Name: Vegan Oatmeal Breakfast Bake (Paleo, Keto option)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 2 cups gluten free rolled oats; 2 large bananas; 1/2 cup peanut butter (can sub for any nut or seed butter); 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup mixed berries of choice; 1/4 cup mix-ins of choice (Optional); 1 cup blanched almond flour; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut; 1/4-1/2 cup pumpkin puree (* See notes); 1/4 cup coconut oil (melted); 1/4 cup keto maple syrup; 1/4 cup mixed berries of choice; 1/4 cup mix-ins of choice (Optional )

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An easy, healthy and delicious baked oatmeal breakfast recipe, loaded with blueberries, strawberries, and other fruit! Packed with protein and no added sugar, these soft baked breakfast bars are vegan and gluten-free! They also come with a tested keto and paleo option.

Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Casserole

Baked oatmeal is an easy and portable breakfast choice, perfect to make the night before and enjoy during the week. It can come in a variety of flavors and variations, like cinnamon roll baked oatmeal, strawberry baked oatmeal and carrot cake baked oatmeal.

With summer right around the corner, it’s perfect to load them up with fresh blueberries, strawberries and more!

This mixed berry baked oatmeal is a cross between a delicious breakfast casserole and an overnight French toast bake (minus the toast!). It’s soft, chewy and loaded with sweet, tangy and juicy flavors. Let’s not forget about those hints of chocolate too! In fact, this breakfast bake reminds me of those diner style soft baked oatmeal breakfast bars!

This healthy oatmeal breakfast bake is perfect for those who meal-prep, want something easy and healthy and also something which can be made ahead of time. It’s naturally packed with protein, fiber, and healthy fats, and has no added sugar whatsoever.

The original recipe is 100% vegan and gluten-free, as it is made without eggs or dairy. However, I wanted my keto and paleo friends to enjoy this recipe too, so I’ve included an option to make this oatless and low carb!

How to make a vegan oatmeal breakfast bake

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine your rolled oats, mashed banana, peanut butter, and vanilla extract and mix well. Fold in half your mixed berries using a rubber spatula.

Step 3: Transfer the baked oatmeal batter into the lined pan and spread out on an even layer. Top with the other half of mixed berries and any other mix-ins. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean from the center.

Step 4: Allow the breakfast bake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, cut into 8 bars.

How to make a keto and paleo ‘oatmeal’ breakfast bake

To give this recipe a keto and paleo make-over, there are a few key changes that need to be made.

The main ones being omitting the oats and pumpkin, and replacing them with other alternatives, like almond flour and pumpkin puree.

Also take note of the other changes, along with baking times, as they will differ slightly.

Can you use frozen berries?

Fresh or frozen berries can be used for this recipe!

If you use fresh fruit, that is great and no changes need to be made. If you opt to use frozen fruit, you’ll need to thaw your berries to room temperature and remove any excess liquid. This will avoid the breakfast bake to be soggy and undercooked.

Other Mix-In ideas for this healthy breakfast bake

Berries on their own taste great, but definitely feel free to add other fun ingredients!

Nuts and Seeds- Hazelnuts, almonds, cashews, and pecans are all fantastic to include! Sunflower seeds, pepitas, and shredded coconut are also great!

Chocolate Chips- For the oatless option, use stevia sweetened chocolate chips. For the vegan recipe, use dairy free chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips.

Dried fruit- Raisins, dried apricots, and dried pineapple.

Storing vegan baked oatmeal

This breakfast baked oatmeal should be stored in the fridge, to ensure it doesn’t spoil. Store leftovers in either a sealed container or covered on a plate. This will keep for a week.

TIP! If you are making this recipe as part of a meal-prep for the week ahead, wrap individual pieces in parchment paper and place them in small ziplock bags.

Can you freeze vegan baked oatmeal?

Breakfast baked oatmeal is freezer friendly and can be stored in the freezer to enjoy at a later date. Wrap the oatmeal in parchment paper and place in a container or ziplock bag (again, for meal-prepping, this is great!).

Freezing them will keep for 2 months.

To enjoy from the freezer, allow thawing at room temperature or in the fridge overnight. To reheat baked oatmeal, you can either microwave it or toast in the oven.

Tips and Tricks for the PERFECT Vegan Baked Oatmeal Breakfast Recipe

Oven makes and models vary, to use the cooking time as a guide. You don’t want your breakfast bake over-cooked but you also don’t want it to underdone, or it will fall apart. Remember, it will continue to cook while cooling in the pan.

To keep this breakfast casserole nut-free, replace the peanut butter with one of the following- Sunflower seed butter, wow butter or smooth tahini.

For a more soft-baked oatmeal bar recipe, swap out the rolled oats for quick oats.

If you make the keto/paleo option, use blanched almond flour, instead of almond meal. This will yield a lighter, more flavorful breakfast bake. Also, if you don’t have access to keto maple syrup and don’t follow a strict keto diet, you can replace it with either pure maple syrup or agave nectar.

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