How To Make Baked Oatmeal with Blueberries and Bananas

Learn how to make baked oatmeal…the best comfort food breakfast recipe! It’s easy to make, customizable with different fruits and nuts, and versatile enough for grab-and-go!

I created this recipe for the dairy farm families of New England as part of an ongoing partnership. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the organizations and brands that make A Dish of Daily Life possible!

The weather here in the Northeast has been strange this year. We basically went from winter to summer without much of a spring, and now it seems we are transitioning the same way again. So far it hasn’t been much of a fall.

We went right into comfort food weather.

I’m not really much of a breakfast person…you’ll catch me eating leftover dinner more often than not. I don’t really like pancakes or waffles or cereal that much. It’s not that I actively dislike any of them, but I don’t order them out or make them at home.  I do like my eggs though (try my Spinach Quiche with Artichokes and Roasted Red Peppers), and oatmeal is another favorite. Nothing is more comforting in the morning than a bowl of oatmeal, especially once the weather turns cold and rainy!

But oatmeal is more than just comfort food. The fiber in oatmeal helps lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar levels, as well as helping with intestinal health. It is also really good for you, packed with healthy minerals. And, oatmeal is filling, so it helps us to feel fuller, which in turn helps stop us from overeating.

I used both milk and Greek yogurt in making this baked oatmeal. Greek yogurt is packed with nutrients and it has almost double the protein of regular yogurt. If you’ve been a regular reader here, you know  that my family is fairly athletic. When you exercise, you’re breaking down muscle fibers. Protein helps repair those fibers…it’s a really important part of our diets.

HOW TO MAKE BAKED OATMEAL WITH BLUEBERRIES AND BANANAS

Baked oatmeal seems to be all the craze these days. If you haven’t tried it, you might be wondering what all the hooplah is about. After all, oatmeal is pretty easy to make.

But it is nice to change things up once in a while. Baked oatmeal has a different texture…it’s chewier and can work for grab-and-go too. Cook it the night before and then heat it up or eat it cold!

It’s easy to make as well. If it wasn’t, you KNOW I would not be making it. At this point in my life, I just don’t have much free time.

So let’s talk about how to make baked oatmeal. First things first…preheat your oven to 350 dregrees. While you’re waiting for the oven to heat, grease a 9 x 13 glass baking dish.

In a bowl, combine the oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and sliced almonds.

In a separate bowl, melt your butter in the microwave, then add the milk, Greek yogurt, mashed banana, egg, vanilla and maple syrup. Whisk together until combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Then fold the blueberries into the mixture.

Pour the mixture into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with another couple tablespoons of the sliced almonds and a tablespoon of brown sugar. The picture below is BEFORE I added the extra almonds and brown sugar.

Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the oatmeal browns on top.

Let it cool for 10-15 minutes or so and serve it warm with a dollop of Greek yogurt on the top and more blueberries and sliced bananas! It’s delicious! But as I mentioned, you can also refrigerate it and slice it up for cold grab-and-go meals.

If you are planning meals for the week, it’s great to make ahead and reheat in the morning!

TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BAKED OATMEAL

-Old fashioned or quick oats? It depends on what kind of texture you like. Old fashioned oats have a heartier texture. Quick cooking oats have been cut into smaller pieces during processing, and they have a more delicate texture. Try it both ways and see what you like better. You could even try a mix. I personally prefer the old fashioned. I’m not sure how the cook time will vary for quick cooking oats, but just keep an eye on it when it’s in the oven and check it more often.

-Wondering whether to use fresh or frozen berries? This guide on how to use frozen fruit in your pies, bars or muffins may be helpful. I generally use frozen blueberries when I’m baking because I always have them on hand. Don’t thaw them though, or you’re liable to have a soggy blue mess.

-If blue batter like you saw in my picture above really bothers you, stop mixing as soon as you start to see blue. This tip is probably more important for muffins or cakes where you could end up with a completely blue baked good at the end. Honestly, it doesn’t make much of a difference for the oatmeal.

-Substitute whatever fruits or nuts you would like. I love the blueberry-banana-almond combination, but feel free to play around with other fruit combinations and nuts. Here are a few combinations that you might consider trying: dried cranberries and pecans, pears and walnuts or almonds, or even a multi-berry combination (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries).

HOW LONG WILL BAKED OATMEAL LAST

Your baked oatmeal should keep for several days in the refrigerator. You can freeze the squares as well.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Learn how to make baked oatmeal…the best comfort food breakfast recipe! Easy, healthy, and customizable with different fruits and nuts! Perfect for grab-and-go too! Variation ideas and cooking tips included!” quote=”Learn how to make baked oatmeal…the best comfort food breakfast recipe! Easy, healthy, and customizable with different fruits and nuts! Perfect for grab-and-go too! Variation ideas and cooking tips included!”]

Before I share with you how to make baked oatmeal, I want to give a shout out to the New England Dairy & Food Council and Must Be The Milk.   It’s a pleasure to be working with them again this year, sharing information on the dairy farm families of New England as well as health and wellness topics. Their websites are a wonderful source of information…definitely check them out!

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY THESE RECIPES

Here are a few of the other recipes I have created for them over the past couple of years:

• Southwestern Clam Chowder
• Zucchini Corn Salad
• Feta Dill Dip
• Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad with Grapes
• Creamy Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas
• Spinach Quiche with Artichokes and Roasted Red Peppers

Let’s start baking!

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