Baked Oatmeal I've Made Weekly for Over a Decade

Early in my real food journey I stumbled upon this recipe and have made it almost weekly for going on 13 years now. In the beginning I made 2 pans: one with chocolate chips for my son, and one with fruit for my husband. I ate whichever pan needed finishing #lifeasmom. It can also be doubled to fit a 18x13 sheet pan.

It can be made ahead and nutrient dense from 6 eggs and good fats. A piece the size of a playing card keeps me full until lunch. Great after school snack, too!

I took 4 pans to teachers the first day of school.

Baked Oatmeal adapted from Kelly the Kitchen Kop’s recipe

• 3 c. oats, old fashioned preferred if soaking*, quick oats work.

• 2 c. buttermilk*

• ½ c. melted coconut oil or butter

• 6 eggs; as few as 4 eggs work

• ½ c. brown sugar, honey or maple syrup

• 1 tsp. baking powder

• ½ tsp. salt

• 2-3 tsp. cinnamon or pumkin pie spices

• 2 tsp. vanilla, optional

• 2 c. raisins, currants or Craisins

• 2 c. shredded or chopped apples or pears, peeled 

• 1-2 c. chopped pecans, optional

• my children prefer chocolate chips instead of fruit

Soak oats and buttermilk in a glass bowl, covered on kitchen counter overnight*. In the morning preheat oven to 350*.  As the oven preheats, melt a stick of butter in the 9x13 pan. When the oven beeps when it is preheated, pour butter into batter. Beat/stir vigorously oil or butter, oats, buttermilk, sugar, and eggs until glossy. 

Add baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and vanilla; beat. Stir in raisins, chopped apples & pecans or chocolate chips. 

Pour into 9×13 baking dish. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes.  Look for bubbles or small holes in the middle of the dish to make sure it’s cooked through. If using fruit or liquid sweetener like honey or maple syrup, you might need more than 30 minutes.

We like to eat it hot the first day and cold (till it's gone).  I like it best cold and with heavy whipping cream poured over the top.  It is not very sweet so if you want it sweeter, either add more sugar when baking or drizzle honey, maple syrup or jam over it when eating.

Yesterday I ate a piece with peanut butter slathered on my slice. It was heavenly and I wondered why I’ve not tried that before.

*If you’re not patient for soaking, you can use plain milk it’s fine. For optimal nutrient density soaking with buttermilk overnight is best. By soaking, your body is able to digest the minerals and nutrients better. Many Americans are weirded out by this idea of soaking on the counter overnight; fear not, traditional cultures have done it for millennia.

Instead of buttermilk, use yogurt (full of fat yogurt).  To make it more frugal, you can use 1/2 yogurt (or buttermilk) and 1/2 water.  You can buy a large container of buttermilk and freeze the rest in 2 cup portions. Dairy intolerant? Use 2T of lemon juice and the rest water.  The most important thing is to let the oats soak for at least 8 hours in some sort of acidic solution. 

Life is hard, food doesn’t have to be,

Julie