Berry Baked Oatmeal

8/17/2021

Berry Baked Oatmeal

Would you believe it's almost the 8-year anniversary of this recipe on Weeknight Bite!? I originally posted it one week after Mitch and I got engaged and the original post was full of giddiness and gushing all about how my "fiancé" loves this recipe so much. It's so funny to go back to the early WNB posts because in some ways, it feels like the time has flown by, but then I watch the recipe video that was part of this original post (scroll down to the bottom to check it out — I'm way too sentimental to delete these videos, even if the time has come to update the post and the photos!), and I get a peek into our life at that exact moment, and it makes me so nostalgic and happy and also feels like it was a lifetime ago! I'll tell ya what hasn't changed though — how delicious this recipe is... and how much Mitch still loves it ha! He wolfed down about half the pan after I finished shooting the new photos, and I had to laugh that it is just as big of a hit now as it was 8 years ago.

This is one of my favorite recipes to make for a brunch with friends or family. My typical menu usually includes an egg dish (like this quiche), a fruit salad, a green salad, and something a little hearty and sweet like this Berry Baked Oatmeal. I love that it makes a big portion (perfect to prep for a busy week ahead) and that it's loaded with healthy ingredients like chia seeds and flax seeds. It's just lightly sweetened but gets extra sweetness and flavor from the layer of banana slices at the bottom and the baked berries on top. It's perfect as is, but you also can't go wrong by drizzling some peanut butter or almond butter over the top after it's finished baking and topping it with a splash of nut milk before you dig in. Seriously so good!  

Ingredients
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats or quick oats (or 1 cup of each)
2 tbsp coconut sugar (or sugar replacement like monkfruit)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp chia seeds
2 tbsp ground flaxseeds
2 cups unsweetened nut milk
1 egg, whisked
2 1/2 tbsp melted coconut oil
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
Optional for added sweetness: 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 bananas, sliced thin
1 cup of your favorite berries
Optional: nut butter to drizzle on top

Serves 6.

1. ​Preheat oven to 375º.
2. Mix dry ingredients together - oats, coconut sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, chia seeds, and flaxseeds.
3. In a separate bowl, combine wet ingredients - nut milk, egg, coconut oil, & vanilla (and maple syrup if using).
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well. At this point you can also mix in your berries, or you can put them on top before baking, or do a little of both!
5. Grease a square baking pan, casserole dish, or pie dish and then add slices of banana to cover the bottom of the dish.
6. Pour the oatmeal mixture evenly over the bananas, then give your baking dish a little tap to make sure it's even.
7. If you didn't already mix the berries in, top oatmeal mixture with your favorite berries - I love it with sliced strawberries on top.
8. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until set. 
9. Serve into a bowl, then (optional but encouraged), drizzle with nut butter and top with a splash of nut milk. Dig in!​

Hope you all love this recipe as much as Mitch and I do! Make sure to tag me at @weeknightbite when you try it!

And now, for the nostalgia, here's a little glimpse into 2013 life - enjoy! :)