I’m watching spring go past. I’m so completely engrossed in work on my cookbook that I almost don’t see the magnolias blooming outside. Fortunately, my dog Cookie often prompts me to take a moment to relax.
Every evening as the sun sets, she begins pouncing on me in her insistent, almost desperate, but always endearing manner. “Hey! Hello there! Welcome inside! Let’s venture outside! She goes for her walk, and as dusk falls, I photograph some blossoms.
I’ve also been skipping breakfast, which is a risky practice. When I had to stop taking food photos last week and take a long break to sit down, I received a severe smack on the wrist for it. Hypoglycemia symptoms such as shaking, lightheadedness, and perspiration are never desirable. It served as a timely reminder for me to eat healthily. We all must, or it will eventually find us. Simply said, my symptoms appear earlier than most.
That’s the reason I first began cooking. I needed to eat well, but I couldn’t afford to dine out every meal. I had to learn how to cook as a result, of course. When Frontier Co-Op asked me how I cook with intention, I replied that I use healthful ingredients to ensure that I have enough fuel for the day. I then discover a stronger reason for sharing those recipes with everyone.
Sharing recipes that make me feel good makes me happy. I prepared some blueberry baked oatmeal for the week as a reminder to eat breakfast.
Notes and Advice for Healthy Baked Oatmeal
Oats, almonds, maple syrup, and blueberries are just a few of the nutritious ingredients in this baked oatmeal recipe. A few eggs hold it all together, and a thin layer of butter on top gives it a delicious flavour.
I can eat this baked oatmeal all morning without becoming hungry, especially when I top it with a generous amount of Greek yogurt.
Switch It Up
The recipe is somewhat customizable, but I really liked it as given below. You can use any fruit of your choice, however I used frozen blueberries straight out of the bag. Alterations to the nuts and spices are also possible.
Apple, in my opinion, would be fantastic in the autumn, and raspberry-banana, with cashews and coconut milk, may be interesting in the summer.
I used vanilla, nutmeg, and cinnamon from Frontier. I adore that the labels on their spices can be used to trace back historical events. For instance, the Fair Trade ceylon cinnamon I used in this dish was sourced from a Sri Lankan farmer’s cooperative. The vanilla is from Madagascar, where Frontier assisted in the drilling of 49 wells to supply approximately 25,000 people with potable water.
Also read: Clumpy Granola with Stewed Rhubarb from Chickpea Flour Does It All
INGREDIENTS
- 2/3 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- Old-fashioned oats, 2 cups
- 2 tablespoons of cinnamon powder
- one tablespoon of baking powder
- 12 teaspoon ordinary table salt or 3/4 teaspoon fine-grained sea salt
- 14 teaspoon of nutmeg, ground
- 1 34 cups of the milk of your choice (cow’s milk, almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk, etc.)
- 1/3 cup of honey or maple syrup
- Larger than two eggs or flax eggs
- 3 tablespoons of split, melted, unsalted coconut oil or butter
- Vanilla extract, two tablespoons
- 2 teaspoons of raw sugar, split between 12 ounces or 1 pint of fresh or frozen blueberries, or 2 12 cups of your choice berry or fruit (optional)
- Whipped cream, plain or vanilla yogurt, extra maple syrup or honey to drizzle, and/or more fresh fruit are all acceptable optional toppings.
INSTRUCTIONS
- Set the oven’s temperature to 375. The baking dish should be 9 inches square. Pour the nuts onto a baking sheet with a rim after the oven has finished preheating. Toast till aromatic for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Combine the oats, toasted nuts, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a medium mixing basin. Combine by whisking.
- Combine the milk, maple syrup or honey, egg, half of the butter or coconut oil, and vanilla in a smaller mixing dish. Blend using a whisk. (If you used coconut oil and it congealed when it came in contact with the cold ingredients, microwave the bowl for 30 second intervals, just long enough for the coconut oil to remelt.)
- Place the remaining berries evenly over the bottom of the baking dish, saving about 1/2 cup of them for the baked oatmeal’s topping (no need to defrost frozen fruit first).
- The dry oat mixture should be spread over the fruit, followed by the wet components. To ensure that the milk percolates through the oats, shake the baking dish. Next, lightly press any dry oats that are sitting on top.
- Over the top, strew the remaining berries. If you want a little more sweetness and crunch, sprinkle more raw sugar on top.
- Bake for 42 to 45 minutes (45 to 50 minutes if using frozen berries), or until the top is well browned. Your baked oats should be taken out of the oven and given some time to cool. Before serving, drizzle the remaining melted butter over the top.
- Serve plain or with your preferred toppings. This baked oatmeal tastes great warm, but it also tastes great chilled or at room temperature. For 4 to 5 days, this oatmeal keeps nicely in the refrigerator when covered. Simply warm each dish in the microwave before serving, if preferred.