Yesterday was the longest day of the year, and I hope you got to spend at least some of it basking in the sunshine and eating ice cream. Here in New Jersey, the beaches are bustling, kids are officially out of school and the local farmer’s markets are overflowing with more and more good stuff each week.
Jersey fresh blueberries just kicked off their season, and I’ve been gobbling up as many as I can get my grubby little paws on. Because of the exceptionally cool and rainy May we had, this year’s crop is plumper, juicier and sweeter than ever. Perfect for snacking, and even better for tucking into your favorite baked goods.
Have you ever tried baked oatmeal before? It’s become a staple in our household. It’s simply oatmeal mixed up with milk, brown sugar, eggs and baked with whatever fruit, nuts and spices you fancy. It’s great served warm, eaten like a dense breakfast cake or muffin (aka, with your hands), or served in a bowl, with a splash of your favorite milk and eaten with a spoon. My favorite milk of the moment? It is definitely Dream Ultimate Almond.
Unlike the usual almond beverages on the market that are watery and bland, Dream Ultimate Almond is made with four times more California almonds in every cup, and you can definitely taste the difference. It’s super rich and creamy, not to mention packed with 5 grams of natural protein from almonds.
Baked oatmeal is a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition. It’s typically made in a pan and cut into squares, but I opted to make little individual portions using mini muffin tins. They’re perfect for taking breakfast on the go, and unlike muffins – which are essentially cake – these babies are packed with fiber, protein, nutrients and happen to be completely dairy and gluten free. You can even go a step further and substitute a flax or chia egg for the real eggs if you’d like to make this totally vegan. It’s a very forgiving recipe.
If you can’t find beautiful, plump local blueberries, this recipe would work nicely with raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and even peaches or plums. Your best bet is always to use the freshest, ripest and sweetest fruit you can find. You can also try switching up the vanilla extract for almond extract to get an even bigger boost of almondy goodness.
What makes these little baked oatmeal cups even better is that they freeze up beautifully. So you can make up a big batch on a rainy day and have them ready to eat all summer long. Just pop one in the toaster oven for a few minutes, and be on your way. Less time making breakfast means more time for sun basking and ice cream eating, two things we all need to do a little more of for the next three months. Check out the video below for a super easy no churn vegan salted caramel ice cream recipe!
Thank you to Dream Ultimate Almond for sponsoring this post! Dream Ultimate Almond comes in Original, Vanilla and Unsweetened and can be found in the shelf-stable or in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Look for it in Whole Foods and Sprouts, and head over to dreamplantbased.com for a coupon!
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- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted, plus more for greasing pans
- 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries
- 1 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease the insides of two 12-cup mini muffin tins, then set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, eggs and melted coconut oil. Add the oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, Dream Vanilla Ultimate Almond Milk, and vanilla extract, then whisk until combined. Stir in the blueberries and half of the almonds.
- Divide the batter evenly amongst the two muffin tins, then top each with the remaining sliced almonds, slightly pressing them into the batter. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, or until browned on the outside and just set on the inside. Allow to cool in the tins, then use a spoon to carefully remove each one. Serve as is, or with a splash of Dream Vanilla Ultimate Almond Milk.
- Notes: Leftovers can be frozen in a zip top bag and reheated in the toaster oven for a quick and easy breakfast on the go.
Nicole Gaffney, aka Coley, is a professionally trained chef, recipe developer, tv host and food writer.
Cool! I’m going to try the Almond Milk. You nailed it with my previous almond milk experiences (watery and bland). I like a creamier milk in my cereal and this would be better for my heart than whole. I may even try the oatmeal cups. Being one of the worlds pickiest eaters (I have the palate of a child), blueberries taste good to me but it’s the texture. I call it the “hat” or “crown” on a blueberry. Just feels too weird in my mouth! lol The photos of these cups however seem to break down the blueberry from baking them, so I might just give it a whirl! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, Michael. Dream Ultimate Almond is really a lot different than typical almond milk. I especially like cooking with it. And you’re right, the blueberries definitely do break down in the recipe. But if you’re not into blueberries, try it with a different berry or your favorite fruit! It will work equally as well. 🙂