We have just come from two back to back typhoons. One being worse than the other, although both very bad for those in their ferocious paths. Here in my corner the city, rains pounded the pavement outside my window and obscured my view of the buildings further away. The water was coming down at a crazy slant and the wind was a thing unleashed, whipping what little trees we have in a wild frenzy.
But I was just side-swiped by these typhoons’ tails and trains, sitting dry in my flat and watching the world get soaked from outside my window. The worst of it are those who are hit head on…that means floods, landslides, and all manner of misfortune related to these. And when one storm follows another, even a weaker storm, it means that the floods don’t have time to abate before being stirred up again. Not good.
What is good though is how quickly everyone comes together for drives to help those affected by these natural calamities. It is heartening to know, despite what cynics may say, that people still help each other out, that simple kindness is not going out of style, and that we humans really do care something for each other.
On rainy mornings I take comfort in that. And in this.
Baked Oatmeal
(slightly adapted from Baked Oatmeal in Super Natural Every Day by Heidi Swanson)
- 2 cups oats
- 1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
- 1/3 cup dark muscovado sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 scant teaspoon cinnamon
- Scant 1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 2 cups milk
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 ripe bananas, sliced into about 1 cm pieces
- 1 1/2 cup blueberries
– Mix together oats, half the walnuts, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together the milk, egg, half the butter, and vanilla.
– Arrange the banana slices on the bottom of a well-buttered 8-inch square baking dish. Sprinkle 2/3 for the blueberries on top. Pour the oat mixture evenly over the fruit and pour the milk carefully over that. Make sure the oats are evenly coated in and around by the milk. Shake the dish a bit and gently tap on the counter to make sure the milk has reached through all the oats. Top with the remaining blueberries and walnuts.
– Bake in a pre-heated 375F oven for 35-45 minutes or until set and golden brown. When done, remove from the oven and let this cool for a bit. Brush with the remaining melted butter and serve. If you want it a bit sweeter you can add a bit more sugar, maple syrup, or honey to your serving.
This is another wonderful recipe from Heidi Swanson’s Super Natural Every Day. Let me tell you, I am simply enamored of this book. It is just bursting at the seams with good things. This particular good thing is heaven warm out of the oven on a gloomy rain-drenched morning, especially if you have mountain of work to get through. It is filling and fortifying and delicious to boot. Also, it will easily keep you full until lunch. I have to add that while this is lovely served fresh and warm, I also love it straight from the fridge the next day. Cold and stodgy (in a good way!), and creamy in a way it can only get when chilled. And for a morning when I need extra fortification I’ll top a slice with a dollop of Greek yogurt, a sprinkling of homemade granola, and a drizzle of honey. The granola may seem redundant but it actually provides a fantastic contrast of textures.
The weather is better now, albeit a bit moody – you have sunny mornings that are washed away by rainy afternoons or vice versa. No matter what the weather though, I am grateful for life’s silver linings. Whether it be lending a hand (and doing some spring cleaning while at it) or burying my spoon into this 🙂
OMG!!! can I just order this from you?!?!! :))) looks so good I can almost smell the yummy aroma of this baked dish….lovely breakfast!
That looks devilishly scrumptious! I love oatmeal. A breakfast fir for a king.
Cheers,
Rosa
This is just the dish for those dreary days when the sun refuses to come out of hiding. We were also rather insulated from the ravages of Pedring and Quiel – my first experience since childhood of baguios. It's amazing to see such resilience for those who lost their homes but not their spirits!
Joey this is a great recipe. I have never heard of baked oatmeal.
I can't wait to try this with other fruits that I have around the house.
Scrumptious! So pleased you're O.K Joey from the wild weather. The human spirit is alive and well, but unfortunately most goes unreported compared to the nasty stuff.
Hi MF! Haha! This is really easy and you can change the fruit topping to suit what you have 🙂 I think it would make a nice weekend family breakfast 🙂
Hi Rosa! It really was!
