takes a few minutes to give whole pecans a good whir in the food processor and make your own.
I loved the idea of using a fruit chia jam (with no added sugar) as the sweetener in overnight oats. Using a jam makes it easy to use frozen or fresh fruit, depending on what you have available.
I happened to have some less-than-perfect fresh peaches I wanted to use up, and I put them to good use in this low sugar peach jam. I have some other ideas for chia jam flavors that I’ll be featuring in the coming weeks. If you don’t want to miss out, don’t forget to subscribe to get the weekly emails.
And now for the disclaimer…
All recipes on this website may or may not be appropriate for you, depending on your medical needs and personal preferences. Consult with a registered dietitian or your physician if you need help determining the dietary pattern that may be best for you.
The calorie information is an estimate provided as a courtesy. It will differ depending on the specific brands and ingredients that you use. Calorie information on food labels may be wildly inaccurate, so please don’t sweat the numbers too much.
For more information on how the three recipe levels may help with a weight management goal, refer to this post. Let’s get cooking!
Low Sugar Peach Jam Overnight Oats with Pecans (No Added Sugar)
Ingredients
- 2 large peaches, peeled, pitted, chopped (approximately 375 g)
- 2 T water
- 1 T chia seeds
- 1 c rolled oats, dry
- 1 c plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt (whole milk)
- 2 T pecan butter (storebought or grind pecans into butter in your food processor)
- 1 t cinnamon
- ½ c milk, 2%
- 2 T pecans, chopped (for garnish)
Instructions
- Heat the peaches and the water in a small saucepan over medium heat until the peaches can be mashed easily. This will take 10-15 minutes. Mash them with a fork, food processor, or potato masher. They will release a lot of juice.
- Stir the chia seeds into the peaches and let sit for 5-10 minutes. The peach mixture will thicken to the consistency of a thick applesauce.
- While the peach mixture sits, mix together the oats, yogurt, pecan butter, cinnamon, and milk. Gather two pint-sized wide mouth glass jars.
- Divide the oat mixture and the peach mixture between the two jars. I made layers in each of the jars: oats, peaches, oats, peaches. Sprinkle the chopped pecans on top.
- Put the lids on the jars and refrigerate overnight. If you make several jars ahead of time, they will last 3-4 days. Enjoy!
Notes
This is a level 2 recipe (transition or weight maintenance). The easiest way to knock this one down to level 1 would be to omit the pecan garnish. A tablespoon of nuts provides around 50 calories. You won’t miss them because you’ve already got some pecan goodness in there from the pecan butter. Another strategy I would consider for lower energy is swapping the whole milk yogurt for reduced or non-fat. I would be careful about substituting the Greek yogurt, as it is the primary source of protein in this dish. Regular yogurt is not the best choice here, as it is lower in protein. Icelandic yogurt (skyr) is a high-protein yogurt and would make an excellent substitute for Greek yogurt.
Nutrition
What are some of your favorite fruits to add to oatmeal? I’d love to hear about anything unusual you are adding to your oats. New ideas help to keep breakfast interesting!
I meant freezer-friendly in the sense that you can use frozen fruit and other items (like nuts) that I typically keep in the freezer. I've never tried making bigger batches and freezing the jars, but I'll have to try that at some point! Great idea!
Mmmm, peaches! With cinnamon too? Wow! There are very few fruits cinnamon doesn't send off the charts, taste-wise.
The texture, too. Creamy and crunchy - in one bite. Little jars of perfection is what these are.
Major cravings, Summer!
Thanks! These are one of my favorite breakfast options. I just mix up the fruit/nuts used to keep things from getting boring. Very freezer and pantry-friendly!
Better yet! Take it from the freezer and set it on the counter at night, before you go to bed, and in the morning a tasty treat awaits. All the comforting quality and invigorating goodness of homemade, with 0% of the effort.
At least not that you can remember. Maybe at some point way back in the distant past, but, ah, who cares?