Baked Breakfast

I’ve been exploring the idea of making healthy breakfasts ahead of time by making a big batch of [insert breakfast food here] and reheating it throughout the week. Sometimes cold cereal just doesn’t cut it. Who doesn’t like a warm breakfast in the morning?

Usually a baked breakfast casserole will have egg, potato, veggies, and meat (either ham, sausage, or cooked bacon). Athough this combination in baked form is quite tasty, I am not fond of reheating cooked egg. Instead I have discovered that baked oatmeal that is not only very delicious, but filling and healthy. Oats, milk, fruit - simple to make, good for storing, yummy for eating. Adapting a recipe from the book Super Natural Every Day:

Baked Berry and Peach Oatmeal

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of Quaker Old-Fashioned rolled oats (not instant or quick oats)
• 1 cup of almond slivers
• 1/3 cup of sugar
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1 1/2 tsp of cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp of nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp of ground ginger
• 2 tsp of fresh lemon zest
• 2 1/2 cups of milk (vanilla soy milk can be used too)
• 1 egg
• 2 tbs. of unsalted butter, melted + extra for greasing pan
• 2 tsp of pure vanilla extract
• 2 large ripe peaches, peeled and sliced into wedges
• 2 cups of fresh mixed berries
• Maple syrup (optional)

Culinary Dance Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Generously grease a 9” baking dish with butter.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together the oats, half the almonds, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. (You can also mix this ahead of time in a ziploc bag and store.)
4. In another large bowl, mix together the egg and melted butter. Then add milk, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
5. Line the greased baking dish with sliced peaches.
6. Spoon 2/3rds of the fresh berries evenly over the peaches.
7. Pour all of the dry oat mixture on top of berries. Make sure the dry oats and spices are thoroughly mixed before pouring, or else you’ll end up with uneven flavor.
8. SLOWLY pour milk mixture over the oats, and firmly tap the bottom of baking dish against the counter to loosen air bubbles and let the milk fill in all the space between the oats.
9. Gently pat the wet oat mix on top with a spatula to make sure all the oats are somewhat submerged in the milk. The oats shouldn’t be swimming in milk.
10. Spread the remaining berries and almonds over the top.
11. Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the mixture has set and the top is a nice golden brown.
12. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
13. Drizzle with a little maple syrup before eating.