Make Ahead Breakfast: Blueberry & Banana Baked Oatmeal (vegan, gluten-free)
Does anyone else love the pairing of blueberry and banana? Baked into whole grain oats it makes for a perfect breakfast combo. You'll start by blending a creamy banana batter by combining dates, non-dairy milk, banana, cashews, vanilla, and hemp protein powder. You won't have to add any additional sweeteners as the dates and banana both add enough natural sweetness. Whole food sweeteners are really the best, as they have nutrients and fiber still attached and refined sweeteners (like white sugar) don't.
When blueberries are in peak season during the summer months (at least here in Chicago!), grab fresh blueberries from your grocer or farmer's market! During the winter months when berries are out of season, I typically purchase frozen organic blueberries. I find it's more cost effective to purchase berries this way. I love being able to utilize frozen berries in the winter, but there is nothing like the abundance of sweet, delicious, fresh blueberries from a local Midwest farmer's market. Right?!
Banana Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40
8 slices
Ingredients:
1 ½ cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (like almond, hemp, rice, coconut)
2 Tablespoons hemp protein powdr (or another unsweetened plant-based protein powder)
2 Tablespoons ground flax
2 Tablespoons raw cashews
2/3 cup pitted dates
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 small banana
2 ½ cups rolled oats (certified gluten-free if necessary)
½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 375.
In a high-powered blender (like a blendtec or vitamix), add the first 7 ingredients. This will be everything except oats and blueberries. **If you don’t have a high powered blender, read below for modifications.
Blend on high until smooth, like batter.
Pour batter into a medium bowl. Stir in oats until combined.
Pour into a spring-form pan or an 8x8 baking dish.
Sprinkle blueberries all over the top, and lightly push them down.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool and slice.
**High powered blenders are awesome for grinding up nuts and dense foods. If you don’t have a high powered blender, you’ll want to follow a few easy steps to help ensure your batter is smooth.
Soak the cashews overnight in water. Drain, rinse and follow the remaining instructions as above.
If your dates are not soft, quick soak them for 30 minutes in water. Drain, rinse and follow the remaining instructions as above.
