I am obsessed with all kinds of oatmeal and this baked protein oatmeal definitely hits the spot in the morning! So warming, comforting, and delicious with coffee! It’s like a healthy cobbler – especially if you add a dollop of yogurt on top! Now, with a lot of my recipes I am first inspired by another recipe that I find – yet usually I tweak is to make is fit my tastebuds and food desires. It can be hard to find a baked oatmeal recipe that has protein added to it, but I think it’s important to add because protein is what keeps us full and it’s imperative we focus on getting in 20-30 grams per meal if possible. The original recipe that I followed for this is on Cookie + Kate, but, I did tweak some things and omit/add a few things.
So here is how you make my version:
INGREDIENTS – 6-8 servings
2 heaping cups old fashioned oats or quick cooking
1/2-3/4 cup of crushed walnuts or pecans (or mixture of both)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp pink salt
1 can lite coconut milk (or about 1.5 cups other unsweetened nut milk)
2 large eggs
3 tbsp ground flaxseed
1/2 cup vanilla protein powder of choice
1/4 cup coconut sugar or maple syrup
3 tbsp coconut oil, melted (or butter)
8-10 oz frozen mixed berries or strawberries, blueberries, etc. (can also be fresh!)
METHOD
Preheat oven to 375. Take a medium-sized baking dish and either spray with oil or grease with butter or coconut oil. Take a large bowl and place all dry ingredients inside: oats, protein powder, salt, cinnamon, baking powder, and walnuts/pecans, flaxseed. Take a small bowl and add the eggs, coconut milk, vanilla, sugar, melted (not hot!) coconut oil and whisk well. Now add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until everything is thoroughly combined. Take the frozen or fresh fruit and layer about half the berries on the bottom of the dish and pour the rest in the bowl with the other ingredients and stir.
Pour everything into the baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes – or until toothpick comes out clean in the center and the top is golden brown. Let cool about 10 minutes before cutting and serving.
I like to store these in glass containers (6 servings) and reheat for breakfast! Make sure to add a dollop or more of yogurt (vegan yogurt if you avoid dairy). My favorite yogurt of all time is the full fat plain kind by Seven Stars Farms – if you can find it I suggest you try it out! Enjoy!!!
Notes:
Feel free to use any kind of fruit! You could do chopped apples, frozen or fresh peaches, or blackberries!
You could make this a pumpkin version but using 1/2 cup canned pumpkin in place of fruit, and instead of cinnamon use pumpkin pie spice.
To make this vegan – omit the eggs and the butter and make a flax egg by taking 2 tbsp ground flaxseed and mixing with 1/4 cup warm water and let sit for five minutes before incorporating with the rest of the ingredients.
Kelly Hayman Fitness 