Saturday, October 29, 2011

Baked Oatmeal

I cannot believe it is actually snowing outside! And not just snowing, but the snow is sticking. It's kinda early in the year for this to be happening...














Feeling inspired by the freak snowfall, I decided to make Heidi Swanson's Baked Oatmeal (it'll be breakfast tomorrow). Who am I kidding, it'll make a great light snack tonight. 

I have been wanting to try out this recipe for months (!). I had seen it on multiple blogs this past spring--it was the recipe that everyone was talking about when Swanson's cookbook Super Natural Every Day pubbed. A friend made the oatmeal right around that time and recommended it, but I never got around to trying out the recipe while it was still cool out.

I would have forgotten all about this oatmeal, except that I asked my mom for Super Natural Every Day for my birthday. 



I love this cookbook (thanks mom!). It totally lives up to its name--the recipes are approachable (read easy for weeknight cooking), healthy, and tasty. Ben and I have already made several of her recipes and haven't been disappointed, so I was excited to finally try out this one. Honestly, I knew it would live up to my expectations, but I didn't expect for it to exceed them.

It's the right combination of good foods and just might be my new go to breakfast.

   
 

 

 
[adapted from Super Natural Every Day]

Ingredients

  • 2 cups/7 oz/200 g rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup/2 oz/60 g walnut pieces, toasted and chopped
  • 1/3 cup/2 oz/60 g natural cane sugar or maple syrup, plus more for serving
  • 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • Scant 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
  • 2 cups/475 ml milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 ripe bananas, cut into 1/2-inch/1 cm pieces
  • 1 1/2 cups/6.5 oz/185 g huckleberries, blueberries, or mixed berries
Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C with a rack in the top third of the oven. Generously butter the inside of an 8-inch/20cm square baking dish.
In a bowl, mix together the oats, half the walnuts, the sugar, if using, the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
In another bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, if using, 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 countertop to make sure the milk moves through the oats. Scatter the remaining berries and remaining walnuts 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. Drizzle the remaining melted butter on the top and serve. Sprinkle with a bit more sugar or drizzle with maple syrup if you want it a bit sweeter.