Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

I don’t know if you’ve noticed… but I have a thing for oatmeal. I eat it almost every morning for breakfast one way or another. Hot, stove top, steel cut oats topped with fruit and nut butter in the cold winter months, and more oat muffins and baked oatmeal in the warmer months when I can eat them cold or at room temperature topped with yogurt, more berries (because, why not!), and a drizzle of honey.

I started making this baked oatmeal when baby Kate needed freezer friendly breakfast and snack options for daycare. I got the original recipe from The Recipe Rebel but added some ground flax and omitted the maple syrup. Experts advise no added sugars for babies under 12 months and little to no added sugars for babies 12-24 month old. I found that I didn’t miss the added sugar when I drizzled a little honey on top when serving it for myself!

For Kate, I usually pinch off little pieces and put a smidge of Greek yogurt on top of each piece. That can get a little tedious so when we’re in a hurry I’ll just serve it with a homemade yogurt pouch (which is just a reusable pouch filled with a mixture of whole milk Greek yogurt and some fruit I mash up - bananas, berries… whatever we have.). She loves it (blueberries are her favorite!) and I love it too. A true “mommy and me” breakfast!

When I freeze this oatmeal bake, I cut it into squares and lay them flat on a parchment lined baking sheet. I stick the baking sheet in the freezer and once they’re frozen, I take them off the baking sheet and put them in a freezer zip-lock bag. If I skip freezing them on the baking sheet, they’ll likely stick together in a huge oatmeal brick and I won’t be able to pull them apart on a busy school morning to reheat. When I need to reheat one I wrap it up in a slightly damp paper towel and pop it in the microwave for about 30 seconds and - tada! - its as good as it was right out of the oven! A freezer full of these little oatmeal bake bars are a lifesaver.

I hope you enjoy!

Yield: 6-8

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Blueberry Baked Oatmeal

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min

Prep breakfast ahead of time with this easy baked oatmeal. Make it a delicious and balanced meal by serving with Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey. It's also a hearty snack when smeared with some almond butter and polished off with a glass of milk.

Ingredients

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 teaspoon salt (omit for babies)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 overripe banana, mashed
• 2 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup blueberries (or another fruit - peaches, apples, strawberries, etc.)
• Optional: other mix-in's like flaked coconut, slivered almonds, walnuts, etc.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a pan with cooking spray. Pan sizes can vary, and 8x8 will give you a thicker oatmeal bake, and a 9x9 will be slightly thinner.
3. In a large bowl stir the dry ingredients together with a whisk until combined (the oats through the baking powder).
4. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, stir the wet ingredients together with a whisk until combined (the banana through the egg).
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir a few times. Then add the blueberries and other mix-ins (if you choose) and mix until fully combined.
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are set and and golden brown.
7. Allow to cool slightly before serving. Can be served warm or room temperature.

Notes

This baked oatmeal doesn't contain any added sugar (honey, maple syrup, granulated sugar, etc.). I find it's perfectly sweet when I eat it with Greek yogurt and drizzle everything with a little honey. If you'd like to add more sweetness the original recipe from The Recipe Rebel calls for 1/3 cup maple syrup.