Pear, Date & Cardamom Baked Oatmeal
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Makes: 8-10
 
The flax seeds are optional. If you choose not to add them, just use three cups of oats. We use non-dairy milks, but feel free to use cow's milk if that's what you keep in your fridge. And, if nuts are OK in your house or school, stir ½ cup toasted hazelnuts or pecans into the dry ingredients. You won't regret it.
What you'll need
  • 2¾ cups rolled oats
  • 1 cup sliced dates
  • ¼ cup ground flax seeds (optional)
  • heaping ½ tablespoon ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2¾ cups unsweetened coconut or almondmilk
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 ripe bartlett or comice pears, unpeeled
How you'll make it
  1. Heat oven to 400°F. Grease a 9"x13" baking pan with cooking spray or coat lightly with coconut oil.
  2. In bowl, combine oats, dates, flax seeds, cardamom, ginger and salt; toss to combine completely.
  3. In separate bowl or large measuring cup, whisk together milk, maple syrup, egg, coconut oil and vanilla extract. Chop pears; stir into coconut milk mixture.
  4. Pour coconut milk mixture into oat mixture and stir completely to combine. Transfer mixture to greased baking pan. Bake 35 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the center is mostly firm (it should have a bit of give, but not be jiggly). Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving or portioning our into containers.
How to plan ahead
• Combine all dry ingredients in one container, the day before.
• Whisk together the wet ingredients, minus the coconut oil and pears, the day before.
• To really make yourself proud, make a triple batch of the dry oatmeal, divide between three containers and store until you're ready to make your next batch.
• Lastly, the oatmeal freezes well. I like to measure out the portions, using the container I ultimately use to send the oatmeal into school. I then freeze in a single layer and transfer to a bag, once frozen solid.
Recipe by at https://www.lifeaswecookit.com/pear-date-cardamom-baked-oatmeal/