Banana Bread Oatmeal Bake

Imagine all the healthy things that you can eat for breakfast – milk, eggs, bananas, nuts and oatmeal. Healthy alright but not very exciting. Now close your eyes and wish you could have a cake for breakfast instead. Ta-da!!! I think it was your lucky day because all those ingredients just magically changed into a cake – well, actually a Banana Bread Oatmeal Bake. It means you can have your cake and eat it too!
😉

I’m personally a big fan of oatmeal because I find the creamy texture and mild sweetness quite like kheer (a South Asian rice pudding), that happens to be one of my favourite desserts. My family, especially kids, have a very lukewarm response to an oatmeal breakfast. Not with this Banana Bread Oatmeal Bake though! They couldn’t even realise they were fed oatmeal. Ha!

Oatmeal really is a breakfast with benefits as it has a whole big bunch of health advantages. Oats can help you control weight by making you feel full for a longer time with good dose of fibre. Including carbs from whole grains in healthy diet is not only wise but essential for digestive health. Also they are rich in minerals and contain more protein than most grains. They can lower bad cholesterol levels and protect good cholesterol from damage.

Bottom Line: a guilt-free, healthy food that almost feels like an indulgence.
Tip:For complete vegetarian version you can substitute egg with an extra banana and dairy milk with almond or coconut milk.
Also leave out nuts if you are allergic, instead try some dates, figs and berries.

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled or quick cooking oats
2 cups milk
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
3 bananas
1 egg
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
3/4 cup assorted nuts and dried fruits
(I used almonds, peanuts and raisins)

This Is What You Do:
Preheat oven at 175 degrees C.

Mix oats, two tablespoons sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a square 8×8 inch or round 8 inch pan.

Add milk and vanilla, stir to combine.

Add beaten egg and two chopped bananas. Mash up bananas with a fork and stir in egg to combine roughly with the mix.

Stir in olive oil/butter and 1/4 cup mixed nuts into the batter.

Bake for 25 minutes or until set. Take out and sprinkle the remaining sugar and nuts on top. Bake another 5 minutes or till the nuts on top are toasted and sugar caramelised.

Garnish with sliced banana.
Serve warm.

Serves 4