Baked Oatmeal

I like oats made this way.  It is easy to put together into one baking dish, bake and then yum. I started on oats a few years ago when my cholesterol was a little high. The doctor suggested eating more oats. I still do it, even though they keep changing their minds about how high is too high and what will make a difference in how high it is. This recipe is vegetarian and adapted from one I saw on 101 Cookbooks. Her recipes are super.

It is fun to slice the grapefruit sections out. Here is how I do it. In the sink over a bowl, duh.

slicing grapefruit sections

We have a navel orange tree in the back yard. It is has great oranges, although it didn't produce as many as last year.

our oranges are so pretty

Ready for the oven, looks great. Won't be long before breakfast.

ready for the oven

I'm using citrus because that is what's in season right now. You can use other fruit, of course. I think strawberry and banana would be nice or maybe cranberry and apple (use some cinnamon if you do apples). I like to use a banana because they are sweet and you don't need as much sweetener.

Baked Oatmeal

3 T melted unsalted butter

2 bananas, cut into slices

1 grapefruit, segments

2 navel oranges, peeled, and sliced into cross-sections (you can use other oranges or even tangerine or mandarins would be fine)

2 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (Bob's Red Mill has a nice product. I like the coconut in it, it adds a nice chewy texture to the oats. But you can leave it out.)

1 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/4 cup maple syrup or light agave syrup (I've been using agave lately because it is cheaper than maple syrup and dissolves better than regular sugar. You can use regular sugar or brown sugar in the recipe instead, if that is what you have.)

1 cup soy milk (or milk of your choice)

1 cup water

1 large egg

2 t vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Use 1 tablespoon of the butter to oil the bottom of an 8 to 9 inch baking dish. Spread bananas across the bottom of the buttered baking dish, then spread the grapefruit on top.

Combine the oats, coconut, the baking powder, and salt (and sugar if using a dry sugar). In another bowl, whisk together the agave or maple syrup, if using, soy milk, water, egg, the remaining butter, and the vanilla. Sprinkle the dry mixture over the bananas and grapefruit. Gently pour the wet ingredients over the oats. Arrange the oranges across the top.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the top is golden and the oats are set. Let cool for a few minutes before diving in. This concoction has a tendency to stay warm. We add a bit more milk once we have it in our bowls and sweetener to taste.

Recently I made this again, left out the banana and grapefruit, used mandarin and blueberries on the bottom and topped it with a blood orange.