Baked Oatmeal with Blueberries and Bananas

I thought I'd take a break from all of the sweet treats to share a simple breakfast idea with you. 

 

I love oatmeal.  This has not always been the case.  I used to be an oatmeal hater.  I forced myself to suck it down during my first job in Chicago, when the easiest thing to do was grab a pack of the Quaker instant (super sweet) stuff on my way out the door -- maple and brown sugar was my go-to. 

 

Then I discovered overnight oats.  Yogurt, almond milk, rolled oats and naturally sweetened with bananas or berries -- my new go-to!  However, on the weekends, baking is my preferred prep method.  The banana bread baked oatmeal still takes the cake but I love the addition of berries in Gina's version!  If you're feeding a larger group, follow her recipe for baking the oatmeal in a larger pan.        

Baked Oatmeal with Blueberries and Bananas
Source:  adapted from Gina's Skinny Recipes
Yields:  3 servings 

Ingredients
1 medium ripe bananas, sliced into 1/2" pieces
3/4 cup blueberries
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup uncooked quick oats
2 Tablespoons chopped walnuts
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/2 cup vanilla almond milk, unsweetened (or any milk you desire)
1 egg white
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375° F.  Lightly spray three (3) ramekins with cooking spray.  Place ramekins on baking sheet for easy transfer to and from oven; set aside.

Arrange the banana slices in a single layer on the bottom of each ramekin. Sprinkle half of the blueberries over the bananas, 1/4 teaspoon of the cinnamon, 1/2 tablespoon of the maple syrup and cover with foil.  Bake 15 minutes, until the bananas get soft.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the oats, 1 tablespoon of walnuts, baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt; stir together.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the remaining maple syrup, almond milk, egg white and vanilla extract.

Remove the bananas from the oven, then pour the oat mixture over the bananas and blueberries.

Pour the milk mixture over the oats, making sure to distribute the mixture as evenly as possible over the oats.  Sprinkle the remaining blueberries and walnuts over the the top.

Bake the oatmeal for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the oatmeal has set. Serve warm from the oven.