Cook Like a Champion

This post has been a long time coming. I first saved this recipe last year when I saw it on Shanon’s blog. Then, Annie made it when I was visiting her last fall. I absolutely loved it and meant to make it as soon as I got home. However, that didn’t happen. Last fall was one of the most hectic times in my life – being pregnant and trying to find a house was horribly frustrating. We rarely cooked breakfast during that time, so this recipe got put on the back burner. I’ve since made up for it, though, making this three times in the last couple weeks. We’ve had a few visitors over the past couple weeks, and this breakfast pleased everyone that tried it. Our friends ten month old daughter even enjoyed it (sans pecans).

Oatmeal isn’t something I’ve always liked. The kind I had growing up (you know, the instant kind) was always mushy and flavorless. This is a far cry from instant oatmeal. The oats maintain their texture very well, and the fruit provides much more flavor than you get from the dehydrated kind that comes in the instant packs. This is also a really healthy breakfast, much healthier than my other favorite breakfast staple. It’s sweetened only with the natural sugars in the fruit and a touch of maple syrup. I’ve even used a mild-flavored honey in a pinch. It reheats beautifully, but you may not need to do that since it’s so delicious that it probably won’t stick around long. This recipe is highly adaptable. You can use whatever fruits and nuts you like to change the flavor combination completely. It’s easy to prep and even easier to eat. This recipe pretty much rocks. This one will be on our weekend breakfast rotation for a long time to come.

You’ll notice that there’s no serving size on this recipe, and that’s because it really varies. I’d say it’s about three, but it depends on who you’re serving and what else you’re having with it. Eric and I can easily polish this off on our own if we’re not eating anything else with it.

Baked Oatmeal with Fruit

Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped pecans, lightly toasted, divided
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 ripe bananas, sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces
1 cup fresh blueberries (fresh or frozen), divided

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375º. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish. Combine the oats, half the pecans, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Toss together with a fork. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the syrup, milk, egg, butter and vanilla. Place the bananas in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish and top with half the blueberries. Evenly sprinkle the oat mixture over the fruit, then pour the liquid evenly over the oats. Sprinkle with remaining pecans and blueberries.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top has browned and the oats are set. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Source: Super Natural Every Dayvia The Curvy Carrot and Annie’s Eats