I remember the first time I had baked oatmeal like it was yesterday. We were staying at a bed and breakfast in middle-of-nowhere, Indiana for an Amish horse-drawn equipment auction. Like all B&Bs (I’m assuming, since this is the only one I’ve every stayed at), every day started with a big, homemade breakfast. One morning, we had baked oatmeal and it was the bomb dot com! I’ve been hooked ever since, making traditional baked oatmeal (and pumpkin and gingerbread) frequently.
Since I made my Black Forest Cheesecake Cake several weeks ago I’ve been obsessed with the chocolate-cherry combination, so I decided to combine all those same flavors in a healthy black forest baked oatmeal! You guys, it was delicious – think brownie-ish with pieces of cherries – and so easy. Yum! You probably have all these ingredients on hand, except maybe the cherries, but you could even use frozen cherries. In fact, don’t pay $7 per pound for mediocre cherries like I did (I needed them for pictures ha!). Frozen should work just fine =). Enjoy!
Healthy Black Forest Baked Oatmeal
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats (dry, uncooked)
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
1/2 tsp instant coffee granules
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp honey* (see note below)
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup chopped dark sweet cherries
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray (6-8 ounce) ramekin with nonstick spray.
2. Combine all ingredients in small bowl and stir until combined. Pour into ramekin and bake for 20-25 minutes or until center is set. Bake time will vary depending on the size/shape of your ramekin.
3. Serve with maple syrup, honey, whipped cream, chopped cherries, yogurt, cream cheese, or whatever you like! Serves 1 (but easily doubled).
Notes:
1. Depending on how sweet you want your oatmeal, you may want to add additional honey. You could also use maple syrup, agave, or stevia.
2. If you don’t have a ramekin, you could use a muffin tin. Bake time may vary slightly.
3. I used skim milk, but any milk would work – almond, soy, etc.
Nutritional Info: 226 calories; 3.6 g fat; 44.3 g carbohydrates; 6.7 g fiber; 8.4 g protein.
