Oatmeal and I do not get along. I love oats, but I despise oatmeal. I love the crunch of granola, but I am repulsed by the snotty texture of oatmeal.
Yet, oatmeal is a healthy, satisfying, and economical breakfast option. What's a girl to do?
Enter - baked oatmeal!
I was hesitant. I was reluctant. And then, baked oatmeal won my heart.
I love that baked oatmeal has a different texture than stovetop oatmeal. The texture, not the flavor, is what always did me in. The texture of this baked oatmeal recipe is of soft chunks of oatmeal (not runny goop!).
Some baked oatmeal recipes call for ingredients you'd use in a cake - eggs, baking powder, baking soda, etc. I haven't seen the need for these ingredients. Instead, I follow a similar recipe to stovetop oatmeal except I bake it in the oven.
I know what you're thinking - how in the world can I find 30 minutes in the morning just to make breakfast?! Trust me - you can do this!
In my morning routine, I pre-heat the oven immediately after I wake up (or after I finish working out, depending on the day). While the oven is preheating, I throw all the ingredients into the oven safe bowl.
As soon as the oven is pre-heated, I place the oatmeal in the oven and set a timer. This is important. I can easily loose track of time in the morning - a timer is essential. By the time I have showered, dressed, and started putting on make up and drying my hair, the timer is beeping. I pull breakfast out of the oven and finish getting ready while it cools and fills my home with the scent of delicious spices.
So, yes. The whole recipe takes 30 minutes. However, only 5 of those minutes do you actually need to be doing something in the kitchen. The rest of that time, the oatmeal takes care of itself.
Before I share this new recipe, I have a celebratory giveaway to announce!
Craving Sustenance recently gained more than 100 likes on Facebook! To celebrate all of my awesome readers and supporters, I'm giving away a freshly baked batch of my favorite ginger cookies. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you probably remember the epic Battle of the Ginger Cookies. The winner of this giveaway will receive the ginger cookie that survived the epic battle.
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| Win these Ginger Cookies by commenting on this post! |
To enter in the giveaway, just leave a comment on this post. I will randomly choose a winner from those who have commented and announce it in next week's post.
You may want to like Craving Sustenance on Facebook if you haven't yet. I post pictures and discussions that don't always make it into the blog. Ditto for Twitter.
Now, you have a comment to make and oatmeal to bake!
Baked Oatmeal
1 serving, 30 minutes
The ripeness of the banana and your sweet tooth will determine the amount of sweetener you need in your oatmeal. When in doubt, leave out the sweetener - you can always add some agave nectar, honey, or maple syrup as a topping if needed. Also, 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon would also be delicious in this, if you have some on hand.
1 banana
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup milk (I use vanilla soy milk)
1-2 tablespoons agave nectar (optional)
2 tablespoons ground flax
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cardamom
2 pinches cloves
1/8 teaspoon salt
Optional Toppings:
1/4 cup milk (I use vanilla soy milk)
raisins or other dried fruit
almonds, walnuts, or pecans
maple syrup, agave nectar or honey
- Preheat the oven to 380 degrees fahrenheit.
- In an oven-safe bowl, smash the banana using a fork until it is smooth. Stir in the remaining ingredients.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes, or until it is cool enough to eat.
- Add desired toppings and enjoy!
Nutritional facts per serving: 240 calories; 9g fat; 0mg cholesterol; 308mg sodium; 78g carbs; 12g protein.
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Labels: Bananas, ginger cookies, giveaway, Oats
