Blueberry Pie Baked Oatmeal

This simple, heart healthy blueberry baked oatmeal is the perfect batch cooking recipe for breakfast.

Eating breakfast is actually pretty controversial these days with the increased popularity of intermittent fasting. While there is some good research on the benefits of intermittent fasting, it’s definitely not for everyone. In my practice, I find that vast majority of people feel more energized and less inclined to overeat or binge when they have a healthy breakfast everyday.

Oatmeal is is one of my favorite healthy breakfast options because it’s so versatile. The combinations of flavors and textures are endless! Baked oatmeal is a great alternative to overnight oats in the winter months when you want something warm, nourishing and filling for breakfast.

This blueberry baked oatmeal recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free. It’s also great for your heart because it’s jam packed with superfoods that help prevent and manage heart disease (see nutrition facts below for deets).

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Baked oatmeal is the perfect quick, easy, and delicious batch cooking breakfast recipe. The recipe makes about 6 - 8 servings so you can heat it up and eat it all week or share with your family. It only takes about 10 minutes to whisk it all together and pop in the oven. No expensive ingredients or complicated baking skills are needed!

Nutrition Facts

BLUEBERRIES

Blueberries are especially good for heart health because of their unique phytonutrient content. They are very high in flavonoids like anthocyanin, which give them their blue hue and help fight inflammation.

They are also high in a group of phytonutrients called stilbenoids, which have potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, but it also antidiabetic, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and chemopreventive (anti-cancer) properties.

Blueberries are high in vitamin K, vitamin C, manganese, and fiber, which all promote heart health.

Studies have found that including blueberries in your everyday diet can result in lower blood pressure, arterial stiffness, and oxidized LDL cholesterol (1, 2).

OATS

Oats contain several key nutrients that make them a superfood for heart health. The soluble fibers in oats, known as beta-glucans, have been well researched for their unique ability to lower total and LDL cholesterol (3). Eating oats regularly has also been associated with decreased risk of heart attack (4).

Oats also contain unique phenolic phytonutrients that help fight inflammation, one of the root causes of cardiovascular disease. Oat saponins found in the bran portion of the oat have also been associated with decreased levels of LDL and total cholesterol.

Finally, many studies have demonstrated that oat consumption is associated with a decreased risk of metabolic syndrome and obesity, lower waist circumference, and lower BMI, all of which decrease your risk of heart disease (5, 6, 7).

Stick to steel-cut oats, oat bran, and/or old fashioned rolled oats to get the most benefits out of eating oats.

ALMONDS

Almonds have several key nutrients that help support heart health, including monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, fiber, flavanoids, magnesium and potassium.

Several studies have found that daily consumption of almonds decreases both total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (8).

CHIA SEEDS

Chia seeds are an amazing source of omega-3 fats, which help fight inflammation associated with cardiovascular disease. They are also high in soluble fiber, which binds with cholesterol and other fats preventing them from being absorbed and decreasing total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.

The Recipe

HEART HEALTHY BLUEBERRY “PIE” BAKED OATS

(GF, DF, OIL-FREE, Vegan friendly)*

Recipe: Gabriella Gavalas

Makes: 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 cups of Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Rolled Oats
2 tablespoons of chia seeds
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1½ cups of Califia Farms Unsweetened Original Almond Milk
¼ cup of 100% pure maple syrup
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg or flax egg* (recipe in notes)
2 cups organic blueberries (fresh or frozen)
¼ cup sliced almonds

Optional Toppings:

Unsweetened Bob’s Red Mill Shredded Coconut
Drizzle of nut butter

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9” by 9” baking pan with non-stick cooking spray (I like this coconut cooking spray for baking).
In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, chia seeds, and sea salt.
In a smaller bowl, combine the egg (or flax egg), unsweetened applesauce, unsweetened almond milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract, and whisk together.
First, pour the dry ingredients (from the large bowl) into the baking pan, as well as 1 ½ cups of the organic blueberries.
Then, pour the wet ingredients (from the smaller bowl) into the baking pan and gently shake the pan to allow the dry and wet ingredients to intertwine.
Finish by topping the last ½ cup of organic blueberries and the sliced almonds on top.
Bake for 35-40 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. You will know when it is done when you are able to remove a toothpick cleanly.
Once done baking, cut into 6-8 pieces and top with desired toppings or eat as is, and enjoy!

Notes:

You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to a week, which makes this recipe great for batch cooking.
You can use frozen organic blueberries in place of fresh, and in this case you do not have to thaw beforehand, just simply follow the recipe as is.
You can add 2 - 4 scoops of collagen powder to this recipe to make it higher in protein.
*To make a flax egg, combine 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 2 tablespoons of water in a separate small bowl, and then place in the fridge while you continue to prepare the rest of the ingredients (~15 minutes). From there, you’ll simply pour it into the wet ingredients and continue on with the recipe as is.