Chocolate Chip & Banana Baked Oatmeal (Gluten-Free & Vegan!)

Baked oatmeal is made using a simple list of ingredients, as you would with regular oatmeal, then baking them together in a ramekin (or larger baking dish). It's a delicious dish that's suitable for even the laziest of chefs and anyone who loves a good pastry, but not the prep work.

This is without a doubt the very best version I've ever created. You can feel free to customize it as you please, omitting the chocolate chips, throwing in some chia seeds, subbing maca powder for the protein powder, and more! You really can’t go wrong.

Consider this an amazing foundation to start your own baked oatmeal adventure, but here's a fair warning: your world might never be the same!

Chocolate Chip & Banana Baked Oatmeal (Gluten-Free & Vegan!)

(yield is 2 servings, baked in 3-inch ramekins)

*If you intend to eat these warm out of the ramekin, use only 1 banana and 3/4 cup almond milk; it will be more like chocolate bread pudding, which is obviously a good thing.

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease ramekins or baking dish with warmed coconut oil.

Mix all dry ingredients — oats, protein powder, cocao, stevia, baking soda and powder, and sea salt.

Blend all wet ingredients — banana, applesauce, nondairy milk.

Mix wet and dry ingredients, optionally adding in chocolate chips.

Pour into ramekins, it should fill to the top or almost overfilling. If you don’t have ramekins, you can pour it into 1 baking dish, and adjust the time to 45 minutes, checking on it before taking out.

Place ramekins in oven, bake for 30-35 minutes. They should be hardened on the top but are still gooey on the inside.

Either:

1. Let cool for at least 30 minutes, then eat straight from the dish with a spoon. Your taste buds will be pretty much be blown, so leave ample time to process.

OR

2. Let cool for 8-12 hours (overnight is usually best), then pop them out and eat it with a fork or with your hands like a pastry if you don’t mind getting a little messy.

They're great to bring with you on the go if you work out in the morning and want a hearty, chocolaty treat waiting for you afterward, or sliced in half as a delicious, nutritious midday snack.