Baked Oatmeal

I could live on oatmeal. Now this might not sound appealing to some people, but I could eat bowls and bowls of oatmeal a day, regular or instant. Quakers Maple & Brown Sugar is most definitely my all time favorite.Well, as I said in the beginning, my goal for this cooking blog is to shy away from a diet of instant and microwavable foods. When I saw this recipe in one of my mom's Southern Living magazines, I knew I had to try it. It was very simple to make and is relatively nutritious. The recipe can also be slightly varied, depending on what fruit you add, to alter the nutritional value. Also, don’t be afraid of the cooked bananas, they don’t turn to mush (no one likes mushed bananas)! And the nuts can be varied- I liked the walnuts but you can use pecans too (or even both). 
Here are the ingredients!

ingredients:

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, divided
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used sugar free)
1 cup milk (I used skim)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 ripe bananas, peeled and sliced
1 cup blueberries or raspberries, fresh or frozen, divided

Side note: Here's one thing you need to decide: are you more concerned with nutrition? or taste?

I chose to use fresh blueberries, which made the bake healthier, but let's sweet. My mom made the same recipe but used frozen blueberries, and hers was very sweet. The sweet syrup the frozen blueberries are in makes up for the lack of sugar in the recipe. The bake was still very good with the fresh blueberries, but I ended up adding some brown sugar on top 

directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375F.

2. Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish. In a medium bowl, mix the oats, half of the walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine. In a liquid measuring cup, combine the syrup, milk, egg, butter, and vanilla.

3. Spread the sliced bananas in a single layer over the bottom of the baking dish. Top with half of the berries. Sprinkle the dry oat mixture over the fruit in an even layer. Pour the liquid ingredients evenly over the oats.

4. Sprinkle the remaining nuts and berries over the top. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the top is browned and the oats have set. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

http://www.sohowsittaste.com/2012/06/blueberry-raspberry-baked-oatmeal.html