Fruit and Nut Baked Oatmeal

Oatmeal has a special place in my heart, it takes me back to those mornings before school where my mom either whipped up some from scratch or we got to "indulge" in those instant flavors, like maple brown sugar with raisins and apple cinnamon with little tiny chunks of dried apples. I even remember getting really crazy with those delightfully tacky sugared dinosaur egg packets, something my brother was more of a fan of than myself. Luckily I've come a long way since then and have branched far from the instant breakfast aspect of things but there's always those days where you just want some quick, right? Especially with the kids...

So, while chatting with my dad a few months ago he mentioned this recipe, he explained it was a breakfast protein cake, immediately I asked for the recipe so I could test out his theory on it's goodness. And I did, and it was even better than he explain and the pan didn't even make it through a day...I packed the recipe away and stumbled upon it last week while deciding on brunch for the boys, Even better than before..And ps. this is perfect for impressing house or brunch guests!

Fruit and Nut Baked Oatmeal

2 C Rolled Oats

1/3 C Pecans, Toasted

1/3 C Honey

1 Tsp. Baking Powder

2 Tsp. Ground Cinnamon

Pinch Of Salt

2 C Milk (Or Almond Milk)

1 Egg

3 Tbsp. Butter, Melted (or Try Coconut Oil)

2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 Ripe Bananas, Sliced

1 1/2 C Mixed Berries (I used frozen)

Preheat Oven to 375˚

1. Arrange Banana slices on bottom of greased 9x9 baking pan, and combine oats, half the pecans, baking powder, cinnamon, & salt. In another bowl, mix together milk, 1/2 the butter, honey and vanilla.

3. Cover bananas with oat and nut mixture. Slowly drizzle milk mixture over oats and fruit, making sure of even distribution. Sprinkle with berries, and top with remaining butter. 

5. Bake 35-40 Minutes, or until top is golden brown...

6. Remove, Serve & Enjoy..