3 Ways with Baked Oats

I am a little bit obsessed with baked oats right now – from proats to zoats and the humble oat, I have been baking them like a mad woman recently. The joys of working from home and having time for a delicious brunch.

*proats – protein-oats and zoats – zucchini or courgette-oats*

There’s a few reasons why I am hooked on baked oats rather than porridge bowls and the main one is that they are so much easier and require much less effort to make look pretty. The art isn’t quite so much in the display of toppings and the size of the bowl but more in the bake and being a little more reserved on the topping front – but feel free to go all out!

Baked Oats are much less demanding, too, you only need one bowl to mix and one to bake – that’s it, meaning there isn’t much washing up to do either. My favourite method involves mashing a banana and then adding all the other ingredients to it, stirring quickly with a spoon and baking in a greased ramekin for 20-30 minutes while I go back to work, send some emails and set up a photo shoot!

If you like to be prepared, you can even double (or quadruple) the recipes below, bake the night before and divide into portions. You can then enjoy them cold the next day with toppings or warm back up in the microwave or the oven and dig in. Similarly, they make an impressive but easy brunch to offer friends and family.

The key to a really delicious portion of baked oats is in the texture, and I have had a few less-than-ideal experiments in the past but now have a pretty fail-proof base of core ingredients that I work around: the aforementioned mashed banana (or apple puree as you’ll find out…), rolled oats, chia seeds, baking powder, milk and more often than not, some protein powder – this really adds so much flavour and sticking power but is optional. I have given alternatives if you are not using either flavoured protein powders or any protein powder at all. Similarly, you do not need to add the maca powder but I love the caramel flavour it lends to the oats.

From here let your imagination run wild! Here are three of my favourite combinations to date but also remember my Chocolate Banana Bread Baked Oats.

I hope you’ll love these 3 Ways with Baked Oats; they really are so satisfying and easy to make and prepare, coming together in about 30 minutes and one bowl. They are gluten and dairy-free, comforting, warming, packed with flavour and nutritional goodness, easy to serve to friends and family for lazy weekend brunches or on the go breakfasts.

Cherry Bakewell Baked Proats

• Servings: 2
• Time: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
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A delicious breakfast option that tastes like cherry bakewell pudding. These baked oats are vegan, healthy and gluten-free, perfect for an easy breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients

• 1 banana, mashed
• 60g oats
• 30g vanilla protein powder*+
• 2 tsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 tsp maca powder
• Pinch of salt
• 120ml coconut milk
• 2 tbsp Cherry Bakewell almond butter (or regular almond butter)
• 80g cherries
• 40g blueberries

Directions

1. Mash the banana in a bowl and then add in all the other ingredients and stir until thick and creamy.
2. Pour into a greased ramekin/tray (or two) and bake at 170Fan/190*C for 25-30 minutes until golden on top and firm to touch.
3. Enjoy warm or cold topped with yoghurt, more almond butter and dried berries.

*if you are not using vanilla protein powder, add in 1/2 tsp vanilla essence to a plain protein powder or if not using any protein powder, add in. 1/2 tsp vanilla essence and 20g more oats.

+use code Nourishing5 for £5 off Missfits!

Chocolate Blueberry Baked Proats

• Servings: 1
• Time: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
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Rich and indulgent chocolate and blueberry baked oats that taste like chocolate pudding for breakfast! Thick and chewy oats ideal for an easy vegan, healthy and gluten free breakfast or brunch.

Ingredients

• 80g apple puree (or mashed banana)
• 40g oats
• 30g chocolate protein powder**
• 2 tsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp maca powder
• Pinch of salt
• 100ml coconut milk
• 80g blueberries

Directions

1. Stir the apple puree in a bowl and then add in all the other ingredients and stir until thick and creamy.
2. Pour into a greased ramekin/tray and bake at 170Fan/190*C for 25 minutes until golden on top and firm to touch.
3. Enjoy warm or cold topped with yoghurt and chocolate sauce.

**if you are not using chocolate protein powder, either add in 1 tbsp cacao powder to a plain protein powder or if not using any protein powder add 1 tbsp cacao powder and 10g more oats.

Ginger Biscuit Baked Zoats

• Servings: 1
• Time: 30 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ginger biscuit flavour baked oats with hidden vegetables! The grated courgette adds colour and a health boost to this vegan, gluten free and deliciously creamy breakfast or brunch recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 banana, mashed
• 40g oats
• 30g ginger biscuit protein***++
• 2 tsp chia seeds
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp maca
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 courgette, grated
• 70ml coconut milk

Directions

1. Mash the banana in a bowl and then add in all the other ingredients and stir until thick and creamy.
2. Pour into a greased ramekin/tray and bake at 170Fan/190*C for 25 minutes until golden on top and firm to touch.
3. Enjoy warm or cold topped with yoghurt and syrup.

***if you are not using ginger protein powder, either add in 1 tsp ground ginger to a plain protein powder or without any protein powder add 1 tsp ground ginger and 10g more oats.

++use code FSNAmy for £5 off Free Soul Sistas.

Have you tried baked oats? What do you think of them? I’d love to hear your thoughts below and if you give any of my recipes a go, please let me know and tag me in your creations. I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello!

With baked oats of love x