Blueberry Oatmeal Bake

By Joanna Barajas

Who wants a bowl of oatmeal when you can have cake?

Here’s the catch. It’s an oatmeal cake!

I had to get creative the other day. I was cooking for some picky kids and I needed something that was tasty but still healthy. Once I finished baking this, I gave some to the kids to try. They loved it. So, I can happily say it’s kid-approved. And if you’re an adult, well you’ll think it’s super tasty. Oatmeal has never tasted so good!

Blueberry Oatmeal Bake

INGREDIENTS (6 to 8 servings)

Dry:

● 2 cups old-fashioned oats

● 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

● 1 teaspoon baking powder

● 3/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt (or 1/2 teaspoon regular table salt)

● 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Wet:

● 1 3/4 cups milk of choice (almond milk, coconut milk, oat milk or cow’s milk all work)

● ⅓ cup maple syrup or honey

● 2 large eggs or flax eggs

● 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter or coconut oil

● 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

● 12 ounces or 1 pint fresh or frozen blueberries (or 2 1/2 cups of your preferred berry/fruit, chopped into 1/2” pieces if necessary), divided

● 2 teaspoons raw sugar (optional)

● Optional toppings for serving: plain/vanilla yogurt or whipped cream, additional maple syrup or honey for drizzling, and/or additional fresh fruit

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9-inch or 8-inch square baking dish.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oats, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Whisk to combine.
In a smaller mixing bowl, combine the milk, maple syrup or honey, egg, butter or coconut oil, and vanilla. Whisk until blended.
Put ½ cup of the berries evenly over the bottom of the baking dish (no need to defrost frozen fruit first).
Cover the fruit with the dry oat mixture. Then drizzle the wet ingredients over the oats. Wiggle the baking dish to make sure the milk moves down through the oats, then gently pat down any dry oats resting on top.
Scatter the remaining berries across the top. Sprinkle some raw sugar on top if you’d like some extra sweetness and crunch.
Bake for 42 to 45 minutes for 9-inch. And 60 minutes for 8-inch, until the top is nice and golden. Remove your baked oatmeal from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes.

Notes: I prefer this baked oatmeal served warm, but it is also good at room temperature or chilled. This oatmeal keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 to 5 days. If desired, simply reheat individual portions in the microwave before serving.

I hope you try this new recipe! Snap a picture and tag me @chefjoannas on instagram so I see how yours came out.

Chef Joanna is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and is a private chef for the stars. She also hosts pop up dinners and cooking classes inspired by her travels around the world. You can find more of her work at www.chefjoannas.com

For More Recipes Visit www.zapinin.com/food.