breakfast:

apple and blueberry baked oats

Published 29th June 2020

One of my new favourite breakfasts, when time allows, is baked oats. With some very fresh mornings this Winter, a nice warm breakfast really hits the spot. Porridge is a breakfast that always goes down a treat in our house, but it’s nice to have something a bit different, yet still have the same, if not more, nutritional properties as a hearty bowl of porridge.

It took me quite a while to be completely happy with this recipe as I was really wanting something that has a creaminess, almost like custard, which meant playing around with the ratio of oats to eggs/milk, but we got there. I would describe this dish as a mixture between porridge and bread and butter pudding, with a generous spice profile.

As far as a breakfast goes, this is a very nutritious option. Obviously, being made from rolled oats, it has all the nutritional benefits of a bowl of porridge – low GI carbohydrate and a good source of soluble fibre, providing a sustained energy release, increased satiety and improved digestive health. The addition of eggs and seeds provides a quality source of protein and essential amino acids as well as a dose of healthy fats and a range of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D, choline and B vitamins. The apple and blueberries also provide a good source of fibre, especially when the skin is left on the apple, antioxidants and vitamins and minerals.

 
 
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Baked oats can be prepared the night before to allow the oats to further soak up some of the liquid and save some time in the morning, or it can all be made in the morning. I prefer to do it the night before, which allows the flavours of the spice and zest to infuse well and 30 minutes of soaking time is taken care of while you sleep! This is also a breakfast that could be made in advance and then portions reheat when ready to eat.

The kids LOVE this brekky and, after being slightly hesitant initially, they now have generous serves and second helpings most times I’ve made it. We serve it with some thick Greek style yoghurt and if you wanted some additional sweetness, you could serve with a drizzle of maple syrup.

Enjoy xx

 
 
 
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Ingredients:

Serves 4-6

  • 2 cups rolled oats

  • 2 tbs linseeds

  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon

  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

  • 1/2 tsp ground cardamom

  • Zest of 1 orange, finely grated

  • 4 eggs

  • 3 cups milk

  • 3-4 tbs maple syrup

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1 large apple, sliced

  • 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

  • Thick Greek style yoghurt, to serve

 

Method:

The night before:

  1. Place oats, linseeds, spices and zest into a medium sized bowl and mix to combine.

  2. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, maple syrup and vanilla to combine. Pour into the bowl with the oats and mix well. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavours to infuse. Note: this can be done in the morning, but I recommend leaving the oats to sit soaking for at least 20-30 minutes.

  3. In the morning, preheat the oven to 180°C. While the oven is heating, line a large baking dish with baking paper or grease with butter or coconut oil.

  4. Remove the oats from the fridge and pour into the prepared dish. Add the blueberries and gently fold them into the oat mixture. Scatter the apple over the top, pressing some pieces further down into the mixture.

  5. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the oats are golden on top and the mixture is firm when pressed lightly on top.

  6. Serve portions with a dollop of thick yoghurt.

  7. Store leftovers, if there are any, in an airtight container in the fridge and reheat when needed or enjoy cold.