Peanut Butter Protein Steel Cut Baked Oatmeal

As much as I love smoothies in the summer months, some mornings just call for a hot breakfast.

I have made many versions of baked oatmeal, but this steel cut version is by far my favorite of the bunch. The fact that I’ve made this recipe into an overnight version makes it possible to have a “lazy day” breakfast on a busy morning. Just pop the oatmeal in the oven, go shower and get ready for the day, and 35 minutes later…walah, breakfast is served!

Hope you like this oatmeal as much as we do.

PB Protein Steel Cut Baked Oatmeal

Dry:
1 1/2 cups steel cut oats
1 scoop protein powder *optional (I used vanilla pea protein)
2 tsp. cinnamon
dash sea salt

Wet:
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup lowfat milk (can use whatever milk you’d like) + 1/4 cup later
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 flax eggs (2Tbsp ground flax+6 Tbsp. water…let sit 10 min.)
1 small banana, sliced thin

First, you’ll want to mix the oats, protein powder, cinnamon and salt together in a medium size bowl.

Next add all wet ingredients, and stir until mixed well.

Grease a 8×8 baking dish with coconut oil, or whatever you like best to prepare your pans for baking. Slice the banana and lay the slices on the bottom of the dish in an even layer. If you would rather you can just mix them into the batter as well.
Pour the oat batter over top of the banana slices and spread evenly. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge overnight.

In the morning, preheat your oven to 375 degrees. When you take your oatmeal out of the fridge it will be quite thick. Add 1/4 cup more milk to the oatmeal, just pour the milk over the top. Take a spoon and slowly stir in the milk, making sure you don’t upset your banana slices at the bottom.
Bake at 375 for about 33-35 minutes, until the middle is set. Let cool a few minutes before slicing.

Serve your steaming squares of baked oatmeal with fresh homemade plain yogurt, and a drizzle of pure maple syrup or raw honey. If, you like you can also top with dried fruit.

Other ideas**
This oatmeal would be fabulous with dried fruit mixed in – apricots, raisins, cranberries, blueberries, etc.
If you want you can also mash 2 bananas and mix in with the batter. If you do this omit the applesauce.
As always you can substitute two farm fresh eggs for the flax eggs.

Nutrition Stats**
Per piece  – 242 calories, 10g fat, 10g protein, 6g sugar

Questions:

What is your favorite hot breakfast? What is your favorite fruit in oatmeal?
When I make hot oatmeal on the stove I love it with apples and raisins. I also love a good bowl of pumpkin pie oatmeal.

~ Liesl