Jay Patruno, Junior Dietetics Student, SAR ’18

Oatmeal just got a lot more interesting! Oatmeal sometimes gets a bad rap as a bland breakfast option, but this week at the Test Kitchen we proved that oatmeal doesn’t have to be boring.

We made a delicious blueberry baked oatmeal recipe.  The way the dish was layered and baked resembled an apple crisp or crumble, so it was very dessert-like.  The recipe called for blueberries, but we added in cranberries too which turned out to be a pleasant, tart surprise. The baked oatmeal can be topped with your favorite spices after it comes out of the oven (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.).  I would also recommend adding some nuts or seeds for a little crunch after serving.

Sargent Choice Blueberry Baked Oatmeal
Recipe modified from Cookie and Kate
Serves 6

Ingredients:
2 cups old-fashioned oats
2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1¾ cup skim or low-fat milk
¼ cup maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 pint fresh or frozen blueberries (2 ½ cups)
1 teaspoon raw sugar

Optional toppings for serving: plain yogurt and/or additional fresh fruit

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch square baking dish.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oats, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and nutmeg. Whisk to combine.
3. In a smaller mixing bowl, combine the milk, maple syrup, eggs, butter, and vanilla.  Whisk until blended.
4. Reserve about ½ cup of the berries for topping the baked oatmeal, then arrange the remaining berries evenly over the bottom of the baking dish (no need to defrost berries if they are frozen).  Cover the fruit with the dry oat mixture, then drizzle the wet ingredients over the oats. Wiggle the baking dish to make sure the milk moves down through the oats, then gently pat down any dry oats resting on top.
5. Scatter the remaining berries across the top. Sprinkle the raw sugar on top for extra sweetness and crunch.
6. Bake for 42 to 47 minutes, until the top is nice and golden. Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.

If you don’t have the time or ingredients for this recipe on hand, don’t worry! I fielded some quick tips for jazzing up oatmeal from some fellow dietetics students here at Sargent College.  See below for some of their favorite (easy) ways to enjoy the breakfast classic:

• Stir in natural peanut butter, chopped apple, & chia seeds
• Add frozen berries (melted into hot oatmeal) & vanilla extract
• Cook with almond milk instead of water & top with granola & raisins
• Mash in a banana for added thickness & add a little maple syrup for sweetness
• Enjoy with a few pieces of dark chocolate, strawberries, and/or banana
• Add vanilla extract and fresh or frozen peaches (like peaches & cream)

As you can see, creativity, flavor, and nutrition don’t have to be mutually exclusive.