Blueberry Walnut Baked Oatmeal
After making walnut butter for last week’s blog post, I decided to try something new for breakfast. As you can probably tell based on a lot of my recipes, I LOVE peanut butter and could eat it every day. This breakfast recipe, however, uses walnut butter instead. Walnuts are packed with healthy fats, so they are a great way to make your breakfast more filling. Keep reading if you’re interested in trying this blueberry walnut baked oatmeal!
Ingredients
One of the things I love most about a recipe is when it can be customized. Baked oatmeal is the perfect recipe because you likely already have a lot of these ingredients in your pantry or freezer! This recipe can easily be made gluten- and dairy-free. It can even be made vegan! Here are the ingredients I use for this recipe as well as common substitutions based on food preferences, allergies, or just what you have in your kitchen:
Egg
To make this recipe vegan, use 1/4 cup applesauce in place of the 1 egg or try making a chia or flax egg.
Milk
I’ve used cow’s milk as well as a variety of non-dairy milks in this recipe. Using skim milk will lower the fat content, but you can use 1%, 2%, or whole milk to make it more filling. When choosing a non-dairy milk, I recommend looking for unsweetened varieties to avoid extra sugar in this recipe. Also, I’d recommend choosing a non-dairy milk that is fortified with calcium and vitamin D; most brands are, but it’s always a good idea to double-check the label.
Walnut butter
I used homemade walnut butter in this recipe, but you can also buy walnut butter or substitute any other nut or seed butter that you prefer. Make sure to choose a nut or seed butter without added sugar or oil. As I mentioned in last week’s post, walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, which are important for heart health. Including healthy fat in your breakfast is a great way to start the day and keep you full until your next meal or snack.
Oats
I use old-fashioned oats, but you could try quick-cooking oats instead, though the texture may be slightly different. Choose gluten-free oats if you’d like this recipe to be gluten-free. Oats are a whole grain so they are an excellent source of fiber, which is another nutrient that can fill you up and help to make your meal more satisfying.
Blueberries
I currently have an excess of frozen blueberries on-hand, so this is what I used in this recipe. Feel free to use fresh blueberries if you have them or substitute for another type of berry. You could even use chopped apple or mango!
Blueberry Walnut Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients
- 1 egg
- 1 3/4 cup milk of choice
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup natural walnut butter
- 2 cups rolled old fashioned oats
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- Dash of salt
- 1 1/2 cups frozen blueberries
- Chopped walnuts (optional for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/175 degrees Celsius. Grease an 8x8 square baking dish and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, walnut butter, and vanilla extract.
- To the same bowl add the oats, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt. Mix well to combine.
- Add the frozen blueberries and gently stir until incorporated.
- Pour mixture into prepared baking dish and top with a sprinkle of chopped walnuts, if desired.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and oatmeal is set. Let cool for 5-10 minutes and serve warm or store in the fridge for up to 4-5 days, then reheat in the microwave when ready to serve.
To serve
This baked oatmeal is not very sweet. If you like your oatmeal a little sweeter you can try drizzling it with a little bit of maple syrup before serving. For more protein, try topping with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt.
Baked oatmeal is a great way to meal prep breakfast for the week (and it can be made in one bowl!). It can be fun to come up with your own easy creations as well. If you liked this recipe, check out my other baked oatmeal recipes. What are your favorite things to add to oatmeal?
