Vegan Baked Oatmeal

Baked Oatmeal is a sweet treat for the morning or for an afternoon snack. It’s easy to make, uses just a few ingredients, and is pretty flexible with adaptations. I like to make at night (while I’m preparing dinner), because it tastes best after it has had a chance to rest overnight in the fridge.

I like to make my baked oatmeal with a mix of berries, like strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries. I find that frozen berries do the best, since they get really saucy when baked. You can also use chopped bananas, peaches, apples, and anything else that sounds good.

The recipe below makes a full 8-inch x 8-inch baking pan, but I like to make half batches in my small Pyrex dishes. I use half the ingredients and take the oatmeal of the oven a few minutes earlier. Either way, cover and chill once baked, then slice into squares for serving. You can enjoy cold, or you can warm in the microwave or toast in the toaster oven. Top with yogurt, extra fruit, or coconut cream for some breakfast decadence.

Vegan Baked Oatmeal

1 (10-ounce) package frozen berries (or one heaping cup chopped fruit)
2½ cups rolled oats
½ cup ground, toasted nuts or seeds (or almond/hazelnut flour)
3 Tablespoons chia seeds
1 teaspoon baking powder
1¼ cups plant milk of choice
¼ cup maple syrup or agave
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Layer berries on bottom of an 8×8 baking dish pan and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, almonds/almond flour, chia seeds, and baking powder.
3. In another bowl combine almond milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir the liquid mixture into oat mixture, then smooth onto top of berries in baking dish.
4. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until center of oatmeal has set and top is slightly browned. Tastes great warm, but also makes excellent leftovers.

Yield: 3-4 servings

Enjoy the oatmeal!

 Andrea