Better Your Breakfast Regimen With This Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
Somewhere between a bowl of oatmeal and a fresh oatmeal cookie is the culinary wonder that is baked oatmeal. Embarrassingly easy to assemble, and unabashedly satisfying to eat, baked oatmeal is the healthy comfort food you’ve been looking for.
Never made baked oatmeal? Prepare to be impressed. Gone is the gluey bowl of stove-top mush that needs loads of accoutrement assistance to be passed as edible. Instead, baked oatmeal is springy and chewy, with every bite a perfectly neat package of warm flavor. (Already a fan of baked oatmeal? Just wait until you see how good our version is!)
And let me tell you: on a personal note, now that we have an infant in the house, this type of make-ahead breakfast has been such a time-saving blessing. For basically the same amount of work of making “real” oatmeal, I love that I can make an entire tray of perfectly portioned oat goodness that simply needs warming up. Or, admittedly sometimes, I simply just eat it cold as a lazy afternoon snack (honestly it’s surprisingly fantastic this way too).
Best of all, the ingredients in this comfort food are genuinely pride-worthy. Power foods like heart-healthy oats, brain-boosting blueberries, and digestion-friendly flaxseeds (which we partially grind to help their good fats become better absorbed by the body) come together in flavorful harmony. And you’ll love how this smart breakfast is perked up with warm spices and sweetened only with banana, sugar-free monkfruit, and just a touch of maple syrup. Not such a bad way to start the day, right?
Looking for more snackable tips and recipes? Enroll in our popular on-demand cooking course: Superfood Energy Bars. Or for more nutrient-dense, brain-boosting recipes, grab a copy of Julie’s compelling book, Smart Plants.
WATCH HOW WE MAKE OUR BLUEBERRY-FLAX BAKED OATMEAL:
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BLUEBERRY-FLAX BAKED OATMEAL PREP TIPS:
Read up on the top tricks to ensure your baked oatmeal is the best it can be.
Use the right oats. Be sure you’re using rolled oats, as instant oats and steel-cut oats won’t work well in this recipe (they cook at different rates). There is good news, however, if you’re following a gluten-free diet: simply use gluten-free rolled oats!
Sweeten smartly. We like using a 1:1 monkfruit sweetener to keep the sugar in this breakfast negligible, but you can also use another smart sweetener like coconut sugar or date sugar in its place.
Dress up with toppings. Served a la mode, this recipe is excellent enjoyed all by itself. However, adding other breakfast favorites like non-dairy yogurt, extra fruit, chopped nuts, or even a light drizzle of syrup, make this home-y breakfast suddenly feel quite luxurious.
Make-ahead. You can prepare the oatmeal in its baking dish the day before, and bake fresh in the morning. This dish also reheats very well, and can last for several days.
Substitute away. Change up the flavor by using different fresh fruits, such as raspberries or diced pears; mix up the seeds by adding chia seeds or chopped walnuts; or swap in your favorite spices like pumpkin pie spice or nutmeg. (Note: this recipe cooks best with fresh fruit. If using dried fruit, be sure to increase the almond milk a touch, else the recipe will be too dry).
MORE GREAT BREAKFAST RECIPES:
Blueberry-Flax Baked Oatmeal
Baked chewy oats come together with juicy berries, textural flaxseeds, and warm spices to form a low-sugar breakfast that proves comfort food can be healthy.
Prep Time: 10mins | Cook/Cool Time: 45mins | Total Time: 55mins
Servings: 9
Author: Julie Morris INGREDIENTS
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2-3 bananas)
1 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
¼ cup 1:1 monkfruit sweetener, or coconut sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup, plus extra for serving
1/4 cup flaxseeds, partially smashed in a mortar and pestle
1 cup fresh blueberries, plus extra for serving
Non-dairy yogurt, for serving
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Spray an 9x9-inch baking pan with an oil spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt—mix to combine.
3. In a large bowl, combine the bananas, vanilla almond milk, monkfruit sweetener, and 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, and whisk into a smooth mixture. Add the bowl of dry ingredients, and stir to fully incorporate. Fold in 1 cup of blueberries as well as the flaxseeds. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan, and spread into a flat layer. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is set and the sides begin to turn slightly golden. Remove the pan from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes to let the baked oatmeal fully set. Cut into 9 squares.
Serve a la mode, or top with yogurt, extra fruit, or extra syrup as desired. May be enjoyed warm or cold.
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