INGREDIENTS:

• 1 medium ripe banana smashed

• 1 large egg

• 3 tbsp brown sugar

• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

• 1 tbsp melted butter

• 1 cup almond milk

• 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 ½ cups rolled oats

• Fruits and nuts for topping

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat the oven to 375F and place a rack in the center of the oven. Spray and line a loaf pan with parchment paper (if you don’t have it, no worries).

Put the chopped banana to a large bowl and mash with a fork until smooth. Add the egg, brown, melted butter and applesauce and mix until fully combined. Stir in the milk, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract. Add the oats and mix well.

Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Top with fresh or frozen fruit pushing them halfway into the oats. Add nuts or seeds if using.

Bake until firm, around 40-45 minutes. Leave to cool slightly before slicing.

Will keep covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. I am not sure how well it will freeze but you can try it and report back with your findings.

RECIPE NOTES:

Let’s face it — oatmeal is the the tofu of breakfast foods — you have to do a lot to it in order to make it taste good. Without the benefit of copious amounts of brown sugar, nuts, spices and dried fruit, plain oatmeal is no different than the tasteless gruel served on board the Nebuchadnezzar in the movie the Matrix. And then you have to deal with the time and mess it takes to make a proper bowl every morning. Yes, I know you can buy the flavored packages and although I am a woman who appreciates her conveniences, I also like to be in control of what goes into my food. So what’s a gal to do? I know oatmeal makes for a hearty and healthy breakfast but I also don’t want to add a bunch of extra toppings where my good intentions turn into dessert. The solution? Baked Oatmeal! This has changed my morning life. The oats are sweetened with applesauce (see note), bananas and 3 tablespoons of sugar, the egg and baking powder give it some lift and a texture that reminds me of bread pudding. I add cinnamon and whatever fruits and nuts I’m grooving on for the week. Each batch gives me 5-6 servings and I hack off and microwave as I go. I like to add greek yogurt for some extra protein and a drizzle of honey or fruit compote. Treat this as a base recipe and feel free to customize with whatever fruits and toppings you like: frozen berries, peaches, plums, nuts, etc. I use almond milk but skim, oat milk, hemp, etc. works too. You are the Captain of your Baked Oatmeal ship!

PAN CHOICE: I like to use a standard bread loaf pan because it gives me a taller product and keeps the texture from drying out. If you don’t have a loaf pan, an 8x8 pan would be the best substitution. Muffin tins could also be another option.

INGREDIENT SUBSTITUTIONS

APPLESAUCE: this sweetens and moistens the oatmeal and keeps the texture from getting too gummy. If you don’t have it, just bump up the butter or fat of your choice from 1 tablespoon to 3 tablespoons.

ROLLED OATS: I haven’t tested this recipe with steel cut oats and would not recommend it.

EGG: I haven’t tested this recipe with egg alternatives but if you do, please leave a comment if you’ve had any success with flax seed, chia seed and/or other egg replacers.

BUTTER: vegan butter, coconut oil, avocado oil, ghee — it’s all good.

BROWN SUGAR: want to leave it out or use agave, maple syrup, Splenda, etc. Sure! Knock yourself out.

BANANA: The banana contributes a lovely banana bread like smell so this is the one fruit I don’t recommend replacing. You could try applesauce but I haven’t tested the proper ratio.

CINNAMON: I like cinnamon but it can easily be left out. Cardamom, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, chai spices, etc. could all work.

ALMOND MILK: coconut milk, cow milk, hemp, oat milk, it all works but keep in mind that liquids with extra fat will result in a slightly richer and more dense texture.