When I was really young, my mom used to make me those Quaker Dinosaur Eggs Instant Oatmeal packets, which later turned into the Maple and Brown Sugar instant oatmeal packets, which later turned into plain old-fashioned oats with tons of toppings. Once I got to the point where I started making regular rolled oats and then adding my own toppings, I realized that I absolutely loved oatmeal. I didn’t think my love for it could grow any stronger, that is, until I discovered the wonderful world of baked oatmeal.
I’m sad to say this, but it took me 23 long years to appreciate how good baked oats are. Now that I’ve discovered them, there’s absolutely no turning back… I’m totally hooked. I don’t know what it sabot them, but there’s just something about those baked oats that make it so much more comforting and enjoyable for me to eat. They’re especially great on a cold fall or winter morning when you need to warm yourself up and give yourself lots of energy to get through the day. Plus, the egg that you use in the recipe adds a ton of extra protein to help fill you up and keep your muscles strong, and you don’t even taste it at all!
There are tons of different baked oatmeal recipes that I’ve been experimenting with, and I can honestly say that I like them all. I’m truly not picky when it comes to oatmeal – I could eat a plain bowl if you sat it in front of me! However, I will say that these chocolate banana baked oats are much better than a plain Jane bowl of microwaved oats. Don’t believe me? Try it out for yourself!
In my opinion, the best part of oatmeal is adding all of the toppings. Since oats are a complex carbohydrate, I like to make sure I get a good balance of proteins and fats in there as well, so I love topping my oatmeal with chia seeds, flax seeds, nut butters, and things similar to that. Since these chocolate banana oats were baked with chia seeds, flax seeds, and an egg, I decided to just top this bowl with blueberries, chocolate tahini spread (from Soom) and chocolate granola (because there’s no such thing as too much chocolate, right?)
Of all the granolas I have tried (and I have tried a LOT), Jessica’s Natural Foods is hands-down my favorite. They never use any artificial ingredients or sweeteners, and oh my gosh, you should see the size of those granola clusters! They’re nice and chunky, making them perfect for snacking straight from the bag! Or adding them to your oatmeal, which is my next favorite way to enjoy the granola. Plus, the company is local to me, and I love supporting local businesses as much as I can.
The one and only downfall of baked oats is that it can take a while to make, so if you’re getting hangry and don’t want to wait, I don’t recommend baked oats. Personally, I always use my toaster oven because it heats up quicker and saves me the hassle of turning on the oven for something so small. However, they still take around 20-30 minutes to bake, so if you have time to wait, I highly recommend them.
- ⅔ cup old-fashioned oats
- 1 - 2 TBSP cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
- ⅔ cup almond milk (or sometimes I use coffee)
- 1 egg white
- ½ ripe banana, mashed
- 1 TBSP chia seeds
- 2 tsp. flax seeds
- Cinnamon
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray a small baking dish or ramekin with non-stick cooking spray.
- Mix all ingredients and pour into the dish.
- Bake at 400 for 20-30 minutes, or until set
