In my opinion, there is just no better combination than peanut butter and banana. Whoever came up with that idea was a pure genius, and I wonder if he or she knew just how popular the combination would end up being? Peanut butter (or any nut butter) plus banana happens to be one of my all-time favorite oatmeal flavors to make, but this time, I decided to step it up a notch and make it into a baked oatmeal dish. Don’t get me wrong – I love a nice big bowl of regular, microwaved oatmeal, but this baked version is also great. Here’s why: first, it makes enough so that you’ll have leftovers for the week that can easily be reheated for a quick and delicious breakfast. Or, you can even cut a slice off of this and eat it cold for a little snack, almost like a granola bar. Secondly, the sweetness from the banana and maple syrup make it taste almost like a dessert, and who doesn’t love dessert for breakfast?! And lastly, it’s loaded with all kinds of nutrients that make it an excellent way to start your day.
To make this dish, I used a few special ingredients that I like to keep on hand, but don’t let that scare you away from making this. If you don’t have all of those ingredients on hand, then no problem at all – I’ve provided you with ingredients substitutions you can make (all are very common, every-day ingredients).
The first special ingredient I used in this recipe was the 4-grain blend from a company called The Soulfull Project, which is just a mixture of whole grain rye, whole oats, barley, and red quinoa. That’s it! There are no sweeteners or any artificial ingredients, making this a product I like to use in place of regular oats because it contains multiple grains for extra texture and nutrients. However, if you don’t have any of this on hand, no worries – simply just use regular old-fashioned oats, and maybe add some extra flaxseed meal or chia seeds, if you happen to have them.
The next special ingredient I used was SunButter, which is exactly like peanut butter but made with ground up sunflower seeds, instead. Personally, I love the taste of SunButter and use it in a ton of my recipes, but any nut or seed butter would work in this recipe (peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter, tahini, etc.).
Next up, let’s talk about the liquid I used. I’ve honestly never liked regular milk, so for the past 7 years, I’ve been drinking unsweetened almond milk. And guess what? I love it and don’t miss regular milk at all. Most recipes I make use almond milk, however for this baked oatmeal, I decided to switch it up and add some kefir for some extra nutrients.
So what is kefir, you may ask? In simplest terms, kefir is basically a fermented drink that is thicker than milk but slightly thinner than yogurt. It is made by adding a combination of bacteria and yeasts to the milk that then interact with it to make the milk slightly fermented. What you end up with is a thick and creamy beverage that is cultured or fermented, making it rich in probiotics. (Probiotics are GOOD bacteria that live in your body and help relieve gastrointestinal issues, digestion, and so on). Kefir is also a great source of protein, and it’s 99% lactose-free. So if you’re someone who suffers from milk intolerance, then kefir might be a great option for you! However, just to be safe, there are also versions of kefir made from coconut water, so I would suggest a plant-based kefir if you’re someone who suffers from milk allergies or lactose intolerance.
Not only does adding kefir to this baked oatmeal give it extra protein and probiotics, but it also added some extra flavor and sweetness, all without being too sweet. The only flavor I had in my fridge was strawberry banana, so that’s what I added (since it fit with the banana theme!) However, there are tons of different flavor options out there, so feel free to use a vanilla or whatever flavor you’d like!
When everything is all mixed up, pour it into the dish and then top it with sliced bananas. Or, if you’d prefer, you can save the banana and just slice them fresh over each individual slice of oatmeal. After that, it’s into the oven it goes!
Mine didn’t take long at all to bake, and before I knew it, it was time to remove it from the oven. It looked and smelled SO good, and I couldn’t wait to dive right in.
As soon as I cut into the oatmeal, I noticed that it was very thick and dense, likely due to the kefir instead of milk. However, I wasn’t complaining! Personally, I like my oatmeal nice and thick, so this bake definitely lived up to my high standards.
However, if you don’t like your oatmeal as thick, you can use almond milk (or any milk) instead of kefir, or you can also increase the amount of milk you add to the recipe.
So now comes the million dollar question that I know y’all are all wondering: how does it taste? Well I may be a little biased since I made it, however I think the flavors are truly right on-point. You get the perfect amount of sweetness from the banana, and the sunflower butter provides a nice saltiness that compliments it nicely.
As far as the grains go, you can’t taste a difference by using this grain blend from The Soulfull Project. For all I could tell, I thought I was eating plain old oats as opposed to this blend of 4 different grains! I’ll definitely be incorporating it more into my future breakfasts, and I’m also looking forward to baking some desserts with it, as well!
Peanut Butter Banana Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 2 large bananas mashed
- ¼ cup peanut butter can also use almond butter, sunflower butter, or cashew butter
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp. vanilla
- 1 TBSP maple syrup or honey
- 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
- ¾ cup vanilla kefir or an additional ¾ cup almond milk
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 TBSP chia seeds
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
- Optional toppings: 1 sliced banana or ¼ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a large casserole dish or a 9×9″ glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Combine the nut butter, mashed banana, egg, vanilla, and maple syrup. When well-mixed, add the almond milk and kefir/additional almond milk.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix well.
- Pour batter into greased baking dish and top with sliced banana or chopped nuts, if desired.
- Bake uncovered for 25-35 minutes, or until center is set and top is slightly browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.
- Top with yogurt, fruit, peanut butter, or maple syrup.
