A Delicious Tale

MAPLE PEAR BAKED OATMEAL

I am ashamed to say that I had never eaten nor had I ever made baked oatmeal. I cannot believe what I was missing!! Over the recent months, I have found myself walking into the kitchen, grabing the same ingredients and making variations of my usual meals. I suppose I could say the the recent spring weather, blooming flowers and blossoming trees have motivated me to bloom myself. Bloom in the kitchen. I want to challenge myself to create dishes I have never made before. Grow my list of original recipes. Baked oatmeal is far from challenging. However, it is new to me so lets walk out into the unknown...create...discover...blossom.

Pears are a pretty groovy fruit. Let me tell you about them. Pears have a high amount of phytonutrients, which provide us with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory benefits. Here is something really cool that I learned. The fiber in pears bind with a special bile called secondary bile acids. Large amounts of this bile in the intestines increases your risk of colorectal cancer. The phytonutrients in pears also helps to lower your risk of stomach and esophageal cancer and decrease your risk of type 2 diabetes. So, what we have learned from this is, pears are awesome....eat them. :)


MAPLE PEAR BAKED OATMEAL / serves 4-6

Dry Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats
1 cup walnuts
1/2 cup dried cherries
1 tsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cardamom
1/4 tsp. clove
pinch sea salt

Wet Ingredients

2 cups nut milk (I used sunflower milk)
2 eggs
2 Tbsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. maple extract
2 ripe pears

Preheat oven to 375*

Grease the bottom of a baking dish (mine was 8"x12") with coconut oil. 

Chop up the pears and spread them along the bottom of the baking dish.

In a bowl mix the oats, nuts, spices, dried cherries, baking powder and salt. Measure out 2 cups of nut milk and set aside. Whisk 2 eggs together and add to the nut milk. Combine the remaining wet ingredients. 

Pour the dry oat mixture over top of the pears. Then slowly pour the combined wet ingredients over top of the pears and oats, making sure everything is coated.

Place in the oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes, until golden brown.

references: http://www.whfoods.com/