Baked Banana Oatmeal Recipe from Pure Delicious Cookbook

This oatmeal recipe is so simple. I love it because you can make it the night before and just heat it up in the oven or the microwave in the morning. The first time I made it, I didn’t expect too much because it was so easy, but then my little girls went nuts for it and have requested it many times since. I like to dress it up by serving it hot with some chilled coconut milk, dried or fresh fruit, and toasted coconut.

Ingredients:

– Nonstick cooking spray
– 1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large banana)
– 1⁄2 cup granulated beet sugar
– 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
– 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
– 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
– 1 teaspoon kosher salt
– 2 teaspoons baking powder
– 3 cups gluten-free rolled oats
– 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk, plus more for serving
– 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
– Walnuts, dried cherries, and agave, for serving (optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8 × 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the mashed banana, sugar, and coconut oil and beat with a wooden spoon until smooth.
3. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking powder, and oats and stir until incorporated. Add the coconut milk and vanilla and mix well.
4. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.
5. Serve hot, topped with a little coconut milk, walnuts, dried cherries, and honey, if desired.

As a chef, former caterer, and much-loved food blogger, Heather Christo’s life revolves around food, so when she and her daughters were diagnosed with severe food allergies, she thought her life—and career—were over. With ingredients like gluten, dairy, nuts, and even cane sugar and black pepper permanently off the menu, Heather had to teach herself to cook all over again. Much to her surprise, however, she discovered that taking control of her family’s diet and wellness led to a new sense of empowerment, bringing her family closer together than ever before while permanently banishing the ill health that had been their “normal” for years.

Reprinted from Pure Delicious by arrangement with Pam Krauss Books and Avery Books, members of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2016, Heather Christo LLC

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