Wendy Liu

Traditional Chinese Medicine-Inspired Overnight Oats

A very nourishing, warming, and portable breakfast

By Wendy Liu

November 23, 2025

As the weather turns cold and dry, I have been looking for a quick and nourishing breakfast to give me energy for the day ahead. This prep-ahead, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)-inspired autumn overnight oats recipe is grab and go for busy mornings and will keep you full for a long time. Bonus: it provides 1/3 of your daily fiber needs!

TCM Benefits and Nutrition

These oats draw on several Chinese herbs with lung-nourishing, immune-supportive ingredients like goji berries, red jujube dates, and warming spices. They offer a balanced profile of macronutrients for sustained fullness and gut health, as well as around 50% of your daily vitamin A, calcium, iron, and fiber. 

The overall effect of the ingredients in this recipe is warming, which is good to combat the cold and wind that has been battering me on the streets of New York City lately. The spices warm me from the inside out, the chen pi helps clear my lungs, and the mix of healthy fats and protein gives me so much energy. Persimmons are in season now and are so sweet and jammy. While apples tend to get the spotlight in autumn, persimmons are by far my favorite fruit of the season. Give them a try!

Joyful eating, as Zoey Xinyi Gong writes in The Five Elements Cookbook is a major principle of TCM food therapy. When I eat these oats in the morning, not only does it warm my body and satiate my appetite, but it tastes delicious and brings me joy. I have found that feeling so important to regulated and nourishing eating habits. 

Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes

Yield: 1 serving

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsweetened soy milk
  • 1/3 cup old fashioned oats
  • 1/2 persimmon, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon goji berries (dried)
  • 1 tablespoon raw almonds, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sprouted pumpkin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon hulled hemp seeds
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1 dried red date (jujubes), pitted and chopped
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/16 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/16 teaspoon ground ginger
  • Pinch of sea salt

Optional:

  • Dried mandarin orange peel (chen pi), 1 slice diced
  • Collagen powder, unflavored
  • Honey to taste

Preparation

  1. In a jar or airtight container, combine all the ingredients and mix well. If adding dried mandarin orange peel, collagen powder, and/or honey add it in before mixing.
  2. Refrigerate overnight for a creamy texture, or at least 5 hours.
  3. If you prefer your oats hot, then microwave the oats for 1 minute before serving. Enjoy!