Baked Blueberry Oatmeal

Oatmeal will always be one of my all-time favorite breakfasts! It's super filling, customizable and inexpensive.

For those who see oatmeal and a bland, mushy pile of sadness, this recipe is for you. Packed with juicy blueberries, crunchy nuts and toasted oats and cinnamon, this oatmeal with exceed all of your previous oatmeal experiences. It's sweet and filling and nourishing. I could eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner without apology.  

This baked oatmeal is perfect for group breakfast or brunches, or when you want to prep a week's worth of breakfast all in one go. 

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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients: 

• ⅔ cup roughly chopped pecans or nuts of choice, roasted (85g) 
• 2 cups rolled oats (160g) 
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• A pinch of salt  
• 1 ¾ cups plant milk (store bought or homemade)  
• ⅓ cup maple syrup or agave
• 2 tbsp. ground flax seed + 5 tbsp. hot water* 
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 12 ounces or 1 pint fresh or frozen blueberries (or 2 ½ cups of your preferred berry/fruit)  
• Optional toppings for serving: plant yogurt or whipped coconut cream, additional maple syrup or honey for drizzling, and/or additional fresh fruit.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare the flax egg by mixing the ground flax seed and water and setting aside until thickened, around 5 minutes. If your nuts are not roasted, toast them in a sauce pan over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly. 

2. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the rolled oats, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Mix to combine.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the plant milk, maple syrup, flax egg and vanilla. 

4. Evenly distribute two cups of blueberries to a 9x9 baking dish, reserving the other ½ cup for topping. Evenly pour the dry oat mixture over top over of the blueberries.

5. Drizzle the liquid mixture over the oats and berries. Give the dish a few taps to settle the ingredients and remove any excess air. Top with reserved ½ cup of berries. 

6. Bake for 45 minutes, until top is golden in color. Serve warm or chilled – it's delicious both ways! 

Tips and Tricks:

*This is called a "flax egg." This acts to bind ingredients in the way an egg would, but it's vegan! This is a common ingredient in many vegan baking recipes. After the flax egg sets, it will be thick and gelatinous, like a whisked egg.