Hi Tracey! Yes, days like today hehe 🙂 So true about the resilience…amazing and inspiring!
Hi Barbara! It's great! A wonderful new way to enjoy oatmeal…plus no stirring or standing over a pot 🙂
Hi Mieke! I am going to try this next time with local fruits 🙂
Hi Bron! So true! Thanks and hugs!
That's some crazy weather! This dish sounds perfect for a rainy day – very comforting.
I'm definitely passing this recipe along to Anthony, who eats oatmeal EVERY morning! The fact that its baked gives it an interesting twist.
Also, allow me to join you in appreciating life's silver linings. It's a healthy practice, as you said, just like having oatmeal. Great post! 🙂
This look really good.
Thinking Out Loud
i've never had baked oatmeal before but it's a dish i already know i would love…
Oh my Jo! You've changed the way I see oatmeal breakfasts! This looks divine!
I am so making this for next weekend breakfast!
Big oatmeal lover here… this looks fantastic! Never thought to bake oatmeal outside of a cookie, come to think of it. Thanks for sharing this wonderful idea.
Hi Joey,
I love it!
BTW, where do you get your greek yoghurt from?
Great breakfast idea!We're starting to see the beginnings of what looks to be a long winter and I will definitely keep this dish in mind for those stormy days
Hi Divya! The weather has definitely been a bit bananas…it’s good to have this to cozy up to 🙂
Hi Arlu! I love oatmeal!! Anthony has such great taste 🙂 Silver lining appreciation is definitely a healthy practice, if not always easy 🙂
Thanks Lili!
Hi Lynn! If you like oatmeal you will love this…and no standing over the stovetop! 🙂
Hi Annabanana! Hope you give it a try…oatmeal breakfasts can be wonderful 🙂
Hi Anh! Hope you like it!
Hi Yasmeen! Heidi of 101 Cookbooks is full of great ideas…especially for grains and seeds and such 🙂 If you can bake a rice pudding or risotto, oatmeal should also be a good candidate methinks 🙂
Hi Sanju! From Rizal Dairy Farms – they have a stall in the Salcedo Market and in Market! Market! (near the rice stall in the market area). Sooo good! And local 🙂
Hi Giovanni! This would be great on a winter morning…although we don’t have any over here. We do have monsoon morning though!
I just started a food blog http://www.mamaandmefood.com and after looking over other blogs, I have fallen in love with yours! I also have fallen in love with this breakfast! It looks amazing!
This looks absolutely delish! Is it so wrong that I'm looking at this more as a dessert rather than a breakfast dish? I can imagine how fabulous it would be with a generous scoop – or two! – of old-fashioned vanilla ice cream!
Yay – I've made that one, too, and we all loved it, including our daughter. I can see it working with a number of different berries, especially wild ones 😉
Hi Rachele! Thanks for stopping by…glad you are enjoying my blog! 🙂
Hi Midge! Not at all…I think this would make a great dessert topped with vanilla ice cream…you could even replace the blueberries with find chunks of apple!
Hi Pille! I wish we had more berries here!! We do have a small wild blueberry-looking one from our mountain provinces that I am planning to use the next time we make this 🙂
This is definitely my kind of oatmeal and I have so many awesome ideas based on this recipe now. Thanks Joey!
Oh my goodness, this looks so good! I need to make it 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipe!!
Hi Meeta! It is really open to so many different possibilities 🙂 Can't wait to experiment with it more as well…
Hi Berni! I hope you like it! And thanks for stopping by 🙂
Curious if recipe calls for 1/3 cup or pound of muscovado sugar?
Curious if baked oatmeal recipe calls for 1/3 cup or pound of muscovado sugar? Planned on substituting brown sugar. Would love some input.
Hi happywithsix! It is 1/3 cup of muscovado…thanks for catching that! I have now updated the recipe. Yes, you should be able to substitute with regular brown sugar 🙂