January 19, 2015

Oh My!  I’m finally beginning my journey to share and store recipes…so where to start? I often lay awake at night thinking of all the recipes I want to share, but now that I’m doing it – not one single recipe pops into my head…

I will begin with a recipe to be used at the beginning of the day. My children will agree that I have always pushed them to eat a decent breakfast as it gives them a good start to their day. I hope this will be a good start to my blogI like a variety of foods at Breakfast with plenty of protein will keep energy levels high until lunch. I have a bit of a sweet tooth and have to be careful not to make too many sweet things – or I eat too much.

This breakfast casserole is both hearty and sweet. Baked Oatmeal is a favorite on weekends when there is a little more time to let it bake. This recipe can easily be made the day before and can be reheated in a microwave – or even enjoyed at room temperature. It’s the perfect combination of crispy top and a soft middle. There are many variations of this recipe but my favorites always include some nuts and fruit. It is especially good in the colder months, but we enjoy it even in the summer, especially with fresh peaches! I added the “plus” to the recipe name because it does have a very healthy amount of protein. In my estimation, with the flax, quinoa and chia there are about 13 grams of protein per serving. 

This is a recipe that does not require exact measurements and you can easily double it and use a 9 x 13 pan. If it’s a bit dry after baking you can add more milk – if it’s moist, just skip the milk when serving.

Baked Oatmeal Plus

Sserves 6 to 8
Preparation time about 15 minutes , plus baking time of 35-45 minutes.

Ingredients

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2 Tbs chia seed
2 Tbs ground flax seed
4 Tbs quinoa
1/2 c toasted and chopped walnuts
1/3 c maple syrup (B grade is fine)
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
2 1/3 cups milk (I typically use unsweetened almond or almond-coconut milk) room temperature or warmed slightly.
2 large eggs
3 Tbs Coconut oil, melted
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 or 3 bananas sliced into 1/2 pieces
1 cup berries (optional)
milk, syrup, yogurt and fresh berries to serve

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375’f. Butter or spray 8 x 8 square baking pan (I like to use coconut oil spray).

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

In another bowl, whisk maple syrup, milk, eggs, coconut oil and vanilla.

Arrange bananas in the bottom of the pan, single layer if possible. Cover with oat mixture. Slowly pour milk mixture over the oats, making sure the milk soaks through to the bottom. Scatter remaining walnuts and berries if using.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown on top and set. Let cool and serve with additional milk, and maple syrup if desired. We enjoy with a dollop of yogurt and fresh berries.Serves 6 to 8

Notes