Berry Banana Baked Oatmeal

I just re-read the title of this post--too bad oatmeal doesn't begin with B.  :)

I found the original of this recipe on Pinterest, and decided to modify it for taste and health.  Okay, I also modified it for amount in order to feed my five guys.  Here is what I came up with.


Berry Banana Baked Oatmeal

4 cups oats (I used organic regular rolled)
2/3 cup sucanat (or brown sugar, which will produce a much sweeter result)
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt

about 2 cups berries (any kind; my photos are with blackberries; raspberries are awesome)
3/4 cup chocolate chips (reduce or eliminate--I use semi-sweet and original recipe called for milk chocolate)
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (would work with other kinds of nuts, too)
1 ripe banana, sliced

4 cups milk  (I've recently [2016] used rice milk with great success!)
3 large eggs (if halving this recipe--use an 8x8 or 9x9 pan--use 2 eggs)
6 tablespoons butter, melted (can use extra virgin coconut oil instead)
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
cinnamon/sugar for sprinkling (if desired)


Oil a 13x9 pan with olive oil or coconut oil.  Mix oats, sucanat, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, half the chocolate chips, and half the berries.  Spread evenly in the prepared pan.  Sprinkle the walnuts over half the mixture in the pan (we do this for the nut-dislikers in our household; feel free to sprinkle them over all!).  Sprinkle the remaining berries and chocolate chips evenly over the whole top of the mixture.  Place the sliced banana evenly over the whole top.

In a separate bowl (a large one with a pourable spout is great--love my Pampered Chef 8-cup glass mixing bowl!), combine milk, eggs, butter, and vanilla extract.  Pour over the dry mixture in the pan.  Wait a few minutes for the liquid mixture to soak into the oats mixture.  Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over the top, if desired.  Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes, or until set.  Spoon into bowls or onto plates and drizzle maple syrup over.

If you don't like to spend a lot of time in the morning getting breakfast ready, just do this the night before:  Mix the first five dry ingredients together.  Chop the nuts, put them in a prep bowl, and cover; do the same with the chocolate chips (prep bowl and cover).  If I use frozen berries, those are easy to throw, straight from the freezer, into the mixture in the morning.  I also put the butter in a small pan and place the covered pan on the stove so it's ready to go.  I put the measuring spoon and vanilla out, as well as the cinnamon/sugar for sprinkling.  I made this recipe this morning (with raspberries--oh, my), and it took about ten minutes before it was in the oven, with the prep already being done.

 

Below is a strawberry/blackberry version, which was also dee-lish:

And a phone photo from the summer of 2016, made with Alpine strawberries from my gardens:

Happy breakfast-ing!!


Back to life,
Christine

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