I hope your Fall is off to a great start! October has long been my favorite month of the year. It kicks off with my birthday on the 1st and then almost always beholds a mix of weather that gradually leads us from the excitement of summer and into the coziness of fall. Oversized sweaters, apple cider, and ALL the coffee make the looming doom of winter a little easier to ignore. This recipe is the very definition of cozy. I'd call it a warm hug for your stomach if I said stuff like that. But I don't say stuff like that so we'll just call it amazing and you'll just go make it and see what I mean. Things are pretty hectic for us during the fall so I like to keep breakfast quick and versatile so I can keep my morning routine moving. This recipe is best prepared on a Sunday afternoon (with a hot cup of coffee) and then stored in the refrigerator to eat off of during the weekdays. In the summer we tend to pour almond milk over the oatmeal squares and eat it cold out of the refrigerator, but on cooler days I take a second to heat it up and enjoy it that way.
Toasted Coconut + Almond Berry Baked Oatmeal
2 cups whole rolled oats
½ cup hemp seeds
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
⅔ cup coconut flakes, toasted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¾ teaspoon sea salt
1 egg
¾ cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1 banana, chopped
1 cup strawberries, sliced
1 cup blueberries
Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray an 8x4-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Place the coconut and almonds on a baking sheet and cook for 5 minutes or until golden. When done reserve 2 tablespoons of the almonds and coconut flakes and set aside.
In a large bowl combine the oats, the remaining almonds, hemp seeds and coconut flakes, and the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
In a medium bowl, combine the almond milk, egg, maple syrup and coconut oil and whisk to combine.
Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir to combine.
Layer the bananas and strawberries in the baking dish and spread the oat mixture on top. Sprinkle with the blueberries and the reserved toasted almonds and coconut flakes.
Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the top is crisp and the middle is set. Remove and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Adapted slightly from Love and Lemons