Baked Steel Cut Oatmeal with Peaches

I adore recipes that allow me to assemble the ingredients well in advance so that there is little work at meal-time. This baked oatmeal is one of those fabulous recipes. A hearty, healthful breakfast is just a few simple steps away. Assemble the oatmeal at night prior to heading to bed. Toss some fresh fruit into the mix in the morning. Pop the dish into the oven. Brew up some coffee. And, grab some spoons!

 

Using steel cut oats is key here (they are easily found in the cereal/oats section of most supermarkets these days). They hold up well in the fridge overnight amidst the creamy, perfectly-spiced liquid and have such an awesome texture once baked up in this sensational breakfast dish.

Fresh peaches are used here, but this baked oatmeal works great with any fruit that I've tried (blueberries are another favorite add-in for us in this recipe). And, frankly, I think this recipe would work even if you didn't add any fruit into the mixture.

I bring together a little shredded coconut, chopped nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and maple syrup to really enhance the oats. I, also, mix a little quinoa in with the steel cut oats, but it can be omitted if you're not a fan or don't have it on hand. (Just replace the quinoa with additional oats.)

To serve, scoop some of the baked oatmeal into a bowl, top with a sprinkling of brown sugar (or a drizzle of honey) and pour on a little milk or cream right before digging in.

Serves 4 - 6.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup steel cut oats
1/4 cup quinoa
1/4 cup almonds, pecans or walnuts, chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups milk
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 heaping tablespoons brown sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 - 3 ripe peaches, pitted, peeled and cut into small chunks

Directions:

Rinse oats and quinoa together in cool water for a couple of minutes. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl. Add in the nuts, coconut, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix to combine. Set aside.

In a another bowl, whisk together the milk, maple syrup, brown sugar, egg, melted butter and vanilla.

Pour the liquid mixture over the oats mixture and stir to combine ingredients.

Cover or lid bowl. Store in refrigerator overnight.

In the morning, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an 8-inch (or equivalent size) baking dish. Place chopped peaches in the bottom of dish.

Remove oats mixture from fridge. Stir. Pour the oats mixture over the fruit.

Bake for 55 - 65 minutes. Top should be golden and oatmeal should be "set" when lightly jiggled. Remove from oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes prior to serving.

NOTE: I have made this both with and without the egg. Including the egg makes the baked oatmeal slightly custard-like in consistency. Without it, it is a little more dry. I recommend trying it both ways and seeing which you prefer.