Recipe: Baked Oatmeal

Admittedly, we eat a lot of eggs for breakfast. We have 6 chickens and a 3 person household! You do the math. But, my son seems less than thrilled as of late to be served his daily helping of eggs, no matter what way they are served - fried, scrambled, hard boiled, scrambled with bacon - doesn't matter! So, I have to mix it up sometimes. When I do, I LOVE to make baked oatmeal! It stores in the fridge well and between him and I, makes for a few days worth of breakfast, which, on a hectic weekday morning is perfect!

I LOVE Heidi Swanson's recipe from her book Super Natural Everyday. Below is my version, altered just slightly!

Baked Oatmeal
2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey (whichever I have on hand)1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon ( I love cinnamon in my oatmeal!)
Scant 1/2 teaspoon 'real' salt
2 cups whole milk
1 large pastured egg
1.5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (plus more to butter your baking dish!)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 ripe bananas, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/2 cups huckleberries, blueberries, or mixed berries (my personal fav. is raspberries!)


Preheat the oven to 375°F. Generously butter the inside of an 8-inch baking dish.

In a bowl, mix together the oats, the sugar, the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, the milk, egg, half of the butter, and the vanilla.

Arrange the bananas in a single layer in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle two-thirds of the berries over the top. Cover the fruit with the oat mixture. Slowly drizzle the milk mixture over the oats. Gently give the baking dish a couple thwacks on the counter top to make sure the milk moves through the oats. Scatter the remaining berries across the top.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is nicely golden and the oat mixture has set. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes. It is wonderful warm out of the oven! The leftovers I leave in the baking dish, cover with foil, and store in the fridge. Then I just reheat them the next morning :)