Baked Oatmeal

A cross between oatmeal and coffee cake, this dish is the perfect special weekend breakfast, without all the fat and refined carbohydrates.  If time is short during the week, make a batch and have it standing by for a quick nutritious breakfast – it reheats beautifully!  This can easily be made gluten free (by using certified gluten-free oats) or vegan (see variation below).

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup walnut pieces, toasted and chopped

1/4 cup maple syrup, plus more for serving

1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Scant 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt

2 cups milk

1 large egg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 ripe bananas, sliced into ½ inch pieces (pears or other seasonal fruit can be substituted)

1 ½ cups huckleberries, blueberries, or mixed berries

Preheat the oven to 375°F with a rack in the top third of the oven. Generously butter the inside of an 8-inch square baking dish.

In a bowl, mix together the oats, half the walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, the milk, egg, butter, and vanilla.

Arrange the bananas in a single layer in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle two-thirds of the berries over the top. Cover the fruit with the oat mixture. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the oats. Gently give the baking dish a couple thwacks on the countertop to make sure the milk moves through the oats. Scatter the remaining berries and remaining walnuts across the top.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is nicely golden and the oat mixture has set. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.

Serve with an extra drizzle of maple syrup if you want it a bit sweeter, or with a dollop of greek yogurt for an extra boost of protein.

Vegan Variation:  Substitute equal amounts coconut or almond milk for cow’s milk, and coconut oil for the butter.  To replace the egg, make a “flax egg” by mixing 1 tablespoon flax seeds, freshly ground, with 3 tablespoons warm water.  Let the mixture stand until it becomes viscous (about 10-15 minutes), then add to the rest of the wet ingredients.

Serves 6

Total Preparation time: 50 minutes

Recipe adapted from Epicurious Website