Ingredients
- 1 cup oat milk (or other plant-based milk)
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 2 tablespoons of chia seeds
- 2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar (plus additional 1/3 cup)
- 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
- 1 ripe banana, mashed
- 3 cups old-fashioned whole oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups cherries and mixed berries, fresh or frozen (divided in half)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
- Vegan whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Mix the water and chia seeds in a liquid (glass) measuring cup and set aside.
- Place the oats, nuts, and 1 ½ cups of the cherry/berries in a medium mixing bowl.
- In a small saucepan, bring 2/3 cup brown sugar, banana, coconut oil, vanilla, and salt to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the coconut oil has melted and ingredients are well combined. Remove from heat. Add chia mixture and milk, stir until incorporated.
- Add wet ingredients to dry oat mixture and stir until combined. Pour the mixture into a 9-inch round or square baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes, until oats are slightly golden.
- When oats are done, remove from oven and let cool, about 20 minutes. The oatmeal should be a little soft when you remove it and will firm up as it cools.
- Meanwhile, while oats are cooling, add the remaining 1 ½ cups cherry/berries and 1/3 cup brown sugar to a medium saucepan. Over medium-low heat, simmer berries and brown sugar with a pinch of sea salt until berries break down and become syrupy, about 7-10 minutes.
- Serve hot berries over cooled oats and add additional toppings such as whipped cream, coconut yogurt, coconut flakes, and pecans, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
This oatmeal keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
This mixture can be stripped down into a no-bake, and made hike-thru friendly by subbing protein powder for milk and using dried fruit. Also, skip the coconut oil and baking powder.