Baked Oatmeal with Fruit

Apparently it has been a while since I blogged…24+ days and counting according to my cousin Aimee…so here we go…back in business : )

I first had this baked oatmeal one morning at Adam and Jess’s (my brother and his wife).  It was delish…cold and hot (yes, I took a bite straight from the fridge before I heated some up in the micro).  Adam would say that it’s “nutritious and delicious” in an annoying voice (mocking me of course)…and it is!

I made my first go-round with apples and walnuts (that’s one of the best parts of the recipe…the fruit and nuts are totally interchangeable).  I had bought some apples that were too mealy to eat out of hand…but I couldn’t stand the thought of throwing them away.  They worked perfectly here.

   

It’s not overly sweet (just a 1/4 cup of maple syrup for the whole thing…which is about 2 tsp added sugar per serving…and I’ll probably try it with even less next time).  The egg-milk mixture makes it almost custardy…in a good way.  The apples get soft, nearly melting into the oatmeal.  The toasted walnuts add a welcomed crunch.  ALL a good thing!

I’ve made baked oatmeal in the past, but this version is FAR better.  Give it a try…perfect way to get back on track post holiday!

Baked Oatmeal with Fruit
adapted from Heidi Swanson via Annie Eats

makes 4 - 6 servings

1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, lightly toasted, divided
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
¼ 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 apples, cored and sliced

Preheat the oven to 375˚ F.  Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish. 

In a medium bowl, combine the oats, half of the nuts, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Stir with a fork to combine. 

In a liquid measuring cup, combine the maple syrup, milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. 

Spread half of the apple slices in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish.  Sprinkle the dry oat mixture over the fruit in an even layer.  Pour the liquid ingredients evenly over the oats.  Sprinkle the remaining nuts and apples over the top, pressing the apples down into the liquid.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is browned and the oats have set.  Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Per serving (based on 6 servings) - 210 calories, 9 g fat (3 g saturated), 29 g carbohydrate, 3.4 g fiber, 5g protein (exchanges: 2 fat, 1.5 starch/sugar, 1/2 fruit)

Overnight Oats

I have a few “requirements” for my everyday breakfast…it needs to have a fruit, something with fiber (from the fruit and possibly something else), fat and/or protein, and it must be filling.  And delicious (sometimes I go to bed thinking about what I get to eat in the morning!). 

It might be a smoothie (green or not…usually this is a summer, post-run breakfast).  Or oatmeal with fruit and nuts (in the winter).  And lately its been overnight oats, which aren’t all that different from muesli.  I’m more of a fruit, yogurt, and whole grain breakfast kind of girl.  I LOVE eggs…just not at breakfast.

 

In my “easy” method I just combine oats with unsweetened Greek yogurt and let them soak overnight.  In the morning I add a little milk to thin it out and the toppings, the best part!  Fruit, nuts, sometimes maple syrup or another sweetener.  Or I’ll mash a banana into the yogurt and oats the night before (which doubles as the sweetener and the fruit). 

Sometimes I take it a step further and do a batch for the whole week.  I shred a couple of apples and then add them to the yogurt and oats to soak overnight. 

Or if I’m really fancy I use this method.  I pulse oats, nuts, shredded apple, and coconut all together in a food processor.  Sometimes I’ll do a few bananas instead of the apple.  You can keep this mixture separate from the yogurt (which I do sometimes) or go ahead and mix it with the yogurt (I typically do that and then portion it into my little class storage containers…breakfast ready for the week!). 

    

The possibilities are endless…sometimes I do a mixture of Greek yogurt with vanilla Wallaby.  Sometimes instead of using milk to thin it out I do coconut milk.  You can vary the nuts and the fruit.  You could add cinnamon.  Or peanut butter (PB&banana is sooo good!). 

Kath has a bunch of variations (she’s the one who got me hooked).  The basic proportion for me (her’s is a little different) is 2:1…4 cups of yogurt (the entire container of Fage…the 35 oz size) and 2 cups oats.  This lasts me the whole week…6 - 7 servings.  For a single serving I’d do 2/3 cup yogurt and 1/3 cup oats.  Plus the toppings!  Don’t forget the toppings!