Cinnamon Vanilla Overnight Oats

Chunky Fig Jam

1 pound figs about 8-9 medium figs
Zest of an orange
Juice of half an orange
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons rich good quality balsamic
1/3 cup honey
Dash of salt
1 cup water

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 container of Vitamin D enriched Vanilla Yogurt
1/2 cup milk plus 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash salt

Additional Ingredients for the Parfaits

1 container of Vitamin D enriched Vanilla Yogurt
3 dried figs cut into slices
1/2 cup pecans chopped

For the jam, cut the figs into quarters. Add the figs, orange juice and zest, vanilla, good quality balsamic*, salt, and honey to a sauce pan. Bring mixture to a boil and let boil for about a minute. Bring mixture down to a simmer and let cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
The figs will start to break down and the jam will start to thicken as it cooks. Add 1/2 cup of the water and mix well with the jam and allow it to simmer for another 5 minutes.
The jam should thicken up again. If it is still very thick, add the other 1/2 cup water and allow to cook for another five minutes.**
Use a masher or spoon to gently mash the jam so figs are broken down more. Do not over mash as the jam should remain chunky.
Remove mixture from pan and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.***
For the overnight oats, combine old fashioned oats, 1/2 cup milk, container yogurt, honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set in the fridge overnight. This allows the oats to soak up the milk and tenderize so they are creamy and delicious to eat. In the morning, the mixture may seem a bit thick. Addd 2 tablespoons of milk to loosen it up and make it creamy.
To make the parfaits, add about a 1/2 cup of the overnight oats to a bowl or jar, and divide between 4 servings. Using the 1 container of yogurt, divide the yogurt evenly between the 4 bowls. Top with 2 tablespoons (or more, if you desire) of the jam to each bowl/jar. Garnish with pecans pieces and dried fig slices.
Serve and enjoy!

Requires overnight patience 🙂

*I recommend using a good, thick balsamic vinegar for best results (not a glaze, but a better quality balsamic will have a thicker consistency) I used Twisted Olive Imports.

*Original recipe is made with siggi’s cinnamon vanilla or vanilla 2% yogurt. It’s got a beautiful, creamy texture and is not too sweet so pairs perfectly with the fig jam. Downside is Siggis doesnt enrich their yogurt with Vitamin D

**If jam is desired consistency after 1/2 cup water, you can omit the other r1/2 cup. If still seems to thick, add the remaining 1/2 cup water and cook for the additional 5 minutes. ***The jam will store in fridge for 2-3 weeks. You will have jam leftover and it works great on toast, in dressings, or on meat.