My Kind of Breakfast

I have this thing for oatmeal.
A really big thing.
A 'to the ends of the earth and beyond' kind of thing.

I put oats in nearly anything, and if I could have oatmeal for breakfast every day (ie. if I wasn't so lazy or busy most mornings) then I probably would. It's one of those things I just don't see myself tiring off. Like chocolate or peanut butter... or chocolate and peanut butter.

It's been months since I've made any baked oatmeal. Oh, how I've missed it! There is just something so comforting about a bowl of warm oatmeal. In its baked form, oatmeal becomes a special treat—something different.

The following is a recipe I've changed quite a bit, and one I change every time I make it. I don't even remember the source anymore. I'm always switching it up, between the type of fat (you could even sub in apple sauce if you want), sweetener, and nuts and fruits used. Alter it depending on what is in season or simply by what is in your kitchen.

Baked Oatmeal

1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup maple syrup (or liquid sweetener of your choice)
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp ground ginger
Generous pinch of salt
1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk
1 flax egg (or 1/4 cup fruit puree)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ripe banana, sliced into rounds
3/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen, divided

Preheat over to 375 degrees. Spray a casserole dish and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix together oats, walnuts, baking powder, ginger and salt. In another bowl, stir together maple syrup, milk, flax 'egg', oil and vanilla.

In the casserole, place banana slices in a single layer; sprinkle over 1/2 cup of the blueberries. Evenly cover the fruits with the oat mixture, then pour over the milk mixture. Sprinkle remaining blueberries on top.

Bake 30-35 minutes, or until golden and mixture has set. Allow oatmeal to sit 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve warm. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge up to a few days.

Serves 4